Holiday flavors

I love the holiday season. I personally pride myself on knowing all the lines from Jim Carrey’s version of the Grinch. It’s fun to lean into the different flavors that are reminiscent of the holiday season- we’re talking gingerbread, peppermint, eggnog, chocolate, cranberry, and rosemary. We choose these flavors, because they remind us of the holidays, so there’s an element of mindful choice there.

Nostalgia

In the food psychology world, and when we delve into why we eat the foods we do, one of those reasons is nostalgia. Eating that food brings brings us back to a memory, a moment, a season, an event. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this. There’s a comfort in knowing that I’m going to be having my grandma’s spiced pecans every year, and I enjoy every bite with pleasure.

Celebration
Another reason we eat is to celebrate. I think it’s safe to say that we do a lot of that this time of year, and again, nothing wrong with this. I love participating in Christmas cookie baking, gingerbread house making, holiday drink dranking (these days that looks more like merry mocktails). This too, is part of mindful eating, recognizing that eating is part of the surrounding events with others.

All the while, I still feel a little bit like Cindy Lou Who, who is looking around at all the excess and wondering if we ever stop to take a moment to pause and think about the meaning behind it all. I think there’s room for both- to enjoy, to mindfully indulge, to celebrate, and yet to also be a mindful consumer (both from a gift-giving and from a treat-eating perspective). Being mindful doesn’t take away from the experience of the holidays, I’ve found it adds to it.

Adding the element of mindfulness

I’m challenging you to not go on autopilot this holiday season. Don’t just do, eat, drink all the things because they happen to be in front of you. Do, however, enjoy your holiday favorites, and love every bite! Enjoy grazing at the cookie swap, but perhaps you eat some veggies at lunch and get some fiber and protein in first?

It’s not all or nothing.

Highly Recommend:

• Making Liz Moody’s healthier version of Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars (I make these every year and they’re a smash hit!)
  • https://www.lizmoody.com/healthy-starbucks-cranberry-bliss-bars/
• Adding a sprig of rosemary to pomegranate juice and seltzer and call it fancy
• Adding peppermint to chocolate smoothie for a peppermint mocha twist
• Making Falalalalafel (AKA make falafel and then call it festive, simply because falafel is my favorite all days of the year)
• Keep an eye out on my social media for healthier gingerbread truffles, and peppermint mocha protein smoothie recipes coming soon!

Interested in a guided January reset after all the holiday hoopla?

Join us for a 6-Week Not Your Average Detox group program. We start on January 5th! Registration is open, so you can sign up now, then enjoy the rest of the holidays knowing you’ve got some good things to come in January.

Be Well,

Sara