5 Tips to Enjoying Summertime BBQ’s as an Intuitive Eater (Minus Anxiety and Guilt)

This weekend is July 4^th; I love this time of year! With summer upon us, that means more time spent outside in the sunshine, more time spent with friends and family and (of course) lots and lots of great summertime meals and treats!

If you’ve struggled with your weight, dieting and negative thoughts about your body, then the summer holidays, summer vacations and even the changing of seasons can bring up a lot of challenges and negative emotions (like anxiety, stress and shame) when it comes to eating, food choices and your body.

Usually during these times…

• There are a lot of different kinds of foods you are surrounded by.

• You aren’t eating how you “normally” would (i.e., you’re eating out more, having new food experiences etc…).

• You’re surrounded by friends and family more (i.e., more opportunity to hear “diet talk”, uncomfortable conversations).

• You’re not in charge over what is being served.

All of these things can create a lot of anxiety and potential guilt around eating and your food choices.

When eating out, or in a place that is not familiar like a family BBQ, restaurant, someone else’s home, at a party, event, etc., there are many challenges that can arise that can make eating out a very stressful and unenjoyable experience.

For example, challenges can include:

• Feeling triggered by those around you who are dieting or using a lot of “diet talk”.

• You’re afraid you will face your “trigger foods”.

• You’re concerned about not hearing your hunger-fullness cues and might eat past comfortable fullness.

• You worry that you will eat totally “out of control”? 

• You just don’t have the confidence in yourself in social eating situations.

I totally get it! I was recently at a Father’s Day BBQ where there was a lot of diet talk. Join me on Facebook Live or YouTube Live today at 12:15 pm EST to hear all about it and how I managed to stay true to my Intuitive Eating journey!

5 Tips to Enjoying Summertime BBQ’s (and more) as an Intuitive Eater:

1. Don’t be afraid to eat, or order what you want.

 Just because you “feel” like you should order a salad at the family dinner, or you “should” be munching on the veggies and dip at the BBQ doesn’t mean you have to.

Don’t ignore the signals your body is sending you in terms of what it is asking for because by when the event is over, you will be left feeling unsatisfied.

If the cookies look good, eat them!

If the burger or hot dog is what you want, enjoy them!

If you choose to ignore what your body is asking for in those moments, this will likely lead to you to finishing off the cookies or the dinner leftovers in the fridge once you get home! It could actually lead to an all out binge.

Which will then leave you feeling worse than if you just ordered what you wanted, or ate what was at the BBQ.

2. Be present with your food.

Eating with others is a social experience, but don’t forget to still remain present with your meal even while around others.

With each bite check in with your senses (e.g., taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing).

• How does this bite taste in my mouth?
• What is the texture?
• What was the temperature like?
• What did the food smell like before I ate it?

Remaining present with your meal will prevent you from mindlessly gobbling down your plate and also keep your hunger-fullness signals in check.

3. Pay attention to those hunger-fullness cues.

As you socialize, eat and engage with others—be sure to still check in with your hunger and fullness levels. During the BBQ or event, pay attention to the signals your body may be sending you.

• Am I feeling fully satisfied?
• Do I feel full now?

Take stalk of how you’re feeling in the moment. I suggest putting your fork down and honor your feelings of satisfaction, or continue to have a few more bites until you’ve reached comfortable fullness.

Trust that your body will tell you when to start and stop!

4. Don’t ruminate.

It happens to all of us—even Intuitive Eaters. There will be times when you feel like you ate too much, you ate too quickly, or you weren’t staying present with your meal because you were distracted.

Whatever the situation is—it is okay! No big deal!

Don’t allow yourself to ruminate on these moments and ruin the experience—take the situation for what it is, learn from it and move forward.

5. Most importantly: don’t forget to have fun.

Being able to attend a summer BBQ or other summer event is an experience—so don’t get so caught up with the food, what you’re eating, how your food choices may look to others, etc.

During these moments we should be taking in the environment around us!

Acknowledge the décor, the people you are surrounded with, the food being served, etc.  and be grateful to be a part of it.

Feel free to share your summertime eating experiences in the comments below!