Here’s to a Mindful Passover

Wow, time is flying! Can you believe Passover is right around the corner? I’m not sure about you, but it really snuck up on me this year…

What comes to your mind when you think of Passover?

For most people, the first thought is food. The second thought is “oh no, I am going to gain so much weight”.

Yes, it is true that there are a lot of holiday meals, and you will be in the kitchen more often than you are during a non-holiday week, but I assure you that you can enjoy Passover while staying on your intuitive eating journey!

Before I give you some tips to help you stay mindful, I want to give you two scenarios on how a chronic dieter would handle Passover.

Scenario #1:
She arrives at the Passover Seder exhausted and over hungry, having not eaten all day due to Passover preparations. She overeats on the appetizer and then says “I blew it already, so forget it. I’ll start again after Passover”.

Scenario #2:
She enters into the holiday with the mindset of “I am not going to eat anything I am not supposed to”. She says no to her favorite traditional holiday foods for the first 4 days of Passover, and then BAM, she can’t do it anymore. On day 5 she says: “I just want to taste a sliver”, which leads to a second sliver, a third sliver and so on until she says “Forget it, I’ll start again after Passover”.

Unfortunately, in both of these scenarios, the diet mentality won. Neither women was able to listen to her body and enjoy her holiday favorites without the guilt.

This doesn’t have to be you! You can use your mindful eating techniques to help you enjoy your meals without feeling guilty!

Here are 4 mindful eating tips to help you handle your Passover meals without guilt:

1. Banish the rules. Get rid of the “I won’t eat anything I’m not supposed to mentality”. That is a dieters thought and will keep you struggling.

2. Remember to eat! I know this sounds funny, but it’s very important to be sure you are eating meals on Friday so that you don’t arrive at the Seder starving.

3. Take it slow. There is no need to rush the meal. Take your time and savor each bite of food, really exploring the taste and texture so you can have great pleasure in your meals. You will be less likely to be on the prowl looking for snacks later in the evening.

4. Forget about deprivation. If you have a favorite Passover food, enjoy it. Restriction leads to deprivation which leads to overeating.

If you keep these tips in mind and remember to continue to listen to what your body needs and you honor it, your Passover will be more enjoyable. You won’t miss out on all your favorite dishes!

Looking for Passover foods with a healthy twist? Check out my cookbook Passover the Healthy Way for a ton of delicious recipes for any and all meals!

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