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As we approach, big, fun, festive and important days filled with family and lovely foods, I often get questions about how to navigate nutritional intake on these days. Here are just a few tips although I have written several posts on holiday, vacation etc eating that you can search for in our blog. May you feel PEACE, love and hope during this season!  Here are 5 practical, tips for navigating holiday eating while still keeping your overall health goals top of mind: 1. Anchor your day with protein Start your day with a high-protein meal (like your shake + Greek yogurt or eggs). This stabilizes hunger and makes it easier to avoid overeating later. Aim for ~30–40g protein early. 2. Don’t “save calories” all day Skipping meals to “earn” a big dinner usually backfires. You show up overly hungry and overeat high-fat, high-carb foods. Instead, eat balanced meals leading up to the event to stay in control. 3. Build your plate with intention Use a simple structure:
Holiday meals are loaded with options. Choose 2–3 foods you truly love, enjoy them fully, and skip the “just because it’s there” items. This keeps overall energy intake in check, without feeling deprived. 5. Control the “extras” (this is where fat loss is won or lost) Mindless calories add up fast:
And of course...as you enjoy your time with your loved ones. get up and move around after eating to truly support blood sugar! Recipe to try!Add a little twist to your holiday menu with these hard-boiled eggs OR simply save this recipe and use later! Feel free to add a little Greek Yogurt or Mayo to this recipe or leave as-is.  With love & strength, Missy
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In the last 3 Posts on Emotional Eating, we covered the following topics: 1. Why You Eat When You're Not Hungry 2. Why We Crave Sugar, Fat & Salt 3. How to Stop Emotional Overeating Please, please go back and review those multiple times as this is a multifaceted struggle that does take some work to unravel-there are MANY reasons for this, not just a single problem leading to "emotional eating".  In this post...we start the process of healing with practical tips. I say "healing", because my practice, this entire topic has caused my clients so much heartache, hopelessness & shame that it is my deepest desire to see healing and JOY come back around the topic of nourishing ourselves.
The Key to Breaking Emotional Eating When you feel the urge to eat but aren’t physically hungry, pause and ask: “What do I actually need right now?” And then, choose one of the following options to re-direct your thoughts and increase dopamine without turning back to food. Food can be pleasureful, and should be, but we do know that over time, it will be far more serving to our overall health by having non-food ways to bring in that safety, that calm and to increase dopamine. I pray this helps you as it has me! Non-Food Rewards: Healthy Ways to Boost Dopamine (Without Using Food) When stress, boredom, or overwhelm hits, many people instinctively reach for food. That’s because certain foods, especially sugar, fat, and salt, create a quick dopamine spike in the brain. Read Post 2 to find out why! Dopamine is the brain’s reward and motivation chemical. The good news? Food is not the only way to activate it. When you intentionally build non-food rewards into your day, you begin retraining your brain to seek comfort, satisfaction, and pleasure in healthier ways. Here are simple ways to naturally boost dopamine and feel better without always running to the pantry or the fridge...or grabbing those baked goods left on the counter! 🏃♀️ 1. Move Your Body Movement is one of the fastest ways to improve mood and boost dopamine. Even a short burst of activity signals the brain that something positive is happening. Try:
🌞 2. Get Morning Sunlight Natural light helps regulate the brain’s dopamine system and circadian rhythm. Just 5–15 minutes of morning light can:
🎧 3. Music & Creativity Music and creative activities stimulate dopamine and provide emotional release. Creative expression also helps process feelings that might otherwise lead to emotional eating. Try:
✔️ 4. Small Wins & Checking Off Tasks (THIS IS MY FAV!!) Your brain loves progress. Every time you complete a task, no matter how small, dopamine is released. That’s why crossing something off a list feels so satisfying. Try:
Small wins build motivation and momentum. 🧘 5. Calm Your Nervous System Stress often triggers emotional eating. Calming the nervous system can stop cravings before they start. Practices that promote relaxation also help regulate dopamine. Try:
