Omaha dietician shares tips on how to have healthy relationships with food during holidays
Updated: 5:36 PM CST Nov 19, 2024
HEADING EASTBOUND. WELL, AS WE APPROACH THE HOLIDAY SEASON, LOTS OF US ARE GEARING UP FOR FESTIVE MEALS, FAMILY GATHERINGS, LOTS OF FOOD. BUT FOR THE HOLIDAYS THAT CAN ALSO BRING STRESS AROUND EATING AND BODY IMAGE. SO HOW CAN WE ENJOY THE SEASON WITHOUT FEELING GUILTY OR OVERWHELMED? TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY LAUREN WILLIAMS, A REGISTERED DIETITIAN AND DIABETES EDUCATOR WITH CHI HEALTH. LAUREN, THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TODAY. HI. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. HEY, LAUREN, THIS TIME OF YEAR, LOTS OF FOLKS MIGHT BE STRUGGLING WITH THE IDEA OF OVERINDULGING. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR MAINTAINING THAT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD AND STILL ENJOYING THOSE HOLIDAY MEALS? YEAH. SO FIRST I WOULD FOCUS ON EATING CHOSEN FOODS IN MODERATION. WE KNOW IT CAN TAKE ROUGHLY 20 TO 30 MINUTES FOR YOUR BRAIN TO REGISTER FULLNESS. SO WE ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO SLOW DOWN, LISTEN TO THEIR BODY, AND WHAT THEY FEEL THEY NEED, AND TO REALLY TASTE AND ENJOY THE SERVINGS OF FOOD IN FRONT OF THEM. ALSO, IF YOU FEEL THE URGE TO SPLURGE, TECHNIQUES SUCH AS DRINKING WATER BETWEEN MEALS FIRST, CHOOSING A VEGETABLE, OR GOING FOR A WALK AROUND THE HOME CAN BE HELPFUL. WHETHER INTENTIONAL OR NOT. A LOT OF US LABEL FOODS AS EITHER GOOD OR BAD. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY RESTRICTING AND LABELING THIS CAN CREATE PROBLEMS AROUND HEALTHY EATING? YEAH, SO WE DEFINITELY WANT TO AVOID BLACK AND WHITE. ALL VERSUS NOTHING GOOD VERSUS BAD WAYS OF THINKING, ESPECIALLY OVER THE HOLIDAYS. PLACING THESE LABELS ON FOOD MAY LEAD TO OVERTHINKING FEELINGS OF GUILT AND STRESS. AND ULTIMATELY LESS CONTROL OVER YOUR FOOD PLAN. SO AGAIN, WE ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY FEEL THEY THEIR BODY NEEDS. AND TO START WITH A PORTION OF IT MAKES SENSE. SOME SENSE. ALL RIGHT. LAWRENCE SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK, OH, I COULD SKIP A COUPLE MEALS AND SAVE ROOM FOR THE BIG FOOD. THAT’S NOT A GOOD IDEA, IS IT? RIGHT. SO UNFORTUNATELY, QUOTE UNQUOTE, SAVING UP YOUR CALORIES MAY DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD. THIS MAY CAUSE YOU TO FEEL LESS IN CONTROL OF YOUR HUNGER AND FOOD INTAKE, AND CAN EVEN ENCOURAGE BINGE LIKE EATING EPISODES. SO WE ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD WANT YOU TO CONSIDER STICKING TO YOUR SAME DAY OF ROUTINE. THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE EATING YOUR REGULAR EARLIER AND DAY MEALS, MAYBE GOING FOR A WALK EARLIER IN THE MORNING AND GETTING A GOOD NIGHT’S REST THE NIGHT PRIOR. THE HOLIDAYS ARE ABOUT CONNECTING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT WE HAVEN’T SEEN IN A WHILE. HOW CAN PEOPLE SHIFT THEIR FOCUS AWAY FROM THE FOOD TO TRY TO STAY PRESENT? YEAH. GREAT QUESTION. SO FOR ONE, I DEFINITELY WOULD CONSIDER HOW YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CAN BE ACTIVE TOGETHER ON THAT DAY. THIS MIGHT INCLUDE EARLIER IN THE MORNING, SIGNING UP FOR A TURKEY TROT TOGETHER. ALSO CONSIDER HAVING FOOD AWAY AND STORED RATHER THAN OUT AT TIMES THAT ARE NOT DESIGNATED FOR EATING. AND IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE WITH HOW YOU CAN NAVIGATE HOLIDAY EATING AND EVEN BEYOND, YOU CAN ASK YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER FOR A REFERRAL TO SEE DIETITIAN. AS WE ARE MO
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Omaha dietician shares tips on how to have healthy relationships with food during holidays
Updated: 5:36 PM CST Nov 19, 2024
As we approach the holiday season, many of us are gearing up for festive meals, family gatherings, and plenty of delicious food. But for some, the holidays can also bring stress around eating and body image. So how can we enjoy the season without feeling guilty or overwhelmed? KETV NewsWatch 7 was joined by Lauren Williams, a registered dietitian and diabetes educator with CHI Health to discuss skipping meals before big feast and overindulging.See the video above for the whole interview. Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
As we approach the holiday season, many of us are gearing up for festive meals, family gatherings, and plenty of delicious food.
But for some, the holidays can also bring stress around eating and body image.
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So how can we enjoy the season without feeling guilty or overwhelmed?
KETV NewsWatch 7 was joined by Lauren Williams, a registered dietitian and diabetes educator with CHI Health to discuss skipping meals before big feast and overindulging.
See the video above for the whole interview.
Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7