When the holidays begin, you can expect to spend plenty of time with your family and (probably) eat a lot of food. It’s common to experience food guilt while on vacation, especially if you’re careful about eating a balanced diet. 2020 research 63% of Americans said they felt guilty about food during the holidays.
Give yourself some grace this holiday season as you dine with family and friends. Here’s what you need to know about food guilt to help you have a happy holiday season.
What is food guilt?
Food guilt is when you feel guilty about what you eat, like you feel guilty about what you eat. Food guilt can quickly descend into deep feelings of shame, especially for those who: messed up meal.
If you have a particularly hard time eating nutritious foods, you may feel food guilt if you eat something you consider unhealthy.
Why do we feel guilty about food?
Food guilt is often associated with our relationship with food. If you stick to a strict diet and “slip”, you tend to feel guilty about what you eat. This can be the result of too much pressure on yourself to eat a certain way.
7 tips for dealing with holiday food guilt
The holidays can be especially tough on food guilt. Plus, it’s important to enter the season with tips for managing your eating guilt, as you may be sitting and eating meals outside your nutritional comfort zone.
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1. See eating nutrient-poor foods as part of a balanced diet
of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services It outlines a “healthy” diet for people to stick to and breaks down how much protein, carbohydrates, and various nutrients you need in a day. It is important to balance Because there’s nothing wrong with eating foods that are stereotypically nutrient-poor in moderation. . If you allow yourself to eat these treats occasionally in moderate amounts, eating nutritious foods the rest of the time isn’t too bad.
2. Practice Mindful Eating
What is mindful eating watch what you eat Thank you for every bite. This habit allows you to spend more time and energy on food. Harvard School of Public HealthThis involves chewing well and eating slowly so you can savor every bite of your food. Research on mindful eating has shown that it can reduce eating-related anxiety and overeating.
3. Focus on how you feel after eating certain foods
Sometimes food guilt is unavoidable, but what you can do when it happens is identify what it is. can think. Sometimes, people don’t even realize that their guilt is tied to certain foods or meals, and why it’s happening. You can also write down your emotions to see if there are patterns related to what emotions are occurring and when.
4. Start a food journal
Keeping a food diary can have a positive impact on your diet.according to Harvard Medical School, a food journal can help you keep track of what you eat, how much you eat, and how you feel after eating. . However, it’s important not to get too hung up on monitoring everything you eat.Several research It has also been shown that when people get tired of keeping food diaries, they quit and go back to their previous eating habits.
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5. Don’t get too hung up on nutritional requirements
Just as keeping a strict food diary can be detrimental, too much attention to “healthy” foods, fad diets, and anything related to these strict diet plans can be detrimental. There is a possibility. Diets such as Keto and Atkins are not necessarily healthy. maintained in the long term — Unless directed by a doctor. Also, counting calories and macros can help you lose weight, but doing this for too long can lead to eating disorders if that’s your goal. duke healthPaying too much attention to these numbers will certainly make you feel guilty if you “go beyond” what you believe to be ideal.
6. Respect Hunger
Your body signals your brain when it feels hungry, and you feel that pain when your body needs food. If they say they are hungry, they should be fed. If you are told that you are full, you should stop eating. Listening to what your body is telling you is key to knowing when and how much to eat.
7. Accept that you deserve to eat without punishing yourself after eating
When it comes to a balanced diet, you’re not really slipping at all, so if you feel like you’ve “slipped”, give yourself grace. Of course. That doesn’t mean you have to hit the gym for two hours and skip meals afterwards. As long as every day is a new day and you eat nutritious meals most of the time, it’s perfectly fine to have a few snacks and an enjoyable meal. Remember that it is okay to eat. No need to feel guilty.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified physician if you have questions about your medical condition or health objectives. Talk to your health care provider.
