Healthy During the Holidays

It’s no secret that the holidays will look a little different this year. Maybe you will have more time on your hands than you thought. Maybe you won’t get to see as many people as you once thought. Maybe you will have to quarantine where you are forced to stay within 10 feet of a kitchen full of holiday goodies.

The holidays are a time to celebrate, not fear. However, there’s no reason why the holidays should be a reason to become unwell in any of the dimensions of wellness. Remember, wellness is not a chore, but it does take active intentionality to achieve. Wellness unlocks a door for you to show up wherever you are as your truest self. What is the difference between a holiday indulgence and holiday gluttony? Let’s explore ways to honor the body and heart during the holidays at the same time.

Repeat this after me: eat just enough. Not more, not less. Just enough. Not stuffed, not deprived; enough. Enough. Enough. Not more for later. Not as much as I can because this is my one day that I just don’t care. Not as much as I can because this food is here only once a year. I will feed my body until it has had just enough; no more, no less.

What a crazy concept. Perhaps this is liberating, or perhaps this is terrifying to you. What even is enough?! Enough resides in a mix between psychological and physical hunger cues. It is not determined by what others around you say or think, or how much food is or isn’t on your plate. In order to know if you’re “eating just enough,” you will have to eat sitting, slower than perhaps you’re used to, and mindfully. It helps if you’re hydrated and have had adequate sleep as well. Sometimes, even the idea of “just enough” can seem restrictive or uninviting during the holidays. But let me ask you, why do you need more than enough? Does your body want more than enough? How do you feel after you eat more or less than enough? Eating just enough is honoring the fact that we live in such a blessed situation that there will be food for later, tomorrow, and even the next day. There is no reason to try and “soak it all in” and end up upset with yourself and a big stomach ache. If you eat just enough during these next upcoming holidays, what you do eat isn’t as important. While nutritious food is always better for your body, there is always a balance. Maybe a good balance for you could be eating just enough of whatever holiday food you desire, but just enough of it.

Just food for thought. Happy holidays!