My 5 Most-Effective Ways to Avoid Weight Gain this Holiday Season...and Beyond: Tip #5

Today's Tip:

Employ the 10-Minute Rule to stay mindful and present at all your holiday gatherings

Before I became a believer in #moderation365, I had only two dials: on plan and off plan. When I was on plan, everything that didn't meet my arbitrary standard of "health food" was off the table, and I employed willpower to the best of my ability to avoid cravings. Off plan meant that I was free to cut loose and eat with abandon. I told myself that my on-plan sacrifices had earned me the right to eat whatever I wanted for whatever window of time I allotted myself. More often than not, I took this leniency way too far and ended up feeling so stuffed and regretful that I couldn't recall even one pleasurable bite! This was not a way to live, and my metabolism proved that this strategy was doing me more harm than good. 

The times I'd give myself a wide berth were usually around holidays, especially Christmas. With all the parties and gatherings, it seemed impossible to approach this time with any modicum of self-restraint. As a result, when I'd show up at parties and make my way to the food table, it was almost as if a haze descended over me: I would get almost giddy at the prospect of eating as much of the food assembled as I wanted. It was literally intoxicating; it was like an out-of-body experience. 

Like many things, however, the anticipation of the thing was 10x better than the reality of it. I would end up spending all my time hovering around the food, trying not to "give myself away" as the greedy one at the party. I would watch others like a hawk, stressing over whether or not I would be able to get more of "x" dish before it was gone. I would watch resentfully as others helped themselves to a reasonable portion and continued to enjoy themselves and engage others in meaningful and interesting conversation. Since my focus was laser-pointed on the food situation, it left little brain bandwidth to engage my fellow party-goers. And when someone did try to engage me in conversation, I could only half-pay attention because my mind was elsewhere!!!

I wish that I could go back and shake my former self and tell her "snap out of it!!" I wish that I'd had the courage and presence of mind to employ this next strategy because it would have made for many less guilt trips and many more enjoyable holiday parties! The strategy to which I refer is the 10-Minute Rule. It's a way to trick yourself into staying mindful in situations where temptation is high. It's also not prescriptive to the point of being rigid: all that it requires of us is to put 10 minutes between our trips to the food table, creating space to practice mindfulness and show ourselves grace. 

This is how it works: Upon arrival to the party, I like to take the first 10 minutes to settle in, greet the host and/or hostess, grab a beverage (stay hydrated!), and mingle. I don't scope out the food just yet. After that initial 10 minutes, I like to give myself permission to assess the food situation. I'll help myself to whatever looks appealing, focusing on adding as much bulk with as few calories as possible (i.e. lean protein options and vegetables for fiber). 

Sample first plate: Fill up on veggies and protein first,
then go back for the other stuff when you're no longer
starving.

I really enjoy this plate, and savor the tastes and textures. I try to remain engaged in conversation as I eat because this slows me down, allowing my stomach time to catch up to my mind and experience satiety. When I'm done, I'll throw my plate and utensils away. This puts both literal and figurative space between me and the food. I then give myself another 10 minutes, continuing to assess my hunger and cravings and enjoy the ambiance. In my experience, stimulating conversation is one of the most effective deterrents to overeat. When you're engaged in a conversation about something you're passionate about, thoughts about food often recess from your mind. And these conversations and experiences are what memories are made of, not the food or drink!

After those 10 minutes, I will check in and see where I'm at. Am I still hungry? Am I experiencing a craving? Am I bored? Am I thirsty? If I truly feel hunger, I'll get some more food. If I've narrowed it down to a craving, I'll try to take a few moments to myself to see if I can "surf the urge" for a bit longer and reduce the craving.  This usually involves removing myself physically to take a bathroom break, reapply lipstick, talk to your friends, take a selfie and post on Instagram--whatever it takes to remain mindful and present in the moment. 

Is is belly hunger, or a craving? Ask yourself and stay one step ahead of
a potential overindulgence!

Remember: the purpose of this strategy is not to obsess and literally set our timers for 10 minute intervals! The point is to remain, at all times, in a state of mindfulness about what our bodies' cues truly mean. It's about giving ourselves a bit of temporal awareness during which we slowly break through the obstacles that food places in front of us and which keep us from being present and showing up authentically in these special moments of communion. It's about teaching ourselves to avoid brain shut-down mode when faced with a holiday spread by applying strategies and deploying them when needed. It's tough, and there will be setbacks, but diligence and consistency do pay off in the long run!