Navigating Nutrition During Holidays

Today’s episode is all about giving you girls some helpful and practical faith-based tips and tricks as you navigate nutrition during holidays and events around amazing food! Spoiler alert…it’s not about restriction!! This episode will especially be helpful to those who tend to binge occasionally. Enjoy!

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Are you a faith-driven woman ready to transform your health and fitness, level up your habits, and steward everything that God has blessed you with? If so, welcome to the Refinery Movement Podcast, the place for Christian women in fitness or women ready to step into it who want to build strong, faith-based habits that honor God and inspire their families and communities. I'm your host, AJ Amrine, lifelong athlete, former WWE superstar and founder of the Refinery Movement. My passion is to help women integrate faith and fitness and to make the church healthy again. Here we'll dive into powerful strategies, biblical principles, and practical tips to help you crush your goals. We'll also talk about balancing training, nutrition, and family life because you can steward the temple and still enjoy freedom, fun, and connection. So grab your protein shake, get comfy, and let's step into today's episode with boldness, clarity, and intention. Let's get refined. Hey girl, welcome back to the podcast. If you're watching this in real time, I hope you had a fantastic Easter celebration and holy week remembering the sacrifice and celebration, remembering the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Next week I'm gonna be kind of sharing a little bit more of Easter weekend and all of that. So I didn't want you guys to think that I was just skipping over that and not gonna touch on what an amazing week that was and how centered is central it is to our faith. But um, this podcast is actually gonna be about how to approach holidays without binging. And then next week is gonna be just kind of a little bit heavier and more about what really actually matters and the faith behind all of it. So don't think I'm just skipping over all of that. I actually have uh some personal things I'm gonna share with you guys because this was actually my first Lent and Holy Week and Easter celebration as a Catholic. And so for those of y'all that don't know and haven't been following along, I've been Protestant my entire life and I never thought I would be Catholic. Um, I love all churches that love and celebrate Jesus Christ, and I believe in ecumenism, which is the unification of all the churches. But yes, I do love Catholicism and I am a proud Catholic now. Back to kind of what this week is about, and a lot of my girls were asking about this that are in the Holy Habits Project coaching and mentorship program, and they were like, Coach AJ, like how do I approach these holidays without binging? And it's like, how can I truly be present with my family whenever all I'm thinking about is food and kind of reversing what I've worked so hard on? So gonna be touching on that because so many women are silently struggling that and just like how to go into the holidays, gatherings, and food-centered events without spiraling into binge eating and guilt and that I'll start over tomorrow cycle. And I want you to know this first. This is not about more restriction, this is about freedom and stewardship and renewing your mind. So let's get into some practical steps that you can actually implement into your life during these events. So, first, number one is eat normally throughout the day. So don't think about like saving calories because when you undereat all day, your brain literally goes into survival mode and you're not lacking discipline in that moment. You're just working against biology. Like it is so hard whenever you're so, so hungry and you go in and you see a table full of sweets. Like your mind is literally saying, like, I need that. And so tell yourself, fed, not frantic. And so eat protein throughout the day, eat normal throughout the day. Do not think about saving calories because that's just gonna set yourself up for failure. So that's number one. And then number two is no standing and grazing really helps. So eat intentional plates. So whenever you're up at the table or whatever, and um, of course, if your aunt or whoever asks you to try something, don't tell them no. But just eat intentional plates, don't just kind of like pick throughout the the night. That really can add up. And when you're picking here and there, your brain doesn't register satisfaction. So sit down and build a plate and be present. Third, this one is my favorite. If you know me personally, you know I literally have like a healthy dessert every single night. Like I am sweet tooth girly pop all day, every day. Um, so third is choose your sweets on purpose. So instead of feeling out of control, decide ahead of time like what do I actually want, and then enjoy that without guilt. Like it is a celebration with family and food and culture, and that is all a part of living a life with those and the loved ones around us. So grab your favorite sweets that you want to eat and eat an appropriate amount, and then just no more than that, because if you are like, oh, I need more and I need more, just keep reminding yourself like my tummy's gonna hurt if I keep going. And so eat it, you know, the appropriate amount and enjoy the heck out of it. Heck yeah, I'm not telling you to just stay away from it. I you tell yourself I can enjoy this without overdoing it, it is not going to wreck all of your progress. Number four is a very, very important one that helps with presence and just mindfulness. And you probably already know this, but pray before you eat. Super simple, but do it. Not just out of routine, but to purposefully and intentionally slow down and invite God into this moment. Remember the realness of it that a lot of people in that same moment that you're praying are this is heavy, but like starving to death. So remember, like, God, thank you for this food. Like, thank you for this roof over my head, thank you for this plate of food. Let me enjoy it with my family. Lord, give me awareness and peace and self-control. Because this moment is not about me obsessing over food and you know, thinking about that the whole time. This is about being with family. And the enemy wants you to do the opposite, but we are not