7 Tips to Eat Mindfully This Holiday Season
The following is a guest post from internationally known yoga specialist, Claire Grieve.
The Holidays are among us again. Temptation is on every table, but that doesn’t mean you have to let it get the best of you. By making mindful choices, this can be your healthiest holiday season yet. Why not get through the next couple of months feeling healthy and well, so you can finally leave losing weight off of your New Year’s Resolutions list? Get ahead of it this year.
A few tips for your upcoming festivities:
1. Take a tour of the entire spread
Make this a regular rule. It’s easy to start at the beginning of the buffet and overfill your plate. You don’t have to try it all. Admire and compliment your hosts’ spread, while calculating what choices are going to serve you best without overdoing it.
2. Palm size portions
Sample what you would like, but make those samples reasonable sizes. Palm size is a solid rule to stick to; even less if you are adding the sweet treats to your plate. Keep proteins at fist size, but feel free to go over this limit on the greens and veggies.
3. Rainbow Plate
This is a good one to hang onto all year long. Eat all of the colors of the rainbow. This ensures you are getting a broad range of vitamins and minerals in your selections. Browse to see what vegan or plant options your host has available to really amp up the greens on your plate.
4. Eat when you’re hungry
Don’t eat just because it’s there! Mindless eating while chatting is a quick way to overindulge without even enjoying what you’re eating. Be conscious of when you are full and mindfully choose to stop eating then. Allow your body time to digest your meal.
5. Best for last
Choose one sweet treat and save it for last. It will give you something to look forward to. By saving it, you’re limiting your indulgence to just one, and ending your meal satisfied. Maybe even just a few bites are enough to curb the sweet tooth.
6. Don’t drink just to be social
It’s easy to grab a sugar packed cocktail just to have something in your hand at the holiday party. As another option, drink a glass of water with lemon or lime for some extra flavor. The lemon will help promote better digestion and detoxification. If you are in the mood to drink, be smart about it.
7. Be the social butterfly
The holidays are all about celebrating your loving relationships and taking advantage of the time to deepen connections. Prioritize making the most of the time together over anything else and let the meals complement your socializing.
Moderation is key when you’re indulging in the guilty pleasures. Give yourself permission, just don’t go overboard. Eat mindful, not mindless. Always remember to keep up your yoga and workout routine when the weather gets cold. Focus on being mindful and healthy this holiday season. Happy Holidays!
About the Author
Claire Grieve is a highly sought after international Yoga specialist, Stretch therapist, Health Coach and Wellness Writer. Claire’s mission is to inspire individuals to reach beyond the ordinary and step outside the comfort zone. She is determined to empower her students from all walks of life to push past their boundaries, reach their goals and live a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Yoga serves as her medium to aid others in transcending those boundaries of the mind and body. Claire strongly believes yoga can be self-gratifying, enjoyable, and accessible to everyone.
Connect with Claire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
