First things first, I would like to emphasize that none of this is about restriction or calorie counting. Holidays are a time to indulge in delightful treats and to savor each and every bite. Whilst also feeding your soul. Please, allow yourself to enjoy every bit of those delightful holiday indulgences, my lovely. That said, I do find that a little bit of mindfulness and a slight amount of self-control truly helps to keep my belly happy and comfortable at holiday dinner. Because honestly, it’s never fun to have to deal with a bellyache. Especially on a holiday. And I want to be able to indulge in those decadent sweets, without stretching the limits of my tummy’s capacity.
Honestly, when I take mindful steps to keep my belly comfortable at a holiday dinner, I enjoy the experience so much more. From not having a tummy ache after eating, to enjoying the meal itself even more. As well as not being a hangry Grinch up until it’s time to eat.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
It goes without saying that we should be keeping ourselves hydrated every day. But I do find that it can be easy for staying hydrated to slip my mind around the holidays. Because not only is it colder during the holiday season, and I find myself not thinking about drinking water, but it can also be easy to forget to drink water when you’re busy because of the holiday itself. Or because you’re thinking more about the delicious food that you’re about to have than you are about drinking water. Despite knowing that staying hydrated helps with some of those hunger pangs. And also helps you better recognize your body’s satiety cues when it comes time to enjoy your meal.
This isn’t even to mention that staying hydrated is crucial for your overall wellness.
Honestly, what I find helps me to stay hydrated on holidays, and on any day for that matter, is keeping my water bottle within reach at all times. Along with integrating drinking water first thing in the morning into my morning routine. I also like to be sure that I’m drinking about 8 ounces of water before I eat, and also enjoying a delightful complimentary drink with my meal. I also find the WaterMinder app [not affiliated] to be quite helpful in keeping track of how many fluids I’ve drunk throughout the day. Plus, it sends reminders throughout the day to drink your water.
Don’t Skip Meals — So You Don’t Arrive Hangry
Holidays are meant to be enjoyed, all throughout the day, not just at the main events of the occasion. Meaning, there is no reason for us to be feeling those uncomfortable hunger pangs as we wait for dinner. With that in mind, why wouldn’t we want to keep our belly comfortable and satisfied all throughout the day? Especially when we know that being hungry can also make us quite grumpy and diminish our mood. And even more so because we won’t necessarily be able to eat more holiday food, just because we haven’t eaten all day. Despite how ravenous we may feel as we fill our plates.
So, let’s vow not to skip breakfast on the holidays. Let’s even allow ourselves to romanticize having a wonderful holiday breakfast that matches the vibe of the holiday. And depending on how late in the day you’ll be having dinner, I’d also say to at least have a light lunch. That way, your belly stays comfortable, and you avoid becoming hangry. Because you certainly don’t want to be moody around your family and friends because you haven’t eaten. Especially the ones who may push your buttons as it is.
Enjoy Those Holiday Snacks — Mindfully
Who doesn’t love those delightful seasonal and holiday treats that we get to enjoy around the holidays? Be it the heavenly cookies and candies, or the savory appetizers. Or the charcuterie boards that we just can’t help but sample. Honestly, I can’t bring myself to deny myself from enjoying such indulgent holiday treats. Especially ones that often only come around once a year. Certainly, the holidays are a time to just indulge in every little delight and enjoy life. But at the same time, we don’t want to spoil our appetite for the grand meal by filling up on cheese and crackers. Nor do we want to not have room for pie because we filled up on cookies previously.
What I like to do is put a little bit of each snack I’m craving onto a small plate and sit down to enjoy my treats. That way, I’m not at the snack table to just keep grabbing more and more treats. Plus, I’m able to actually sit down and savor them. Whilst giving myself just enough to snack on to keep my eager belly comfortable before dinner.
Take Small Portions Of Each Thing
I’m not going to lie, it’s quite exciting to have a huge spread of delicious holiday food laid out in front of you. You can’t help but want to indulge in every option that’s set out in front of you. And honestly? You should allow yourself to have a little bit of everything. That said, it’s also important to be mindful of your portion sizes and to know how much you can realistically eat. And personally, I avoid filling my plate beyond what I would typically eat for dinner on any other day. Not to be restrictive, but to avoid giving myself a bellyache from overeating. As well as keeping the goal of comfortably eating dessert in mind.
