With the holiday season approaching, I want to inspire you to HALT before you dig into the holiday goodies!
Read more to learn what HALT means and how it can help you maintain a healthy weight while still enjoying your favorite foods.
HALT is an acronym that can help you discover WHY you are about to eat. It stands for:
H – Hungry
A – Angry or Anxious
L – Lonely
T – Tired
HALT is a tool to help enhance your ability to check in with your emotional and physical state and help prevent mindless eating.
Before digging into that plate of cookies, snacking on more candied pecans, pouring a cocktail or going for the second serving of your favorite holiday dish, HALT and ask yourself…
“Am I Hungry?” Hunger is your body’s signal that you need nourishment to fuel yourself and ensure your body operates at its full potential. Real hunger does not come on suddenly, yet it is a gradual process and begins to increase as time goes on.
When your body tells you that you are hungry, it’s time to eat and refuel with food that provides nourishment.
However, be aware of the difference between hunger and other emotional reasons you might want to eat. If you are not hungry, then continue to walk through the steps of HALT and identify the reason you want to turn to food.
“Am I Angry or Anxious?” The holidays bring the the surface a mix of emotions but being aware of the emotion can promote care for your mental and physical health. Anger and anxiety are both associated with stress and cause an increase in appetite.
If anger is the root of why you want to eat, start by slowing down, taking a deep breathe and working through why you are angry.
Exercise is another healthy outlet to turn to instead of food to reduce your stress.
“Am I Lonely?” Loneliness is a common reason people turn to food for comfort, especially during the holiday season.
Food, especially choices high in refined carbohydrates and sugar, send the “feel good” hormone, serotonin to the brain.
This is why food and mindlessly eating can become an easy crutch and an unhealthy habit during the holiday season. Reaching out to your support system is important to talk and spend time with to help surpass the sense of loneliness, anxiety, and depressed feelings the holidays may bring.
“Am I Tired?” The hustle and bustle of the holidays can take a toll on the mind, body, and spirit. Tiredness is also a sign of being overworked and overwhelmed and the need for rest can easily be confused with the desire for food.
When you feel exhausted you crave carbohydrates to fill that void which gives you a quick energy rush but leaves you empty in nutrients and in the same restless cycle.
Inadequate sleep can also interfere with your hormones, ghrelin and leptin, which can also lead to an increase in appetite. It is essential to your health emotionally, physically, and mentally to establish time each day to get good sleep and rest.
As we approach the holiday season and begin to immerse ourselves in family gatherings, holiday office parties, and New Year’s extravaganzas, remember to HALT, and enjoy the season!
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