Eat Mindfully During the Holidays

For many of us, the holiday season is a joyful but stressful time of year. It can be especially challenging for people with diabetes who are trying to watch what they’re eating. One strategy to help you stick to your diet is to eat mindfully. This means paying attention not only to what you eat but also to how you eat.

In our society, it’s common to eat on the run or grab a bite while driving, working, or watching television. Multi-tasking, while you eat often, leads to eating mindlessly. Have you ever eaten an entire bag of popcorn during a movie and not realized it until the end of the movie? Or have you ever come home from a party completely stuffed and didn’t remember what you ate to make you feel so full?

Consequences of Mindless Eating

Mindless eating can have negative consequences on health. Over time, it can lead to overeating and excessive weight gain. Researchers are starting to better understand the mind-body connection. They have discovered that when our mind is tuned out during mealtime the digestive process doesn’t work as well, which can lead to gas, bloating and bowel irregularities.

It’s especially important to practice mindful eating during the holiday season so you don’t end up putting on extra pounds or wreaking havoc with your blood sugar! You may even find your favorite holiday foods more enjoyable when you savor them in smaller portions.

Tips to Eat Mindfully

This year take time to really savor your favorite holiday treats by eating them more slowly. Try these tips:

• Put your eating utensil down between bites.
• Sip water between bites of your meal.
• Chew your food more times before swallowing (bonus: this helps improve digestion).
• Try eating with chopsticks.
• Set the kitchen timer to see if you can take 20 minutes to eat your meal. You may find you don’t need second helpings.

It’s easy to overeat when there are a variety of options in front of you and everything looks tasty. Next time you’re at a buffet, try these tips:

• Don’t stand in front of the buffet table because it’s easy to graze and not realize what you’ve eaten.
• Before grabbing a plate, survey the buffet table first to determine the healthier choices and the foods you really want versus the foods you can do without.
• Fill your plate with vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean protein foods.
• Eat while sitting down at the table.
• Serve food on smaller plates (six inches) and use smaller serving spoons to dish food out.
• When eating out, ask the waitstaff to wrap up half of the entrée to take home and eat at a later date.

This year: Stop, take a deep breath, and think about why you’re reaching for that gingerbread cookie or a second helping of mashed potatoes. Do you really want it because you’re hungry or do you want it because you’re stressed? Here’s a list of activities (other than eating) to try when you’re stressed:

• Take a hot bath.
• Bundle up and go for walk around the neighborhood or at a local park.
• Call a close friend or family member … sometimes it helps to just vent.
• Watch a funny movie or your favorite movie.
• Listen to classical music … some studies have shown it helps lower blood pressure.
• Write in a journal.

Eat mindfully and feel better.

Resources:
Eating Healthy and Blood Glucose Control