Halloween🎃 might be my least favorite holiday of the year. Surprisingly, NOT because of the candy, but because it seems to trigger a whole SEASON of FOOD FEAR.
First, it’s the buckets of candy 🍫, and the guilt that many of you experience no matter how much you enjoy. Then, you start thinking about Thanksgiving 🦃 stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pie, with a mix of delight and overwhelm, and at that point you can already picture yourself nibbling on cookies, and eating yourself through Christmas🎄charcuterie boards, and New Year’s Eve appetizers..
💥The fear of “overconsumption” can be all-consuming and downright crippling. And here’s the thing, that fear ends up distracting you from the true JOY and ABUNDANCE of the seasons we are about to enter.
So, what if, this year, you enter this holiday season with the intention to ENJOY food rather than obsess over how to AVOID It. It’s amazing how giving yourself PERMISSION to enjoy something allows you to slow down and actually enjoy that food more, while also responding to your body’s hunger and satiety cues.
Candy is just food. It has no moral value and there is no reason to feel bad about enjoying it. Sure, most of us probably wouldn’t feel great or function well if we ate it in abundance daily. But, I would argue that it is even more appealing in part because we’ve labeled it dangerous.
✨The more you can move away from the idea that food is “good” or “bad,” the less you will use that food to meet emotional needs that it might not have the power to do.
I am not saying this work is easy, or simple.
But, instead of focusing on how to avoid the candy this Halloween, I encourage you to consider exploring the following:
🎃Which candy is my favorite that I want to prioritize enjoying?
🎃What environment, situation, or timing helps me eat candy in a way that allows me to truly savor and enjoy it?
🎃How can I support my needs best this week so that I do not reach for candy to meet a need it cannot fill?
🎃How can I support myself even if I do eat more candy than makes me feel good?
🎃How can I stop the cycle of food shaming and avoid making my kids feel guilty for doing the same?
🎃What foods help me feel Satisfied, Satiated, and Energized that I could enjoy before having candy, when possible?
What holiday food are you going to embrace without fear or guilt this year?