Is It REALLY Possible to Eat Sanely Over the Holidays?
Perfectly? Maybe not. Sanely? Absolutely.
4 strategies that can get you through the Holidays with finesse and confidence:
1. Determine not to eat in secret.
Savor what you’ve chosen, in full view of any and everyone. Enjoy it with gratitude and grace. Stand in your dignity and autonomy.
2. Refuse to eat on auto-pilot.
Show up before your first bite. Take a peaceful breath. If you feel that crazy thing happening, just stop a minute - put your food down - and get back in your right mind.
Give yourself the gift of being present. Turns out it’s extremely satisfying.
3. Choose a “rallying cry” for this Holiday Season.
Create a personal statement that motives and settles you – one that reminds you of what you really want. Keep it close. Let it be your compass when you start to feel lost.
Here are a few statements that have helped other liberated eaters*:
Enough is a feast.
Saying no to overeating is saying YES to my life.
I’m a person of peace & poise.
What’s gonna make me feel great now, 2 hours from now, and tomorrow morning?
Slow down & savor.
It’s just food, it’s not all that.
4. Do not say “I blew it”
If you happen to overeat, decide right now that you’re not gonna say:
“I blew it… so I might as well…”
This all-or-nothing thinking (which was installed during our old dieting days) leads to the exhausting extremes we’re all sick of. We do not have to fall victim to this anymore.
If you eat more than you wish you had – so what? We all do sometimes. Simply acknowledge it without judgement. See what you can learn from that experience for next time. Make a clear connection between the overeating and the consequences you’re not happy with.
This is how real and lasting change happens.
As we move toward this special time of year, dare to trust that you can navigate it in a new way. Picture yourself getting stronger, wiser, freer, and more peaceful with food with each passing holiday.
So, is it possible to eat sanely over the holidays? You bet it is!
*If your relationship with food is wonky, I know these strategies can feel impossible. It’s hard to respond reasonably to food when it pushes all your buttons! However – this can change. There is a process of healing. We call it liberated eating because its soooo liberating to get food back in its rightful place.
Food was my drug of choice for decades so I get it. And - here’s the good news - you don’t have to stay stuck. We’ve got a new year coming up - a new decade - why not let this be the time everything changes? It can be. You don’t have to spend another year locked in this battle. Email me at cindy@TheLiberatedEater.com. Let’s set up a phone call and talk about your goals and how you can reach them. What are you waiting for??
ps - thank you to alex@worthyofelegance for the cozy cup of coffee :)