A Holiday Gift to Yourself: Slow Down & Eat With Intention
December is one of the hardest months for staying connected to your body. Between travel, work deadlines, and holiday parties, it’s easy to fall into holiday eating autopilot—grabbing bites while rushing, eating because food is in front of you, or finishing something you didn’t even want.
If you’ve been feeling that pull, you’re not alone. Many of my clients struggle with mindful eating during the holidays because everything feels fast, pressured, and reactive.
This month, give yourself one powerful gift: mindful eating so you can really experience your food.
What is Mindful Eating?
Mindful eating is simply paying attention on purpose when you eat—to your hunger, your fullness, your food, your body, and the whole experience. It’s the opposite of autopilot eating.
When you practice mindful eating, you may notice that you:
Enjoy the food more
Stop eating when you’re satisfied instead of stuffed
Can tell the difference between true hunger and stress, boredom, or emotional eating
Manage cravings more easily
Feel grounded and less reactive around food
The 2-Step Mindful Eating Framework
This is the same simple process I teach my clients, especially women working on hormone health, blood sugar balance, and sustainable habits.
Pause
Before your first bite, take 5 seconds to actually notice your food.
What does it smell like?
What colors do you see?
How is it plated? What size are the portions?
What textures do you notice?
Then put your phone down.
This tiny pause interrupts autopilot and reconnects you with your body.
2. Savor
As you eat, tune in to the flavors, the temperature, the sounds, and how the texture changes as you chew.
Slow down more than feels natural. Try:
Chewing longer than you want to
Putting your fork down between bites
Noticing the exact moment your body whispers, “that’s enough”
A Mindful Eating Mini-Challenge
Choose one simple action to practice this week:
Eat the first three bites of every meal slowly
Put your fork down between bites
Do a quick hunger check before going back for seconds
Pause halfway through your meal and check in with your body
Looking for Support?
If you want to head into the new year feeling grounded, confident, and more connected to your body, mindful eating is one of the core practices I teach in my 1:1 sessions.
As a dietitian specializing in women’s health and metabolic health, I help women:
Understand hunger and fullness cues
Balance blood sugar
Reduce cravings
Lose stubborn weight
Build sustainable habits
I currently have openings for 1:1 nutrition coaching, and many insurance plans cover sessions at $0 out-of-pocket.
👉 Book your first appointment here:
http://visit.berrystreet.co/providers/Tristin-Geschwender
Wishing you a grounded, peaceful, intentional holiday season.
