As a dietitian, I know that the holidays can be really hard in terms of eating habits. Suddenly, so many tasty treats and sweets seem to be coming at you from all angles – and you don’t know what to do. But don’t worry, I have five sustainable intuitive eating tips that will help you through these tough times. I’ve got your back! 

Focus on being flexible and giving yourself permission

The reason why many people struggle during the holidays is that their strict diet suddenly seems compromised. Perhaps a step towards healing your relationship with food is giving yourself permission to give into your desires and cravings and to simply eat those fun holiday foods that don’t come around that often!

Stop creating rules around food 

If you restrict your diet to “good” and “bad” foods, it can feel like you are doing something wrong when you eat a “bad” food, when that is clearly not the case. Not allowing yourself to eat a certain food or even food group can also lead to feelings of deprivation, which can cause bigger cravings than if you’d just allowed yourself to enjoy the food in the first place. 

Tap into your intuition and listen to your body

Craving certain foods or experiencing hunger are usually cues from your body that are worth listening to. If you know that you’re an emotional eater – and the holidays can be stressful anyway, apart from eating – maybe being less hard on yourself and trying to listen to what feels good and what doesn’t, can be a new way for you to approach those days. 

Enjoy the holiday flavors and traditions

Pumpkin pie usually only comes around in the Fall. Enjoy those seasonal flavors, the atmosphere, and the time with loved ones. Eating is supposed to be a social and happy event, not a task or a chore. So, maybe try changing your mindset so that you can be particularly present during the holidays, enjoying your family and the delicious food. 

Extend yourself compassion

Be kind to yourself. Extending compassion and grace can be a great act of self-love because you’re doing the best you can. This is a difficult task for most of us, so it might take a little bit of time to get to where you want to be, but it’s worth investing your time into this – and into yourself, at the end of the day. 

Know that if you struggle with food during the holidays, you’re not alone. But I hope that these tips will help you find a more compassionate mindset towards yourself so that, in the long run, you might even feel really aligned with your eating choices and are able to master the holidays like the champ that you are. 

If you’re looking for additional support and accountability, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us here. Whether you want extra support during the holidays or during another season in life, we’re happy to help!