As England starts to open again there has been a common question with several of my clients, ‘How can I enjoy a special occasion without overindulging?’
As an intuitive eating coach I don’t believe in deprivation as that can only lead to overeating or binging , why? Because the very food that is not allowed, whether it is a red for or syn is considered bad which can really put that food on a pedestal, out of reach but never out of mind.
So surely the best thing to do is not to deprive at all, leaving no food off the menu, but how do you that without taking it too far? Read on…
More restaurants are now opening their doors, tempting us with offers, new menus and food that looks delicious!
So instead of thinking, ‘There is so much great food, I will have to try everything’, why not change that thought to ‘There is so much wonderful food, I can find exactly what I want’
I always encourage my clients to be conscious when enjoying food, a big part of intuitive eating is tuning into the eating experience rather than tuning out, so limiting eating while on your phone, while working, driving, basically anything rather than focussing on the food.
So, enjoy the experience of eating and time your special occasion to match when you will be physically hungry, but not ravenous, so you can enjoy it – the best seasoning is hunger!
Focus on the quality of what your eating rather than quantity, savour each mouthful and, slow down while you’re eating so you can naturally tell when you’re comfortably full.
If you notice yourself thinking ‘It’s a special occasion a few more mouthfuls won’t hurt’, you could instead switch this round to ‘I don’t need an excuse to have a fantastic meal, so why use this special occasion to overeat?’ Or even ‘This is a really special occasion, why would I spoil it by eating until I feel uncomfortable’
Special food will be even more special when you eat it intuitively when you can focus on appearance, smell, origin, the ambience, AND the flavour.
So, enjoy your special occasion, savour each bite and moment.
