I don’t know about you, but I’m getting really excited for the holidays to be here! Two weeks from today, we’ll all be celebrating Thanksgiving by eating a lot of really good food, visiting with friends and family, and watching some football or good holiday shows on tv! The holidays can bring out a variety of emotions and when food is at every holiday party or gathering, it can be challenging to practice portion control and make good choices. The first step in overcoming emotional eating is to recognize what emotions cause you to eat more. Keeping a food log that includes your feelings and emotions in relationship to your intake will help you increase your awareness. Once you know what is causing the urge to overeat, the next step is to figure out how to avoid or overcome that situation or feeling. Think about what needs to change in your life to break the pattern of emotional eating, how can you reduce your stress, and channel your energy in another direction that is away from food. If certain foods are more tempting to you, then do not buy them or keep them in your home. If you slip up from time to time, do not get down on yourself! Instead, overcome it and get back on track the next meal or snack and examine each fall back as a way to find out more about what is causing your emotional eating. Exercise is also helpful as it produces natural endorphins that boost mood, so next time you get the urge, get moving!
As you prepare for the holidays, be sure to include a few healthy or safe foods on your list that you can enjoy without guilt, be sure to get your exercise in, and remind your self the real point of the holidays: being thankful for all that we have and enjoying our time with friends and family.
Stay tuned to next week’s posts for some more tips on holiday eating.
-Kelsey
