Cultivating Harmony with Food This Holiday Season
Food is Nourishment
The holiday season often brings a whirlwind of gatherings, indulgent meals, and subtle pressures. Many of us feel tension around food and to approach festive moments with apprehension or restraint.
It’s helpful to remind ourselves that food carries no moral weight, it is neither good nor bad. One slice of pie or a festive treat is simply nourishment and enjoyment–and when we think of food as something fun, fueling, and enjoyable, we can appreciate it more during this season.
Releasing judgment and engaging fully in the experience of taste, aroma, and texture cultivates gratitude and ease. Food becomes a source of joy and connection rather than tension.
“Saving” Calories Before Big Meals Can Backfire
Understanding Cravings
Cravings are signals of energy needs from our body! Attending to these signals with awareness and compassion fosters a more harmonious relationship with eating and reduces stress during celebratory occasions.
Nourishment Before Celebrations
How many times have you arrived at a party or holiday event hungry because you are “saving” your calories for the big meal?
This is a recipe for disaster! Your blood sugar may be low which can cause irritability, anxiousness, and, unfortunately, make you more likely to eat the foods you might be trying to avoid.
Instead, arrive at your holiday measl with a nourished body.
Gentle, balanced meals throughout the day provide energy and support mindful engagement with food.
You’ll be able to approach the gatherings with a grounded presence encourages enjoyment and satisfaction rather than overindulgence.
Prioritize Rest
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body looks for ways to get energy, and that can mean overeating, or eating sugary foods.
Prioritizing sleep replenishes the body, strengthens resilience, and ensures you start each day balanced, instead of seeking a fast energy fix.
Getting enough sleep also helps you regulate any tension or stress you may feel around tge holidays, which, in turn, can cause you to seek out food!
Practices for More Harmony During the Holidays
This holiday season, invite harmony by tending to your body with nourishing, balanced meals, and pausing before reaching for more, and allowing yourself to feel full, satisfied, and present.
Savor each bite with appreciation, letting the simple act of eating become a moment of joy.
Gentle movement can awaken circulation and support digestion, while restful sleep restores your energy, resilience, and clarity.
In these small, mindful practices, the holidays can become a season of ease, presence, and balance.
For more tips, join our upcoming webinar: Eating in Harmony with the Holidays with Skylar Weir, MS, RDN.
