Overeating? Try These Mindfulness Exercises to Help Your Overall Health

Now that the holiday season is here, numerous opportunities exist to overindulge. With seemingly endless cookies, pies, holiday parties, and big meals, many of us often fall into overeating during the holidays.  

If you're worried about overeating this holiday season, you can try some mindfulness exercises to help you beat the cycle. This can help you become more aware of your eating habits and make healthier choices throughout the holiday season. 

Ready? Let’s go!  

What is Mindful Eating? 

It sounds simple, but mindfulness can be quite powerful when it comes to managing your relationship with food. 

Mindfulness is all about being present in the moment  

and paying attention to your thoughts,  

feelings, and bodily sensations. 

Here are three mindfulness exercises that can help you control overeating during the holidays or any time of year: 

• Pay attention to your hunger cues. Before you eat, take a moment to ask yourself how hungry you really are. Are you actually physically hungry, or are you just eating because the food is there? 

• Slow down while you're eating. It's easy to scarf down holiday foods without really tasting them. But if you take the time to savor each bite, you'll be more likely to feel satisfied sooner. 

• Notice your thoughts and emotions around food. Are you using food to cope with stress or other negative emotions? 

 Why Eat Mindfully?  

At any time of year, the benefits of mindful eating can enhance your overall well-being. But during the holidays, mindful eating is all the more important.  

Some benefits of mindful eating include: 

• Reduced impulsive eating 

• Reduced calorie consumption 

• Increased awareness of hunger and satiety cues 

• Improvement in depression 

• Better digestion  

In addition to these health benefits, mindful eating can also boost your sense of pleasure and satisfaction.  

 Mindful Eating Tips for the Holidays  

Mindful eating isn’t about making a list of rules of what you can and cannot eat, nor is it about following a certain “healthy” diet. Instead, it is meant to enhance your mealtimes to complement your overall health.  

Try these tips for mindful eating this holiday season:  

Savor the Flavor  

Regardless of what you're eating, you can be more mindful by paying attention to the flavors. Let your mind note the sweet, salty, spicy, bitter, sour, and pungent notes in the foods you are eating. Be fully present with the delicious flavors that you are experiencing.  

Play with Your Senses  

Beyond savoring the flavors, you can use your other senses to be more mindful too.  

Ask yourself: 

• What does the food look like?  

• What does it smell like?  

• What sounds does it make?  

• What does it feel like?  

Noticing the full spectrum of your senses can bring richness to every eating experience and helps you to truly enjoy what you are eating.  

Slow Down  

When in doubt, slow it down. Many of us eat quickly, but when we slow the process down, we can thoroughly enjoy each bite in our meal.  

Practice Gratitude  

An attitude of gratitude can help cultivate a feeling of thankfulness for the abundance of food that is available to you. There is much to be thankful for when you are eating; from the food itself, the seeds, the soil, and the hands that helped it along the way from the farm to your table. Not to mention the person who lovingly prepared it for you!  

Practice Self-Compassion  

Over the holiday season, many of us indulge more than we normally do. This can stir up a lot of thoughts of guilt and self-judgment.  

Notice when you are judging yourself, and see if you can switch this negativity to kindness and self-compassion instead.  

Be Mindful of Your Mood 

The mood you are in will impact the foods that you choose to eat. When we are happy, we are more likely to make healthier choices. Since the holidays can cause a range of feelings from anxiety to frustration, mindfulness of our emotions can help even out our moods, so we can eat more healthfully.  

Don’t Forget to Breathe  

During the holidays, you might find your digestion needs a little support. One of the best ways to do so, especially when you are stressed, is to release the tension in your body.  

Soften your shoulders, relax your belly, take a deep breath, and enjoy the delicious meal before you.  

Anxious? > Survive & Thrive this Holiday Season 

Take a Walk  

Taking a walk after a big holiday meal can do a world of good for your digestion and your mind, even if you just take a short five-minute walk. Use your senses to take in your surroundings. What colors are the leaves on the trees? What does the air smell like? Is there a breeze blowing against your skin?  

Allow yourself a few moments to yourself to  

breathe, regroup, and relax. 

This exercise can be particularly helpful if you have anxiety surrounding the holiday season and being around family.  

 Mindful Eating Affirmations  

If you are struggling with overeating during this holiday season, repeat these affirmations to yourself as needed: 

• I’m savoring every bite. 

• I am joyfully observing the tastes and textures of my food.  

• I am compassionate to myself.  

• I will listen to my body when I am full.  

• I appreciate and give thanks for this food.  

• I release guilt and negative feelings about food and eating.  

• I accept myself just as I am.  

Choose Self-Love > How Self-Love Boosts Confidence  

Mindfulness for the Holidays and Beyond 

If you are struggling with overeating and the shame and anxiety that is caused by it, I am here to help. With the Emotional Polarity Technique™, I will guide you toward forgiveness through energy healing and self-compassion so you can break free from the trauma from your past or the negative emotions that are holding you back.  

Ready to move forward into a healthier life? Contact me, Paige Cargioli, to get started with EPT™ 

today!