This Thursday in the United States is Thanksgiving.
It’s a day that not only encourages us to be thankful, but also to eat.
For people with eating issues, this can be a scary time.
Why does a holiday have to be centered around eating a feast of food?
Unfortunately, it will probably never change, but luckily, there are things you can do make your day a little easier.
I have lots of tips for how to handle Thanksgiving – only have one plate, eat mindfully, don’t arrive starving, and don’t take home leftovers – and if any of these ideas are new to you or you want to get a little deeper into how and why, hit me up!
But my favorite tip is one that has helped me and my clients to not feel deprived and also to not overeat too much.
Eat the foods you love the most first.
I don’t know about you, but I used to always be a “save the best bites for last” kind of gal. I wanted to end my meal on a high note! This was actually never just a holiday dinner thing, this was an all the time thing.
But what you end up doing is filling up on the foods that you don’t really love and by the time you’re full, you still have your favorites left on your plate. So of course you’re going to keep eating until you’re way beyond full because you didn’t get enough of your favorites yet!
So when you sit down with your one plate, taste each item. See which ones you want the most and go for those first. And of course, make sure you savor them and really taste them.
As you get full, what’s left on your plate will be the less appealing options. You won’t be missing out on anything amazing if you’re too full to eat them and you won’t feel as compelled to finish your whole plate.
The best part, you’ll make sure you experience your favorites while you’re still hungry, when food really does taste the best, instead of forcing yourself to eat them when you already feel full.
So check out your food options. Decide what you want the most and make sure you have room for them by eating them first.
There’s one more thing about holidays like this that I think always needs to be reminded. Yes it is a lot about eating and the food and being food obsessed in general can lead you to focus too much on this.
But holidays are really about getting together with friends and family. It’s a time to be social and to spend time with people you love.
Don’t forget to enjoy the company around you.
Lastly, if you do overeat, Friday is a great day to get right back to your regular healthy eating habits. No cutting back on calories to balance out what you ate, no under eating, just get back to eating what you consider to be an adequate amount of food for you.
What are you most concerned about this Thanksgiving? Email me at info@coachkir.com and I will coach you through it. I’m here to help you get through this holiday no matter what problem you might be facing.
