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eating your emotions this holiday season?

 


The holidays bring up all sorts of emotions for us—the good, bad, and the ugly.  Along with those emotions, there’s a lot of eating going on.  We eat to celebrate, to soothe ourselves, and sometimes even when we’re hungry. 😊

Do stress and eating go hand in hand for you?  Find yourself reaching for the chips or chocolate when things get rough?  I know that for me, just the thought of a difficult conversation can make me reach for the nuts (giggle, giggle!)  It also happens when something suddenly doesn’t go according to plan.  And again it happens when I’m just waiting for something or someone and I’m mindlessly scrolling through my phone.  Sometimes it even happens when I’m working on a difficult project that requires a lot of brain power.  The crunchiness seems to help my mind work better. I’m sure there’s some science behind it somewhere.

I know I've written about this in several other posts, but I also know that we often have to hear things several times before we actually take action, so here's your five-minute motivation for this week.  You're welcome.  :)

The first and most important thing is to pay attention.  When you find yourself reaching for a snack, ask yourself if you are really hungry.  More often than not, you are thirsty, bored, upset, anxious, or you just know that whatever you’re wanting to eat will taste really good.  I consider myself a bit of a foodie, and that’s often the case.  I’m not hungry, I just enjoy the taste of many different foods, and I suppose I’m eating because I’m bored and looking for something interesting to do.

The second thing is to stop yourself.  Sometimes we notice we are eating when we’re not hungry, but we plow ahead anyway.  Stop.  Take a breath.  Step away from the kitchen.  Make some tea instead.  Take a walk.  Read a book.  Rub some lotion into your hands.  Sniff some peppermint.  Chew gum.  Drink a sparkling water.  Pick up a pen and journal for a few minutes.  Do whatever works for you.  I like to make lists of alternatives and put them inside the kitchen cupboard. 

If you are truly hungry, then go ahead and eat--preferably a meal--and then give your body a few hours to digest that meal before you eat again.  Constantly grazing is hard on your body.  It needs time to process and rest before working again.  If you don’t feed it sugar and processed carbs it will be able to go longer between meals much easier.  

Again, I write lists of good things to eat that won’t wreck my blood sugar:  pickles, raw veggies, nuts, nut butter, plain yogurt, meat sticks, hard boiled eggs, chia pudding, olives, pork rinds, canned tuna or salmon, bone broth, cheese, etc. Sometimes when I haven’t eaten in a while I forget that I have lots of options and end up reaching for the easiest and most convenient thing.

I know you’ve heard before that if you’re going to a party you should eat before you go so you don’t end up hovering over the cookie tray all night.  That’s true, but I would also add that you should try to bring one of the above options—charcuterie boards and deviled eggs are always popular—so that you (and your friends!) have something to snack on that you won’t regret later.  Sparkling water and distilled spirits are also a better option than beer, eggnog, and other carb-filled beverages.

Make sure you make sleep a priority this month so fatigue doesn't lead you to snack on quick-energy foods that lead to crashes later.  We are better able to manage our emotions when we're rested, too.  If you're not tired and cranky, you won't be as tempted by the cookie tray, you'll feel better about yourself, and you'll make better food choices.  We all know that feeling of being overwhelmed and throwing our healthy habits out the window.  We may not be able to stick to all our plans this time of year, but sleep is one of the most important.

Get outside every day, and even better, get some exercise outside every day.  It will lift your mood, boost your vitamin D levels, set your circadian clock, and just make you feel better.

Another thing I was reminded of this week is the importance of alone time.  If you're an introvert like me, being around other people constantly can really zap your energy.  It's not that I don't like hanging out with my friends, I really need that, but I can only take so much before I feel like I want to climb back into my cave and recharge.  If you don't take the time each day to be by yourself and wander around in your own head you may start to feel resentful, overwhelmed, and looking for comfort foods.  You may need to learn to say no, or "I'd love to, thank you for thinking of me, but I'm overbooked this week."  That doesn't necessarily mean you're double-booked, it just means that you have more going on than you're comfortable with.  That's ok.  It's part of taking care of yourself.


If you'd like to talk to me more about creating a wellness and nutrition plan that works for you, I've got you!  I'm a certified Nutrition Coach who will create a simple, customized meal plan for you and coach you through how to implement it into your busy life.  We also talk about all the pitfalls that make it hard, and help you make it the anchor that keeps you healthy, energized, and sane through the whirlwind of your everyday life.

I'd love to talk to you about the program, so please book a free consultation with me by clicking the Calendly button. I look forward to talking to you!


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