PART 6: Break through emotional Eating

Happy times may also be triggers for overeating or making less healthy food choices. Holidays and other special occasions may also make it harder to fit in physical activity.

Items that trip you up during a celebration:

•  Drinks: soda, alcoholic beverages

•  Foods: desserts, large helpings of “comfort foods”

•  Gifts of candy, cookies, etc.

•  Too many things to do and less time to prepare healthy meals

•  Workplace parties and cookie exchanges

•  More travel or a change of routine

•  Events centered around large meals, or appetizers

•  All-you-can-eat buffets on cruise ships or at resorts

Approaches to Celebration

There are many ways you can approach a celebration.

1. Make choices that fit with your healthy eating goals. Choose this option most of the time.

2. Make mostly healthy choices, but choose small treat foods. Choose small portions of these treats and eat them mindfully.

3. Eat without restriction. Eat and drink what you would like without feeling guilty for choosing less healthy foods. Choose this option rarely and plan to make healthy choices the next day.

If you have been making healthy choices for a while, you may notice your body’s negative response to certain unhealthy foods. Foods high in saturated fat seem to sit in your stomach longer and make you feel uncomfortable. Meals low in fiber may leave you constipated. Artificial sugars may give you a headache. Pay attention to this difference. It can help you choose less of these foods in the future.