Does the thought of eating at a Summer barbecue stress you out?
If so you’re not alone. Knowing what to eat, how much to eat, when to stop eating and then there is the impeding feeling of shame for overindulging. It is easy to see how something that is meant to be fun turns overwhelming fast.
But heading into the gathering worried about what you should eat, what drinks you should have or with the certainty that you’re going to overindulge, will only dampen your spirit for what could be a really great time. So let’s get you prepared with the essential wellness tips you need to have the best time at your Summer barbecue.
First: You deserve to receive pleasure from eating.
Food provides you with nourishment on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level of your health, meaning contrary to what you’ve probably been led to believe…
Food isn’t just fuel, food nourishes your body in more ways than just calories in/calories out.
And one specific food is not going to directly cause you to gain weight. There are a handful of factors in play that influence your body weight.
If making food choices feels stressful, fear provoking or confusing, of course going to a Summer barbecue is going to feel like something you need to learn how to survive vs. time to sit back relax and enjoy.
These are 5 tips to avoid going overboard at your Summer barbecue…
1. Check in with yourself beforehand.
Trying the oh so common strategy of holding off on eating because you KNOW you’re going to go overboard later is setting you up to do just that, go overboard. And that’s not the goal of course. So instead check in with yourself. What is the state of your mind & body prior to going to the barbecue? When you check in with yourself prior you’ll be able to nurture yourself accordingly so you’ll be off to the barbecue feeling relaxed and ready. Nurturing yourself might mean eating a full satisfying breakfast to avoid arriving overly hungry, and thus compelled to eat everything in sight. To fully check in with your body before hand. Take 5 minutes to get present with yourself, seek to understand your present state of mind and body, so you know how to offer your body the nourishment you need.
2. Get clear on what types of foods you enjoy the most.
If you are the kind of person who wants to eat everything when there is a lot of food insight but you know you’ll regret it later, take a pause to sort through what foods you really enjoy the most before you make your plate. It’s a Summer barbecue right? Well then, what are your favorite barbecue foods? You get to decide what foods you eat. Get truly curious about what dishes you prefer. This will also allow you to decide what foods you would rather do without.
3. Allow yourself permission to receive pleasure from your meal.
You may not realize how you are subtly squashing the pleasure factor you derive from eating by being wishy washy about if it’s ‘ok’ to eat the ice cream. You’ll enjoy your food a whole lot more when you give yourself permission to receive pleasure from what you are eating without dealing with the nagging little voice saying, “you shouldn’t be eating this” or “you need to stop eating after this bite”. Be intentional about your food choices, let eating foods you aren’t used to eating be ok.
4. Fill 1/2 your plate with veggies.
Aim to fill half your plate with fiber rich veggies like- cucumber, tomato, leafy greens, broccoli, radish, peppers and onions. These non-starchy vegetables offer fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that support your energy levels, digestion, heart and gut health. If you know your Summer gathering is notoriously heavy on the meats, sweets and cocktails with the veggies few and far in between, thats ok! You could offer to bring a veggie rich dish like this Nourishing Cabbage Slaw or slice up raw veggies with a bean dip to add a variety of plants to the mix.
5. Get out of your head and into your body.
Your body is so wise! Quieting your thoughts to sense within for the messages from your body, will support you in making the very best decisions for yourself. Although, if you have years and years of what I like to call “diet” thoughts playing on repeat, “just listening to your body” is going to feel very challenging. This is why I guide my 1-1 nutrition coaching clients in a step by step process that includes unlearning old eating habits, building new ones that feel good and truly learning how to reconnect with your body’s wisdom to prevent you from feeling like you’re going overboard with eating.
Need personalized support with navigating tricky food situations?
You’re not alone! I didn’t get to a place of ease with eating (and optimal health) all by myself and you shouldn’t have struggle with your nutrition either. Get the help you need for your health. Apply to my 1-1 nutrition coaching program here to transform your relationship with food and your body.
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