Why I’m NOT Writing a “How to Eat Healthy During the Holidays” Post

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and nope… I’m not going there!  I’m not going to write a “How to Eat Healthy During the Holidays” post. If you’ve been following along for a while now then you know I’m a non-diet dietitian and going into the holiday season my message is no different.  I’m sure your inbox is already flooded with posts offering tips and tricks to stay healthy over the holidays (for example, “Don’t go to a party on an empty stomach” derrr) Many dietitians and health “experts” like to play the food police and caution people to not get too extreme with their holiday indulgences.

Don’t get me wrong I personally follow many of those strategies myself, but continue to practice mindful eating daily (including holidays). Going into a holiday like Thanksgiving with the mindset that you’re going to try to watch your portions, compensate by restricting before or after for a big meal, or even tell yourself that you will just “start over on Monday” all set you up to overeat. These thoughts and behaviors are the reason you end up completely stuffed, uncomfortable, and often have feelings of guilt at the end of the day. Your body senses that restriction is looming, and it can turn into a free for all and can be difficult to stop.

So you might be left asking yourself…how do I prevent feeling that way during the holidays? My answer is to give yourself permission to eat all your favorite foods. What?! You heard me right, buuuuut, giving yourself permission to enjoy your favorite foods does not mean you have to overeat all your favorite foods.  I know this sounds super scary to not put rules around what you can and can’t have especially during the holidays when you’re surrounded by seasonal favorites BUT by giving yourself unconditional permission to eat what you truly want will in turn allow you to be better able to stop when you’re truly full and satisfied.  Eating to satisfaction vs. overeating takes practice, but it is possible. It’s also important to note that overeating can be normal at times like Thanksgiving. (see quote below)

So, rather than thinking “I won’t be able to eat pumpkin pie for another year, so might as well go for another slice” check in with yourself.  Pumpkin pie, rolls, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes are “allowed” and available year round, so I encourage you to not view this one meal as your last supper. 

I’ve worked with so many clients that find holidays or events that revolve around food, like Thanksgiving, to be very challenging to navigate. There would be a lot of anxiety leading up to these meals and often behaviors like restrictive eating before and after to compensate for the bigger meal. Deprivation and restriction only leads to obsession and overindulgence.

My “tip” is to eat consistently leading up to a special meal or event, ditch the rules and restrictions, relax, be present, and enjoy the food and company.  Eat slowly, pick and choose your faves, socialize, laugh, and have a good time. One food or meal will not make you “unhealthy” 😉

So rather than writing a post about how to be a “savvy and smart eater” on Thanksgiving I’m going to do the opposite and encourage you to enjoy yourself and eat the damn pie 😉  Lastly, I’ll leave you with this definition of “normal eating” that I love from Ellyn Satter.

“Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied. It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it—not just stop eating because you think you should. Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food. Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad or bored, or just because it feels good. Normal eating is mostly three meals a day, or four or five, or it can be choosing to munch along the way. It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful. Normal eating is overeating at times, feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. And it can be undereating at times and wishing you had more. Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating. Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life.  In short, normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food and your feelings.”

Happy Thanksgiving!
xx,
Alix