Surviving the
Holidays
THE GIFT OF PERMISSION AND
THE INFLUENCE OF EMOTION
By Shannon Hayes Buescher
T
he holiday season is officially here.
The holidays are meant to be the most wonderful
time of year, but when you are focused on your weight,
it can become a battleground full of forbidden foods
and willpower. You can feel like you are one bite away
from sabotage, or slip into the idea of “I’ll be good in the New Year.”
There are a lot of layers when it comes to the holidays and eating.
For some, it feels like it is impossible to control themselves in the mere
presence of these special foods, which might be loaded with memories
from childhood, are foods that are only served at that time of year, and
are most likely, delicious.
One of the issues surrounding holiday foods is deprivation since they
are usually not served often. Of course, that is part of what makes these
foods special, but if there is a food you tend to struggle with, preparing
it outside of holiday time can help with control when you are around it.
The goal is to help you connect to the permission of the food, but
also to take away the “I can’t control myself” feeling. When you prepare
it outside of the holiday season, eat it slowly, deliberately and without
distraction. Be conscious of each bite. What flavors do you taste? What
texture do you feel? Be really mindful. Maybe there are memories that
come to mind associated with this food from when you were young.
Does it make you feel happy, sad or nostalgic? Does eating that food
bring back pleasant feelings, or do the memories it brings make you feel
numb? Or is this your only shot to have this food, so you need to eat
as much as you can? Be really curious about it. When you stay in that
curious place, you’ll find more answers than you realize. The next day,
repeat. Allow there to be acceptance to have whatever food it is. The
key is to be mindful and give permission.
Emotions come along with the holidays. Recognizing these emotions
is one of the best things you can do, especially if you tend to be an
emotional eater. Be aware of how your emotions impact what you’re
eating. The holidays can bring up a lot of memories, but they also can
tend to bring distant and sometimes, undesired family members - those
who may make the body or weight comment or talk about food or their
diet in a way that ignites feelings of shame or inadequacy.
Remember that you are the only expert of you, no one else. You are
the only one who knows how you feel - emotionally and physically.
Honor that, whether that means saying no to a second helping of
stuffing, or eating pumpkin pie for breakfast the next day. Staying in a
place of self-love and respect is the best present you can give yourself.
Buescher is a registered and licensed dietitian.
She has over 15 years of experience with nutritional
counseling in sports nutrition, eating disorders and
a non-diet approach to food. Visit her website at
hayes-nutrition.com.
SAVVY I SOPHISTICATED I SASSY
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