I Always Overindulge at Christmas. Can I Enjoy Myself Sensibly This Year?
Dear Men's Health, I always overindulge at Christmas. Can I enjoy myself sensibly this year?
Men's Health Fitness Director, Andrew Tracey: Ah, Christmas. What was probably once a sincere and austere celebration of a religious institution has grown into a monster of consumption and indulgence. And you know what – that’s absolutely fine. As long as you’re consenting, that is, and by that, I mean you’ve really given some thought to how this period can serve you best – physically, mentally and emotionally.
Let’s get down to brass tacks. If you’re on any sort of structured diet plan, especially if your goal is weight loss, evidence suggests that short, tactical breaks from calorie restriction can have positive effects on your long-term progress.
‘Diet breaks’ have been shown to help reduce metabolic adaptation – when your body compensates for the lack of incoming calories by seeking to reduce your energy output. They can also help to put the gusto back into your training with a surge of energy-rich calories and, perhaps most importantly, may help to reduce feelings of restriction often linked to low-calorie diets.
But, for me, this is quite a clinical and cynical way to look at the issue, and it takes away from one of the most overlooked, but critical aspects of our diets – whether for weight loss or not: how does what we eat make us feel?
Have you ever found yourself on the painful end of Christmas hedonism: sluggish, lethargic and nauseous or, worse still, feeling like your mental health has been negatively impacted by a sharp period of overindulgence? I’ve learned to use that feeling as a warning sign to ask myself, ‘Is this really serving me?’
If sticking (at least somewhat) to your usual eating plan ultimately makes the Christmas period a more peaceful experience for you, one that you can actually thoroughly enjoy, without chasing the highs with uncomfortable lows, isn’t that the most important thing?
For me, though, rather than focusing on the behaviours themselves – indulgence or saintly restraint – I tend to interrogate the motivations around them. Are you motivated by guilt? Shame? Peer pressure? Is there a middle ground that helps you to feel good without sacrifice? Allowing you to enjoy a connection-enhancing brandy and cake with your loved ones, while saying a quiet and compassionate ‘no, thank you’ before you start to feel uncomfortably full.
None of this means you have to start logging the macros of mince pies, but just notice, bite by bite, how you’re feeling. Are you full? Did the last bite taste as good as the one before, or did you just feel compelled to eat it? Do you really want another sausage roll, or are they just there?
Mindful eating is about knowing when we’ve had enough, and when we’ve maxed out on the pleasure food offers. Funnily enough, taking your time and paying attention can actually make indulgent Yuletide foods even more delicious: it’s amazing how good a lovingly baked Yorkshire pudding is when you actually taste it.
This isn’t a case of framing yourself as the ‘disciplined’ one and everyone else as weak-willed heathens trying to ‘derail your goals’. I’ve found that just keeping quiet on the topic, politely saying ‘I’m full’ when I am and letting everyone else enjoy their Christmas, without judgement, has allowed me to fly under the radar.
You don’t have to justify your eating decisions, but people might still ask you to. I’ve always found honesty to be the best strategy: ‘I feel great; I’m really enjoying this food – it’s delicious, and I don’t want to spoil it by stuffing in any more,’ is a line that’s served me well. And if you can say that, and it’s the truth for you, I think that’s a great place to be.
How To Eat Mindfully At Christmas
These simple cues will help you know when you actually want to eat – and when it’s time to put down the fork.
Before
Prior to that fifth mince pie, consider: do you actually want it? What do you hope to get out of this food? Will it really deliver on that?
During
Focus on what’s going on in your mouth. What flavours and textures can you identify? Chew thoroughly before
going in for more.
After
Once you’ve had a bite, ask yourself: was that better, the same, or less fulfilling than the last? Am I still comfortable, or getting a bit stuffed?
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