How to Enjoy Sweets Without the Guilt
The pantry is full of cookies and pastries all season long—some you've made, and others are gifts from friends and neighbors wishing you a happy holiday season. It doesn't matter where they came from; they constantly call your name, reminding you they're there. If you're someone who struggles with hunger and fullness cues, tends to emotionally eat, or finds it hard to incorporate favorite foods into your routine, the holidays can be especially challenging.
Mindful eating is one topic we cover extensively with our clients inside our Signature Nutrition Coaching Program. In this blog, we'll help you start practicing mindful eating without the holiday hangover or added stress.
What is Mindful Eating?
Mindful eating is the practice of being intentional about mealtimes—being present with what's on your plate, how you're feeling, and how you choose to eat. This can mean slowing down with meals and snacks to listen to your body or honoring the hunger and fullness cues you might be experiencing.
We are all born intuitive eaters—children are very aware of their body's signals around hunger and fullness. However, we often become conditioned out of mindfulness by using food for comfort, distraction, or to change our emotional state. Intuitive eating and mindful eating are intertwined practices that can help you tune out external distractions and listen to your body’s true signals.
Mindful eating looks like eating only when you feel hunger cues and at regular meal times. It means slowing down while eating to savor the taste of your food and being aware of what motivates you to eat or overeat beyond your usual routine.
How to Start Practicing Mindful Eating
To begin practicing mindful eating, start with small steps. For example:
- Only eat while seated at a table.
- Turn off work or distractions while eating.
- Slow down and take your time to eat.
One practical strategy I encourage clients to use is to rate their hunger on a scale of 1 to 10 before a meal. Ideally, you want to eat when you're around a 3 or 4—when you’re starting to feel hungry and notice your energy levels dipping, but not to the point of being “hangry” (a 1 or 2). Eating when you first feel hunger, rather than waiting until you’re ravenous, can help prevent overeating and the blood sugar crashes that often follow.
Mindful eating also involves turning off the noise and distractions of life to focus on the meal in front of you. Refraining from eating at your desk, over the sink, or in the car are good first steps toward mindful eating. If you can turn off your phone, computer, and TV, even better. The more present you are during the meal, the more likely you are to recognize your fullness cues and stop eating when you feel satisfied—not stuffed.
How to Mindfully Enjoy Sweets and Desserts
It may seem impossible to enjoy sweets mindfully during the holidays and still stay on track with your goals, but it’s definitely possible to include them without guilt. Desserts and sweets don’t need to be avoided for the sake of weight loss or health—they can be part of a mindful eating routine while still supporting your overall goals.
One way to include sweets mindfully is by having them with your meal, such as at dinnertime, rather than as a snack later. When you enjoy desserts with your meal, they’re naturally paired with protein, which can help slow digestion and prevent blood sugar spikes. This can also help reduce cravings later.
You can even count part of your dessert as part of the meal by reducing the portion size of another carbohydrate. For example, if you have 1 cup of rice with your meal, you could reduce it to half a cup and account for the dessert as part of your overall meal plan for the day.
Another mindful tip is to keep desserts out of sight when they’re not being eaten. Storing them in a cabinet can reduce the temptation to mindlessly grab cookies or candy as you pass through the kitchen or during stressful moments.
Mindful Eating Away from Home
The strategy for mindful eating at parties is similar to the one you use at home. A great place to start is by preparing before the event even begins. Keeping breakfast and lunch consistent and balanced before a party is key to preventing the ravenous feeling that often leads to overeating. When you’ve had a balanced breakfast and lunch, you’re more likely to feel in control and comfortable in social settings.
At the party, try to portion out what you’re eating, rather than grazing from the buffet or snack table. This creates more awareness around what you’re consuming and helps prevent mindless eating. Continue practicing mindfulness by slowing down, pausing before going back for seconds, and paying attention to your fullness cues.
Eating away from home can be just as easy as eating at home when you continue practicing healthy habits. With a little preparation and mindfulness, you can stay on track without feeling deprived or overwhelmed.By practicing mindful eating this holiday season, you can enjoy your favorite foods—including desserts—while staying in tune with your body’s cues. This approach not only helps you enjoy the holidays without guilt, but it also supports long-term health and balance. Need more help with navigating mindful eating, stopping guilt around you having your favorite foods, and hitting your goals without stress? Nourished with Emily is here to help! Our Nourished Membership is a great, low cost way to get started making change with support from the Nourished with Emily team, to help you get started and feel your best through healthy habits, lifestyle changes, feedback on nutrition choices, community support and more! Join the Nourished Membership today where you get access to our team, recipes and resources to help you eat healthy and build your nutrition foundation, and so much more. Community, resources, support, and guidance to make your goals happen.
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