The holidays can be challenging when it comes to snacking without feeling guilty. Not just during the holidays, by the way. I’ve been eating Easter eggs for three months now (so basically just after they stopped selling Christmas chocolate 🤪) and they’re already gone just before Easter. All that snacking around the holidays… I usually don’t think about it much, but when I see others snacking, I can’t always hold back, eat too much and feel quilty about it afterwards (and a little sick 🤢). Do you recognise this? Then these 6 tips for relaxed, self-criticism-free holidays can be useful to you.
How to relax during the holidays and snack without feeling guilty: 6 tips
During the holidays you just want to relax and not have to worry about feeling guilty when you’ve eaten too much. And certainly during the days that follow.
Here are my 6 tips for relaxing holidays:
Tip 1: listen to your body while snacking
Holidays can be packed with delicious meals and various treats to take in between those meals. Try paying attention to your hunger cues during the day. Are you hungry? Great, what are you hungry for? A normal meal? A snack? Easter chocolate? An extensive brunch? Fruit? A salad?
Figure out what suits you at that moment to satisfy your hunger or cravings. And check your hunger again while you’re eating. If necessary, put your food away, wait a few minutes, and then consider whether you want to eat some more. Don’t be persuaded to eat something if you really aren’t hungry or just don’t want to eat. Read more about how to avoid overeating here.
Tip 2: snack without feeling guilty: snack your favorite snack and nothing less
Only eat or drink something that you rate 8 or higher. And not just because the snack is available to you, because the sell by date is almost expired, or because someone else is eating it. Enjoy!
Tip 3: make a plan in advance
In the days leading up to the holiday, think about what you want to eat and how much you want to eat. Write down your plan so that you make an appointment with yourself, this way it becomes easier to stick to your plan. Of course you can also include snacks in your plan!
Tip 4: listen to your hunger and satiety cues
The same tip as tip 1, actually, but then this is a Very Important one. Focus on your hunger and satiety cues at every meal, before you start eating. Have you ever noticed that your food tastes a little less delicious after every bite? This is a subtle signal that you are becoming satiated.
Tip 5: take a small portion, you can always take more later (unless you have extremely hunger kids)
Is there a lot of food on the table? Serve small portions and use smaller plates and bowls. Drink water, tea, coffee or diet soda in between. If you want, you can also alternate with healthy products (which are also good for your intestines), such as snack vegetables and whole grain products that are very satisfying. Chew each bite 30 times to get more in touch with your satiety cues and you know when you’ve had enough.
Tip 6: distract yourself
Do you find it difficult to stop snacking during the holidays? The best tip I can give you is: distract. yourself That shouldn’t be a problem with the nice weather! By doing something you also kill two birds with one stone. Go for a nice walk, go on a cycling trip, plan a day at the seaside, play outside with the kids, go gardening, do some spring cleaning, etc.
This way you can try to prevent overeating during the holidays. But of course, there’s no harm done when you do overeat. Snacking during the holidays won’t suddenly make you gain a lot of weight. Try not to make a bit thing of it. The holidays are meant to be enjoyed, including all the food. Choose what you feel like and enjoy it. Don’t impose all kinds of rules on yourself, you don’t have to go on a diet! The above tips are only intended to make you aware of how you eat, but it is not a rule that you have to change your ways. Do what feels best for you.
Happy Easter!
Sincerely,
Femke
PS: Do you always have a lot left over after the holidays? Check out useful anti-waste tips here!
Een keer (of een weekend) teveel eten is echt geen probleem
En onthoud dat het echt niet erg is als je een keer teveel eet. Of het hele weekend teveel eet. Probeer ervan te genieten en eventueel bovenstaande tips toe te passen. Pak daarna gewoon je gezonde leefstijl weer op. Kun je daar ook wel wat hulp bij gebruiken? In mijn blog vind je nog veel meer praktische tips voor elke dag.
Fijne paasdagen!