How Does Intuitive Eating “fit” with Christmas?

As Christmas approaches and all the Christmas Parties and Festivities start, I thought I'd write about how Intuitive Eating fits with Christmas. It's actually an Ideal fit - because if you eat Intuitively, then nothing changes.

What do I mean by this?

Often when we come to Christmas time, it's a time when people "let themselves go" - they allow themselves all the "treats and goodies" they've "sort of" denied themselves all year (though in many ways haven't.... they haven't because while the rules are there around certain foods, they still have those foods, but then feel guilty about eating them). But at Christmas, it's justifiable to eat the celebration foods, because it is a time of celebration - and everyone is doing it - so it's a kind of "free for all". And it's done over and over - because there are lots of parties, lunches, and times of celebration.

This month or more long celebration, however can then result in a huge feeling of guilt and remorse when it comes to January - when everyone (well almost everyone) sets a New Year's resolution around weight loss. And the treadmill of weight loss goals starts again.

However, what if all year round we just approached food differently. We didn't have those "rules" in the first place? We allowed all foods, didn't label them as "good" or "bad", and enjoyed everything in moderation? Yes, we want to nourish our bodies with foods that make us feel healthy, but there is room for celebration foods on occasion (and Christmas is an occasion, as are birthdays, a work colleague leaving, a promotion, a graduation, wedding etc!). We are not going to put on weight or "blow out" with one excessive meal, or even 1 day of excessive eating! In fact, if we are eating intuitively, our bodies will adapt and the next day we will instinctively eat less and most likely want to move more. If we are eating intuitively, we won't go into a restrictive mode (like a dieting mindset will - which is so damaging for the body and metabolism) - but we will just let our hunger dictate what our body needs.

If we listen to what our body wants, then we are not inclined to over or under eat - and we are more inclined to enjoy the food we eat, without guilt. Interestingly, the body is remarkable at recognising what foods we have eaten - so if we eat enough fat, it releases hormones to signal to the brain to slow down the passage of food through the body so it can have enough time to break it down (that hormone is called cholecystokinin and is released from the pancreas). But we also have to allow our bodies enough time to register this - so mindful eating can be useful here too - that is, eating slowly and savouring the food we're eating.

So, as a start to this festive season, try thinking about the food rules you have and how they impact on the food choices you make. Do those food rules serve you? Or do they keep you trapped in a cycle of food misery? Do you end up overeating as a result of those food rules? And do you end up feeling guilty because you constantly break them?

If so, then perhaps it's time to assess whether those food rules are worth it. Ultimately most if not all humans are rebels. We don't like rules, particularly when it comes to food.