Christmas and New Year are coming, and, as usual, they promise to bring along lots of meals and delicious dishes. That is great, but many people feel anxious about their relationship with food in this time of the year, whether it’s because they tend to feel indisposed after eating too much or because they are assaulted by guilt of overeating. If you can relate to that, we’ve got good news: in this article, the nutritionist Simone Ometto gives some valuable tips of how to enjoy the feasts on a healthy and guilty-free way.
WHY DO WE OVEREAT DURING THE HOLIDAYS?
When we think about Christmas, one of the first things that come to our minds is the dinner with traditional dishes, such as turkey, and, of course, lots of dessert. There are even songs that talk about chestnuts roasting on an open fire and some figgy pudding. There’s no question that food is a very important part of the Holidays.
Ometto remembers that, with more flexibility on the restriction measures of the pandemic, more gatherings tend to happen. That means more opportunities for us to eat. But, according to the nutritionist, that’s not the only reason why we tend to overeat during this time of the year: “The difficulty of enjoying this moment is much more related to food restrictions made during the year”.
HOW TO ENJOY THE FEASTS ON THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE?
According to Ometto, it is possible to eat healthy during the Holidays – and that doesn’t mean not enjoying the meals! She says that the crucial part is to seek balance. “We don’t eat only nutrients, we eat food. It is a pleasure source and an opportunity of being with the people we love”.
Avoid restrictions
Ometto says that having a very restricted diet between New Year and Christmas leads to compulsion during the Holidays, because we think that is our only chance of eating what we like. So, instead of cutting all the foods you like from your diet during the year, treat yourself every now and then. Also, don’t face the Holidays as your only opportunity of enjoying food. Keep in mind food will always be there for you, not just between Christmas and New Year.
Forget about villains and heroes
Media tends to classify food in “good” or “bad”, period. But this sensationalist approach causes anxiety towards eating. Ometto says that there is no such thing as good food or bad food – there is food and a balanced diet.
“The problem is not eating candies or calories, but to eat automatically”, claims the nutritionist. “One thing we should avoid is the excess of food that is proven to lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol. That is the case of ultra-processed food, such as soda, frying, artificial chemical additives. But we can eat real food with balance – pasta, rice, beans, meat, candies, all the food groups”.
Eat slowly
Sometimes, we may think that eating fast will avoid guilt, but what happens is the exact opposite. Ometto advices eating slowly, savoring the food and really enjoying it. Not only it will give you pleasure, but will also help your brain acknowledge you’re eating, leading to a feeling of satiety before you overeat.
Use your senses when you eat
That, according to Ometto, is the most important thing we can do while eating. It consists in being mindful at the table, eating intuitively. “Look at the food, smell it, feel it in your mouth and it going down your throat”. It will help you notice when you are satisfied, and you should respect that feeling. “We shouldn’t avoid food, we should avoid the feeling of overeating. There is no one better than us to know how much is enough when we are eating”, says Ometto.
Include a salad on the Holidays meals
When we think about enjoyable food, we probably think about candy, chocolate and sugar. But it is unlikely that a salad comes to our mind. That is because we tend to label food as “tasty” and “not tasty” – once again, the labels work against us.
For healthier Holidays dinners, Ometto suggests including a salad on our meals. It can be tasty, if we change our mindset and look for different recipes. “We shouldn’t face is as a weight-loss dish, but as recipe that is part of a healthy food context, since it has nutrients that are important for our body. Why not start the Christmas dinner with a salad, then have the main dish and end with a nice dessert?”
Look for professional guidance
“There is no one better than a professional to work with us, considering the meaning of each food on our life history and our clinical health profile. Together, the nutritionist and the patient can come up with a dieting plan that is coherent with the socioeconomic, professional and psychological reality of each person”. That being said, here’s an idea of a New Year’s resolution for 2022: look for a nutritionist to help you improve your diet!
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Simone Ometto is a nutritionist and Master in Science by the University of São Paulo (USP).