HOW TO AVOID EMOTIONAL EATING OVER THE HOLIDAYS

Cookie baking, traditional meals & recipes, holiday parties, festive cocktails… so much of the celebrating this time of year revolves around food and beverages. The other part of it seems to revolve around stress—shopping, planning, prepping, budgeting. Coincidence? Hmm… I’ll leave that up to you!

Regardless, the fact remains that between the stress and the treats, it’s easy to fall into the trap of eating because of the emotions. But we all know it’s not healthy to eat emotionally, even if those emotions are positive. Yes, that’s right, happy binging is just as unhealthy as stress binging. So, how do we avoid emotional eating when we’re surrounded by both food and big emotions? Listen. To. Your. Body.

Eat Intuitively

Your body will tell you when it needs fuel. If you spend time getting to know yourself and your body’s needs well enough, it’ll even tell you what kind of fuel it needs. Before you eat, get in the habit of assessing how you feel. Is it possible that you’re reaching for food as a coping mechanism (for boredom, stress, anxiety, etc.), or are you truly hungry? Could you possibly be thirsty? What food / beverage choices will allow you to feel your best the rest of the day? Get to know which foods will make you feel well and energized.

Keep in mind that you are in control, and allow that to give you confidence! You don’t “have to” eat the cookies that your coworker brings to the office just to be polite. This is not going to be your last opportunity to enjoy a seasonal coffee drink. But if you decide to indulge, that is okay too! Do your best to plan ahead and rid your mind of the idea that there are “good” and “bad” foods; there are just foods that fuel your body in different ways! Most importantly, EAT when you are hungry and stopwhen you are satisfied.

Holiday Cocktails

Let’s talk drinks for a moment! Who doesn’t love a little holiday cocktail, am I right? There are so many tasty Christmas recipes to try, hot beverages to warm us up on cool evenings andchampagne to ring in the New Year! A little spirit can add some fun to your memories and take the edge off awkward office parties and endless gift wrapping.

But similar to our food indulgences, we want to be mindful that we aren’t masking or using alcohol as a coping mechanism for our emotions. If you’re feeling the weight of holiday stress or seasonal blues, think about trying some other avenues before reaching for a drink. Go for a walk, talk it out with your spouse or a friend and take some time for self-care. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I LOVE my Q CHILL Terpene Elixir. This wonderful nectar contains terpenes blended with other natural ingredients to help promote a sense of calm, boost mood and confidence and reduce inflammation. You can find it here CHILL.

No Shame

One of the best ways to avoid emotional eating is to work on removing the shame associated with food. Ditch the guilt for enjoying holiday recipes and treats. These traditions come once a year, so give yourself some grace. When you allow yourself to eat and drink the things you enjoy in reasonable portions, you’re less likely to feel deprived, overthink / obsess about food and binge. Eat mindfully, listen to your body, but also don’t punish yourself or allow yourself to feel negativity about enjoying them.

If you need any help or feel like it is time to book that FREE Discovery Call with me, my inbox is always open! Let’s get you back on track and remove the emotional eating patterns that have tied you down for far too long…

Cheers,

Lucie Mitchell, CTNC & CTLC