Nourishing Through the Holidays: Tips for Mindful and Balanced Eating This Seas

By Katrina Schoettler, dietetic intern with Nutrition Ink Dietetic Internship Program (NIDIP)

The holiday season can be a challenging time to stay on track with health goals. Many of us are out of our normal routines, attending events and parties or traveling to see loved ones. Our stress levels rise, workout plans give way to other priorities, and the culture around food seems to be one of indulgence. But the holidays can also be a time when we gather together, experience joy, take time off of work or school, and engage in some of our favorite traditions. It’s all a balance. Similarly, a balanced approach to eating during the holidays can help us to support our body and nervous system while leaving us room to feel joy and connection.

Here are some ways to enjoy food and all its benefits during this holiday season:

Tip 1: Practice Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is the practice of deliberately paying attention to the food you are eating and your experience with that food in a non-judgemental way. Research shows that mindful eating practices can reduce one’s tendency to overeat and reduce instances of emotional eating (1). During the holidays especially, practicing mindful eating can help us differentiate between physical hunger and psychological hunger and can help mitigate the influence of external factors, like stress, on our food choices.

To practice eating more mindfully, try these techniques the next time you sit down to a meal or snack:

• Before eating, check in with yourself to assess what type of hunger you are feeling. Is it physical hunger? Emotional? Are you eating out of boredom or stress? Are you eating to connect with the people around you? Honor that there are different types of hunger and identify yours in a non-judgemental way.
• Remove or limit distractions during mealtime (TV, computers, phones, etc).
• Pause to notice your food before you take your first bite. Pay attention to how it looks and smells.
• Take a few deep breaths before you start eating.
• Every time you take a bite, chew thoroughly and take in the flavors of your food.
• Set down your utensils after each bite or pause halfway through your meal to assess your satiety.
• End the meal with gratitude for all components of the meal and how it served you.

Tip 2: Focus on Balancing Meals and Snacks

Often during the holidays, we encounter foods that we wouldn’t normally eat the rest of the year. Instead of trying to restrict these foods, focus on balancing your plate to sustain energy and prevent blood sugar spikes and corresponding dips (aka “sugar crash”). These crashes can leave us feeling tired and foggy, with less energy to engage in fun holiday traditions. Instead, pair carbohydrates that are higher in added sugar with protein, fiber and healthy fats to slow down the absorption of sugar in the gut and help stabilize its uptake into cells (2,3,4).

Some examples include:

• Eating a small handful of nuts before enjoying a classic sugar cookie
• Adding plain Greek yogurt and some berries as a topping on your favorite dessert
• Bringing a veggie tray with flaxseed crackers, guacamole, and hummus to your next holiday party

For balancing full meals, try filling half of your plate with vegetables, a quarter with lean protein (e.g., turkey, plant-based options), and a quarter with whole grains or starchy vegetables.

Tip 3: Make Some Swaps to Feel Your Best

Maybe there are certain holiday staples that no longer sound appealing or make you feel bloated or sluggish. Swap these foods out for alternatives that are lower in saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium.

Here are a few examples:

• Use plain, non-fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
• Use canned coconut milk instead heavy cream if you are sensitive to dairy
• Use avocado or olive oil in place of solid fats (butter, margarine)
• Use unsweetened applesauce or mashed bananas instead of sugar or oil in baked goods
• Opt for whole foods over processed foods as much as possible to reduce sodium and inflammatory oils

Tip 4: Honor Enjoyment and Tradition (and Ditch the Guilt)

Food is an important part of our cultural traditions around the holidays. Honoring that food serves more purpose than just fueling our bodies can help us enjoy holiday treats without the guilt. One of the dangers of overly restricting food during this time is that it could lead to emotional overeating later on (5). Instead, recognize that having a slice of your grandma’s pie fulfills a different type of hunger that is just as important to our overall well-being.

The holiday season can be challenging in many ways, but it is also a time for us to foster connections and honor our traditions. Food can be an important part of that. With a mindset of balance, mindfulness, and self-compassion, you can support your health goals and still enjoy all that the season has to offer!

Katrina Schoettler is a recent graduate of Bastyr University’s Master of Science in Nutrition with a Didactic Program in Dietetics (MSN/DPD). She is now completing her dietetic internship with Nutrition Ink Dietetic Internship Program (NIDIP) and hopes to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. She is passionate about integrative and functional nutrition that seeks to target the root cause of illness through diet and lifestyle change.

Sources:

1. Warren JM, Smith N, Ashwell M. A structured literature review on the role of mindfulness, mindful eating and intuitive eating in changing eating behaviours: effectiveness and associated potential mechanisms. Nutr Res Rev. 2017;30(2):272-283. doi:10.1017/S0954422417000154
2. Russell WR, Baka A, Björck I, et al. Impact of diet composition on blood glucose regulation. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2016;56(4):541-590. doi:10.1080/10408398.2013.792772
3. Müller M, Canfora EE, Blaak EE. Gastrointestinal transit time, glucose homeostasis and metabolic health: modulation by dietary fibers. Nutrients. 2018 Feb 28;10(3):275. doi: 10.3390/nu10030275. PMID: 29495569; PMCID: PMC5872693.
4. Rehfeld JF. Cholecystokinin – from local gut hormone to ubiquitous messenger. Front. Endocrinol. 2017 Apr 12;8:47. doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2017.00047
5. Reichenberger J, Schnepper R, Arend A-K, Blechert J. Emotional eating in healthy individuals and patients with an eating disorder: evidence from psychometric, experimental and naturalistic studies. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2020;79(3):290-299. doi:10.1017/S0029665120007004