going to do that. You are made new in Christ because mindfulness changes changes your choices. So pray before you eat. Number five, and you guys can write these down. That's why I number them. This is for you. Write it down, get your notebook. Number five, be present in the room, not just the food. So this is about talking to your family, like actually connecting with them, because connection reduces overeating. You know, you don't just connect with your family to help your eating habits, but connect with them because you love them. But yeah, this definitely helps. Connection reduces overeating and talk and laugh and engage. And food is a part of the moment. It's not the main event by any means. And number six, if you overdo it, which we do sometimes, we are human. It happens. Don't let it spiral you though. This is where most people lose it. Instead of saying, like, oh, well, today's ruined, we're gonna pick up tomorrow morning, shift to what is the next right step tonight? Because one moment does not define the night. And I promise you, that way of thinking, that second way of thinking, is gonna make you feel a lot better in the morning than if you were like, oh, well, today's ruined. I'm just gonna eat whatever. You're gonna wake up feeling like crap, you're probably not gonna work out, you're probably not gonna have the energy to get your kids up and ready for school. And so that and it is okay if you spiral, all you have to do is find that, you know, metaphorical chair or table and help yourself back up and get going again. That's all it is. Like we fall, all that matters is that we get back up. And so if you overdo it, just don't let it spiral. Again, like this is what most people I feel like struggle with. So instead of thinking, oh, all or nothing mindset, think, okay, all right, pause. I'm spiraling. Notice that you're spiraling, and then just okay, what's the next right step? Let me go talk to this person, let me go do this, let me, you know, whatever, whatever it might be for you in that moment. Now, and I promise you, God always gives you a way out of sin and of that gluttony. Like he always provides a way out of that sin. So just be present and have your eyes open for it. Now, here's what most people don't talk about. You need to regulate your body before you eat. So if you walk in stressed and overwhelmed or emotional, and I get it like with kids, like sometimes this just like happens. Do your best though to try to regulate your body before you eat. And that's where that prayer helps you. Your brain is going to look for quick comfort if you just walk in super scattered. So, and I'm not saying to walk in, not walk in scattered because it's like sometimes families just like that. But I'm asking you to pause and then take a breath and then pray just before you eat because I think that, you know, I'm not going to over-spiritualize everything. Not everything that we face or battle is in the spiritual world. Some of it is flesh, some of it is just of this earth. But I guarantee you that the enemy does not like it when families get together and celebrate. And so there's probably things that happen on that day that throw things off. And yeah, they might be a little spiritual. So pray and put on the armor of God, guys, especially during Easter and Christmas. Like if we believe in God, there's also the enemy, and that's a real thing. And so we must arm ourselves with the armor of God and be awake to that and um, you know, cast down any flaming arrows of the enemy. And so I see it on t-shirts all the time, but it's real, like, not today, Satan. Um, and then also start your plate with protein. This is science. Protein stabilizes your hunger hormones so you don't feel out of control around sweets. So protein first, and then your sweets, okay? And then here's a big one too stop labeling food as good or bad because restriction creates rebellion. A lot of my girls do this. I used to do this. You don't need more rules, you need authority. And you have authority, not restriction. Midway through your plate, pause and check in. Like, am I enjoying this? Or am I just continuing? And tell yourself, like, I can stop when I'm satisfied. And finally, your identity matters more than willpower. Like, you're not a woman trying not to binge. You are not a woman trying not to binge. You are a woman who honors her body, walks in self-control, and invites God into every part of her life. This is who I am now. This is who you are now. You are a daughter of Christ, you are a daughter of the most high king. And if you leave the night feeling like you didn't do it perfectly, guess what? You're like the rest of humans around the world, or you know, Christians around the world. Like we are not perfect. So no shame, no guilt spiral, because that only keeps the cycle going. It's okay to have that right kind of guilt, you know, that guilt that makes you want to get up and do a little bit better next time, but don't let that guilt turn into a negative. Don't let the enemy turn that guilt into a negative. I want you to walk into your next holiday feeling prepared and peaceful and in control. Not because you're restricting more, but because you're aligned in your mind and your body and your faith. You've got this and you're not doing it alone. Thank you so much for tuning in to this one. I really hope that this one helps you guys just kind of navigate the holidays in the future better and turn towards this podcast when you need a reminder and write it down in your notes and um just keep it with you whenever holidays are coming up and this is something that maybe you've struggled with in the past. And again, like I said, next week is gonna be obviously more about Easter. So, um, and just kind of the the more like heaviness of it. The reason I did this one first is just because it's taken me a while to write that one because it is a lot deeper, and this one was a little bit easier to write for me. And I'm actually it's gonna align perfectly with the timeline because I'm actually the rest of my OCIA class got confirmed and first communion um on Easter Vigil, but our group was so big that I'm actually getting confirmed and first communion on this Sunday, and I am so so excited. Please pray for me. I am praying for you. Have a great rest of your Monday if you're listening to this live. If not, stay refined on whatever day you're on. And until next time, see y'all next week.