You made it through Thanksgiving! But, you’re nowhere near the holiday-eating home stretch. Potlucks and holiday parties will be greeting you with a sloppy kiss at every corner through December 31st. Expect that there will be homemade chocolate chip cookies, looking lonely. Or, you may find yourself being curious (which is a fabulous quality, no?), so you sample all the desserts.

Are you already planning to diet after the carnage, promising yourself you’ll make some changes come January 1?

You don’t have to.

And you don’t have to miss out either. There is room for dessert in a healthy lifestyle.

It’s far more about how we eat than what we eat.

So, eat your pie. And try my 5 tips on how to guiltlessly eat dessert this season while enjoying every single bite.

eating chocolate

First, do this quick exercise with me. Take 2 minutes.

List what you ate at Thanksgiving this past week. How did you feel that day, during and after you ate? Satisfied, energized? Bloated, lethargic, meh? Remember this.

During the holidays, excess and overindulging is all around us (more so than usual). Don’t buy into this. Opt out of the mentality that this is simply normal, expected. Americans are getting more obese and sicker each year. It’s not okay to eat the way most people eat, even over the holidays.

It takes an intentional change in mindset to step off the dead end ride that is the American diet.

We can still fully enjoy dessert and feel satisfied without feeling stuffed.

Fear not that I’m priming to rob you of life’s good pleasures. So hear me out. Eat pie. Fully enjoy that homemade pie… that perfect chocolate. bourbon. pecan pie – the pie that makes you feel that the holidays are complete.

Try this instead –

  1. Eat dessert. Even save room for it! Of course, make sure you’ve enjoyed some protein, whole grains, and vegetables, too so you’re not carb overloading all day. Also, of course, don’t eat foods you have a known allergy or intolerance to. You probably know how that will end up.
  2. Sit down. Breathe before and during your bites.
  3. Eat slowly, be fully there, and savor every bite. Smell the smells. Enjoy all the flavors, the creaminess and crunchiness, saltiness, perfection in each bite. Wait for that kick of bourbon. Engage your senses.
  4. Listen to your body. When you start to feel about 80% full, satisfied but not stuffed to the brim, put your fork down. Just do it. It’s much easier to not overindulge when you eat more slowly. Your body has time to register satiety before it’s regretfully too late. I give you permission to leave a couple bites behind. It’s okay, really. Take note of how you felt after eating. Healthy eating should leave you feeling satisfied and energized, not feeling crappy.
  5. Take a break from food. Go for a walk and enjoy time with your loved ones.

This season, try something different. Experience the satisfaction and the freedom that comes with eating, just enough.