The holidays are here! Are you ready to count your blessings and enjoy the feast? Are you ready for the ultimate celebration at the table? We’re sharing our top tips for mindful eating and celebrating.
This holiday season we’ll enjoy family and friends, make some new memories, practice traditions, and then get down to some serious eating. Food can bring us a lot of joy, but when we overdo it, it can really take a toll! The key is to celebrate mindfully and practice mindful eating habits. Here are a few Fully Functional® tips to help you enjoy the holidays without sabotaging your health, energy, and radiance!
The guilt we often feel after over-indulging can be more toxic than any food we eat. It causes stress, which can raise cortisol levels and create a toxic environment in the body. You know you’re going to eat. Acknowledge it, enjoy the meal and move on! Thanksgiving Day is no time to be counting calories or feeling deprived due to guilt or fear of weight gain. That said, you don’t have to eat everything! See #2! (Or prepare foods from our Fully Functional® Recipe collection, recipes that are holiday delicious, but won’t sabotage your health goals!)
Before you put something on your plate, mindfully consider whether or not you truly enjoy eating that food. If not, politely pass on it. Will the food cause unwanted symptoms that will plague you for days afterward? Consider the answer then make your choice. The Thanksgiving table offers many (possibly healthier) options to choose from!
Take larger portions of the healthiest foods, then fill around that with the “less healthy”. When you focus on eating the healthiest foods first, you will naturally eat less of the rest. Psychologically, you get the most gratification out of eating food in just the first couple of bites. Keep that in mind and know that if you’re filling up on the good stuff, it’s entirely possible just enjoying a few bites of something rich and decadent will satisfy you just fine.
Skipping meals is never a good idea, even on a day like Thanksgiving. Skipping meals wreaks havoc with your blood sugar, leading to overeating and poor food choices. Instead, nourish your body in a healthy way the day of the big meal, including having a healthy breakfast and a couple of good snacks throughout the day. You will be much less likely to overdo it later in the day and will feel much better!
Digestion begins in the mouth and your digestive system is going to need all the help it can get on a feast day such as Thanksgiving. It’s going to have a lot of work to do! Slow down and savor your food, taking the time to thoroughly chew it. This allows it to begin to break down and digest before swallowing. Slowing down also allows you to relax and enjoy your food more.
A couple of days of indulgence won’t derail your health goals, but a whole week will. Get back on track as soon as possible by eating healthfully as soon as the big meal is over and ramping up the exercise throughout the holidays.
Commonly this time of year, we get so caught up in the shopping, obligations, and rush of the holidays that we become over-stressed and exhausted and lose focus on what’s important. Stress is a joy-stealer. Keep the reasons we celebrate front of mind. Focus on family, friends, and faith rather than the stuff and the to-do lists. Keep it all in perspective.
Wishing you many joy-filled moments around the table this holiday season! And don’t forget to check out our super tasty Fully Functional® Holiday Recipes!
You can book an appointment by clicking here. We are also happy to speak with you at (317) 989-8463, Monday-Thursday, from 8AM – 5PM Eastern time.
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The Center for Fully Functional Health® is led by a team of award-winning, internationally recognized physicians, committed to providing personalized, life-changing care.
