The holidays are already upon us… I can’t believe I am saying that!
This time of the year brings family, friends, football, and, of course, food.

For a lot of people, the food that comes with the holidays can cause some stress. They may worry they will find themselves underrating, overeating, or binging.

Here at Living Well After WLS, we embrace a more mindful approach.

In this blog post, we are going to explore the art of mindful eating and how you can apply it to all your upcoming holiday festivities.

First things first- What is mindful eating?

Mindful eating is a practice that is rooted in mindfulness. Mindfulness is a concept that encourages being fully present and aware of your thoughts, emotions, and sensations in the moment. When it comes to eating, mindfulness means paying close attention to the food you consume, your body’s hunger and fullness cues, and the overall eating experience.

What are the Benefits of Mindful Eating?

• Feeling empowered to make intentional choices
• Less tendency to overeat/binge
• A healthier relationship with food

Are Mindful Eating and Intuitive Eating the Same?

Yes and no. For some people, they feel like completely different practices, and you have a lot of other content providers write that they are, but at the end of the day- especially if you have had weight loss surgery- I really like to think that mindful eating and intuitive eating go hand-in-hand.

How To Practice Mindful Eating During the Holidays?

There are so many ways that you can incorporate mindful eating into your meals.

Below we will talk about some principles and then provide an example scenario of these principles being put into effect. Please note that not all principles have to be used on the same day or in the same way- you might flex these principles to fit into your scenario.

1. One of the principles of mindful eating is to pay attention to your body’s signals of hunger and fullness.

Scenario: Janice is at a work party and is eating a plate of fajitas. After finishing her first plate she goes back for seconds and halfway through notices that they don’t taste as good as before. She also notices that her nose is starting to run which is one of her signs of fullness. Janice listens to her body and puts the plate aside, knowing that if she ends up feeling hungry in a while, she can eat something else.

2.  Enjoy the Experience: Mindful eating encourages you to savor each bite and appreciate the flavors, textures, and aromas of your food.

Scenario: Mindy is at a neighborhood Christmas dessert potluck. She takes a small sample of each dish that is brought- 8 in total. Mindy has been practicing eating slower and really “tasting” and evaluating each bite. She tries a small taste from each one and notes that there are a few she does not care for texture-wise. One dessert that she tries is a homemade spiced apple pie. It hits all of her favorite notes: a good crust, soft but not mushy apples, and a good spice ratio. She decides she likes that dessert the best and goes back to get some more so she can enjoy the dessert that meets her preferences.

3:  Squash the All or Nothing Mentality: How many times have you heard something along the lines of… “oh I’m not eating breakfast so I can eat more during Thanksgiving dinner?” or “Oh, I need to run an extra 4 miles today to have cake at my birthday party?” In mindful eating, we ditch black-and-white thinking. 

Scenario: Lily is planning on hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner at her home. She knows in the past she has skipped breakfast and lunch and then over eats at dinner which left her not feeling well and feeling guilty later. This year she knows different. She has an egg white omelet with spinach and avocado for breakfast. Knowing that she is going to eat dinner early, she has a smaller and lighter lunch of tuna, bell peppers, and cottage cheese. When dinner rolls around, she is hungry but not famished. She takes her time to eat, listens to her body cues and stops eating when she is full. This year she is able to participate in the family game of charades afterwards without feeling bloated or sick to her stomach. Lily remembers that she can also eat more later if she wants to and enjoys a piece of pumpkin pie.

4. Make Mindful Meals: remember that food has no moral value. It is not GOOD or BAD- at the end of the day, some food is just more nutritious than other foods.

One way to help manage cravings is to recognize that it is normal to want a delicious-looking chocolate chip cookie and that it is OK to eat a chocolate chip cookie if you choose to do so.

Scenario: Stacey was gifted a large, freshly baked chocolate chip cookie for a neighbor- her favorite. Stacey has been practicing mindful eating skills and has learned that making a meal mindful helps her feel full and satisfied. Stacey does this by incorporating other types of food with her cookie, especially if she wants some lasting energy. In this case, Stacey thought of foods that she wanted to add to have more nutrients and staying power to eat with her chocolate chip cookies. She added a string cheese and a handful of blackberries. She then enjoyed half of her chocolate chip cookie and knew she could eat the other half later. Her addition of cheese and berries left her feeling fuller longer and she did not have a sugar crash 30 minutes later either.

Mindful eating takes PRACTICE!

Mindful Eating Exercise

Grab a food that in the past has been a “stressful” or “trigger” food for you.
(One of mine is cupcakes!). When you are in a quiet place and have a solid 20-30 minutes available, put that food in front of you on a plate and ask yourself some or all of these mindful eating reflection questions:

Look at the food. Ask yourself things like: What looks good about this food? What colors stand out?

Smell the food. Ask yourself: Does this smell remind me of anything? A holiday? A childhood memory? Can I note any specific ingredient smells like cinnamon or vanilla?

Touch the food. Ask yourself things like: What does this feel like? How would I describe this? Springy, dense, flat etc? Is it hot or cold?

Taste the food. Ask yourself things like: What are the first tastes I notice? Do I like this texture? How would I describe this taste to someone else? Do I actually like this flavor combination?

Listen to your body. Ask yourself things like: Did I enjoy that experience? Would I recommend this food to a friend? Is this a food I would choose first if I had other food options around? What does my stomach think about this food? Is it sitting well?

As you continue to eat your chosen item, you can ask yourself: Does this still taste the same as the first few bites? Do I feel like I want to keep eating this? Do I feel full? Is there something that would make this experience better with this food?  

If you try this mindful eating activity, please let me know in the comments what your experience was like!

Mindful nutrition during the holidays is a gift you can give yourself and is something that you can practice all year round. It does take some time, but keep practicing and it will start to become second nature. So, as you gather around the holiday table this year, remember to embrace the practice of mindful eating—it’s a recipe for a happier and healthier holiday season.

Also, keep in mind that sometimes you might need more support with mindful eating and that is OK! Consider seeking out a mindful eating coach or mental health counselor to help you on your journey.