People eat for many reasons: emotional stress, boredom, entertainment, celebration, loneliness, feeling sluggish, because there’s food, other people are eating, it’s meal time, and finally. . . people eat because they are hungry!
With so many triggers to eat, no wonder it’s so easy to overdo it. The time between Thanksgiving and the New Year is notoriously filled with occasions to eat past hunger. It’s even more important during this season to check in with yourself and recognize when you’re eating while not even hungry. Decide that you will pay attention to what you eat, only eat when you are hungry, and stop eating when you are satisfied.
A few situations that can sabotage your healthy eating goals and tips to help are:
- Everyone else is eating – Pay more attention to the conversation than the food.
- There is so much food in plain sight – Stand with your back to the food table or in another room.
- Family and friends are offering you scrumptious food – Remember you are in control and be honest when you aren’t hungry, or just have a tiny portion.
- The holidays make you sad, lonely or angry – Call a friend, hit a punching bag or write down how you feel.
Finally with all of the above scenarios, remember to check in with your hunger level to see if you really want to eat.