“It’s what you do every day that counts, not what you do sometimes. Christmas only comes around once a year, so put your worries aside and enjoy the day.”

Christmas is nearly upon us, a time of coming together to enjoy a nourishing, delicious meal and embrace the company of our loved ones.

And because festive food is so often an essential part of Christmas gatherings, I recommend you focus on mindful eating as an expression of love and respect for your body. Savour the flavours – really taste what it is you’re eating and drinking.

In my experience the practice of mindful eating allows you to totally embrace what Christmas is really about; it allows you to be truly present to experience precious time with loved ones, relaxation, nourishment of the mind, body and soul, laughter and fun.

What is mindful eating?

Consider what your food has been through on its journey to your plate. Where was it grown? Who harvested it? Who packed it? How long did it take to get to where you bought it from? Who cooked it? How and when did they learn to cook? Who are you enjoying that food with now?

This places consciousness on feeling the food’s nourishment of your body and consideration of whether you really want the short term ‘benefit’ of overeating or overindulging in things that don’t serve you so well, those things that bring an uncomfortable aftermath of experiences.

HERE ARE MY TOP 3 TIPS FOR EATING MINDFULLY THIS CHRISTMAS:

1. BE KIND TO YOURSELF

Here at BePure, we don’t believe in depriving yourself when it comes to special occasions. If your mum makes a beautiful Christmas cake, enjoy it rather than being hard on yourself. You’ll notice when you do this that you also naturally slow down and savour it rather than stuffing in far more than you need. You can always nourish your body by adding in more nutrients in at your next meal.

“Enjoy it rather than being hard on yourself.”

2. THE 80/20 GUIDELINE

Eating 80% nutrient-rich whole foods that are right for you and 20% ‘treat’ options is a great way to help you stay on track at Christmas. By sticking to this ratio, you can fill your Christmas plate to your macronutrient profile, and if you do feel like having a glass of red wine, dessert or the likes, this can make up your 20%. It’s important to concentrate on the food that you eat most of the time, or in other words, 80% of the time.

“It’s important to concentrate on the food that you eat most of the time, or in other words, 80% of the time.”

It’s what you do every day that counts, not what you do sometimes. Christmas only comes around once a year, so put your worries aside and enjoy the day.

3. STAY HYDRATED

With the combination of summer heat and dehydrating effects of alcohol, staying hydrated is very important. Water allows us to flush excess toxins from our body, supports our liver and keeps our cells nice and healthy. Keep a big jug of filtered water with some cucumber on hand, or find other fun ways to fancy up your H20 to serve as a reminder to drink plenty of water.

This summer break I really encourage you to stay present and aware of the decisions you make and notice how these decisions impact your happiness and health. This is something Lynda and I also work consciously to instill with my girls over the festive season. Helping our kids learn these values early on is a great way of setting them up for life.

I’ve created you these top 3 tips to support and empower you in mindful eating this Christmas. Remember to enjoy yourself and celebrate those small wins when you feel full ownership of your happiest, healthiest self through the conscious actions you take.

Have an enjoyable, safe, happy and healthy Christmas everyone.