I am a fool for mince pies — the more buttery pastry and icing sugar, the better. Piled on a plate at a party, they’re an invitation I can’t refuse, and I’ve been known to eat them till it hurts. And though I swear I’ll never eat another one as long as I live, I know that’s a vow I won’t keep.
I used to berate myself about my festive bingeing. A little voice in my head loved telling me how fat I was, how foolish, how out of control. A few years ago, I decided to take on that voice, and when I did, I noticed an interesting phenomenon: The more I chastised myself for eating mince pies, the more I wanted. But when I gave myself permission to eat them, my need to overindulge diminished. Over the pre-summer party season, when we’re confronted with food at every turn, we’re especially prone to fall into what’s been dubbed ‘distracted eating’. We wind up consuming more than we intended and then feel bad about it.
Guilt can lead to panic: “If I don’t control my eating, I’ll never stop!” That anxiety, in turn, makes it impossible to figure out what we really want to eat or even whether we’re truly hungry. Instead, according to research by psychologist Janet Polivy, we get into a miserable cycle of overeating and punishing ourselves with restrictions.
I still eat mince pies. But now, I allow myself to truly enjoy them. I smell them, admire their decorations, let their crumbs melt on my tongue. Not only do I find them more pleasurable, but I also feel happier and less stressed. Here are simple strategies that can help you do the same.
Speak, eat, repeat
Good conversation, like good food, deserves your full attention. Trying to do both at once can lead to “zombie eating”, in which you don’t remember what you ate or even if you did. (You may also not remember what you said.) So take a moment to taste what you’re eating before you jump back into the conversation.
Tap into your body’s cues
As dietitian Ellyn Satter points out, human beings are born with an amazing ability to self-regulate. Babies eat with enthusiasm when they’re hungry and refuse food when they’re full. Problems arise when we overrule our body’s signals, telling ourselves we shouldn’t be hungry when we are or eating past the point of fullness. So check in with your body before you eat, and listen to it.
Slow down
Look at and smell the food on your plate. Savour each bite for a few seconds and really taste it. This gives your body time to register whether it’s hungry or full. A recent study shows that people with type 2 diabetes ate less sugar when they ate more mindfully.
Avoid panicked eating
Anticipating a New Year’s diet can make you want to gobble every treat in sight. But rather than succumbing to a scarcity mentality, say the following aloud: “There will always be more treats. You can always have them later.” Say it, and believe it.
Just say no
We’ve all been there: your host insists on loading your plate, and you feel obliged to eat it. Have a polite “No, thank you” ready if you’re really full, and say it as many times as you need to. “Just because someone asks you three times doesn’t mean you have to change your answer,” says dietitian Evelyn Tribole.
Be compassionate
Overeating isn’t a moral failing, and mindful eating isn’t a virtue — it’s just a useful strategy that can support good health, both physical and mental.
Finally, remember that there’s nothing wrong with having a slice of that mince pie or pavlova if you truly want it. Just be sure to enjoy every bite.
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