Certainly, it feels awkward to only take a single slice of turkey or ham, and a small scoop of each side. But remember, all those delicious sides add up to a full meal. Whilst allowing you to comfortably finish every divine bite. And if you’re still a little hungry after you finish your dinner, remember that dessert is just around the corner. Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy some holiday leftovers in the days to come if you’re craving a bit more.
Slow Down And Mindfully Savor Your Meal
It isn’t every day that we get to enjoy a lovely holiday meal that was prepared with love for several hours. So we should certainly be savoring each and every bite, and truly being mindful and present as we enjoy our meal. Be mindful to take smaller bites, and even take your time to thoroughly chew and savor each bite. After all, the holidays are a time to slow down and romanticize life. And you certainly don’t want to rush through eating a meal that took much time and effort to prepare. Nor do you want to miss any of the flavorful notes in your special meal because you were rushing through eating.
Plus, it’s also easier on your digestive system to slow down, take smaller bites, and thoroughly chew each scrumptious bite. It’ll certainly help in keeping your belly comfortable as you enjoy your grand holiday meal.
On that note, I also highly recommend fully being present as you enjoy your holiday dinner. Rather than allowing yourself to be distracted or attempting to multitask as you eat. And honestly, if you’re enjoying your holiday dinner with friends and family, you certainly want to be present with them anyway. So, put your phone away at dinner time, my lovely. Shut the TV off, rather than trying to find something to watch while you eat. Let those emails wait until after dinner, or even until tomorrow. Be mindful and present with those you love, and enjoy the wonderful meal in front of you, with those you love the most.
Allow Yourself To Relax and Be Present
For me, one of the biggest causes of an upset stomach is being anxious or stressed out. And honestly, it goes without saying that some holidays can be quite stressful and chaotic in some moments. Plus, as someone who’s struggled immensely with social anxiety, my social anxiety often added another layer of stress at dinner parties. Heck, sometimes I do still feel my social anxiety trying to rear its unpleasant head when I attend a dinner party or any social event. But I have become much better about managing my social anxiety over the years.
Often, what helps me is leaning into the simplest of grounding and affirming techniques to remind myself that I am safe with the people that I’m dining with. Which has been such a saving grace at keeping my belly calm and comfortable at holiday dinner parties. Whether it be whispering affirmations to myself or just taking a moment to breathe. As well as giving myself time to meditate and ground myself before arriving at the party. Whilst also being mindful to stay present, and not feel as though I needed to rush eating so I could get the heck out of the dinner party. Especially when I didn’t want to leave the party early, despite what my social anxiety wanted.
That said, I know that it feels easier said than done to relax at a holiday dinner party. It takes practice to be able to relax and allow yourself to be present at social events. But I promise you that it’s worth it.
Keep Dessert In Mind
Full transparency, a large portion of my motivation to keep my belly happy and not overeat at holiday dinners was motivated by sweets. Dessert is my favorite part of just about every holiday dinner and special event. And I honestly got tired of not being able to comfortably enjoy my desserts on the holidays. Certainly, not wanting a bellyache was also part of my motivation. Especially as that uncomfortable “stuffed” feeling would sometimes set in before it was time to enjoy those delightful sweets. Sometimes, to the point I’d have to wait until the next day to enjoy some leftover desserts, if I could take any home.
My point is, always keep dessert on your mind when you know there’s going to be dessert. Don’t spoil your appetite for sweets by filling your dinner plate so high that you can barely finish it. And don’t forget about the pie or cheesecake as you’re at the snack table. That way, you’ll be able to truly enjoy your dessert, without stretching the limits of your tummy. Heck, you may even be able to have a little of each dessert on the dessert table. Because why not enjoy those delightful sweet treats? It’s a holiday, my lovely. It’s a time to feed your soul and make your inner child happy.
Conclusion
Once more, I would like to reiterate that I am not promoting restriction. Especially not for the holidays. Rather, I am promoting mindfulness so that you can keep your belly happy and enjoy the holiday to its fullest. Because it’s certainly not fun or festive to have an achy belly from overeating. Especially when you want to be able to enjoy those holiday desserts comfortably. Besides, being mindful as you enjoy your holiday dinner makes it so much more enjoyable. Holidays are meant to be enjoyed and romanticized. And we’re meant to enjoy the entire day. Not just the main event of the holiday dinner.
How do you keep your belly comfortable at holiday dinner parties or special events? What is your favorite holiday when it comes to food? Do you have a favorite holiday dish that you look forward to every year? Or a favorite dessert? Do you have any special traditions with your friends and family at your holiday dinner parties? I’d love to hear all about how you enjoy great food in great company!
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