🧊 6. Cold Water Reset Cold exposure can stimulate dopamine and improve alertness. It also activates the nervous system in a way that can break a stress or craving cycle. Try:
This turns it into a mini reward moment. ❤️ 7. Positive Social Connection Humans are wired for connection. Positive interaction releases dopamine and oxytocin, the “feel good” bonding hormone. Connection often satisfies the emotional need people try to fill with food. Try:
The more you practice these alternatives, the more your brain learns that relief and reward don’t have to come from food. Again, a quick snapshot... When cravings hit but you’re not truly hungry, try one of these quick non-food rewards to reset your brain and mood. 🏃♀️ Move your body: Take a quick walk, stretch, do a few squats, or dance to a song. 🌞 Get sunlight: Step outside for 5–10 minutes or sit by a bright window. 🎧 Turn on music or create: Listen to uplifting music, journal, color, or do something creative. ✔️ Check something off your list: Complete a small task or chore for a quick “win.” 🧘 Calm your nervous system: Deep breathing, prayer, meditation, or quiet reflection. Essential oils can help create a calming moment. 🧊 Cold water reset: Splash cool water on your face or end a shower with cool water. ❤️ Reach out to someone: Call, text, or encourage a friend. Positive connection boosts mood. ✨ Small self-care moment: Apply a favorite lotion, skincare product, or essential oil and take a few slow breaths. Reminder: Not every craving means you need food. Sometimes your brain simply needs movement, connection, sunlight, or calm. If this has helped you, please send to a friend. It is my goal to help others heal this area of their lives. With Love and Strength, Missy Covering a vast array of ways you can support your family when life gives you LEMONS...or Curveballs! A lot of times, we fall into all-or-nothing thinking, believing that if we choose natural options, we can’t also use conventional ones. While the goal may be to live a low-tox lifestyle, we still live in the real world. Often, it just takes a small shift in perspective to find a balanced approach that actually works. Health is best viewed through a holistic lens. Our bodies function as a whole, and so do our lives. Each part is connected…what affects one area influences the others.
So what does a holistic approach to health look like? It means having a variety of tools to support you day to day, as well as during life’s inevitable challenges. It means slowing down and tuning in to what your body is communicating. Our bodies are designed with an innate ability to function and heal, and we can support that with simple, consistent habits. At the same time, our mental, physical, and emotional health are deeply intertwined, when we care for one, it naturally impacts the others.
Support for recovering from any illness should focus on energy restoration, immune support, and nervous system healing. Holistic therapies should support, not replace, medical care. 1. Prioritize Deep Rest
2. Essential Oils for Support Immune & Recovery Support
3. Red Light Therapy Supports cellular repair, inflammation reduction, and energy production.
4. Key Supplements Immune Support
5. Nutrition for Healing-sore throat focus Focus on:
Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants:
During mono, appetite is often low, but not eating enough can slow recovery and worsen fatigue. Easy Ways to Increase Calories Focus on soft, easy-to-eat, nutrient-dense foods:
6. Hydration + Electrolytes
7. Nervous System Support
8. Gentle Therapies As energy improves:
Simple Daily Routine Morning
Reminders: Recovery from illness requires rest, nourishment, and gentle support, not pushing harder. Focus on:
With LOVE & STRENGTH, Missy  Two weeks ago, I shared the first in this Emotional Eating Series, "What are You Searching for, is it PEACE or FOOD?" You can access that first post here sharing the very first place we need to start to unravel this! Please go there first!
****It’s not a lack of willpower. It’s a nervous system looking for regulation in the fastest way it knows how.**** Then, in Post 2 in this series, I covered the all-time question...WHY do we crave certain types of foods...If you emotionally eat-which is often the very reason we overeat, it’s probably not broccoli you reach for... It’s something sweet. Or something salty. Or something creamy. Or all three combined. There’s a reason. Read the WHY here in Post 2. Now for the TOOLS...here in POST 3. How to Stop Emotional & Overeating (Without More Restriction) Most people try to fix overeating by tightening control. That usually backfires. Here’s what actually works. One of my best tips if you find yourself in this position after eating and going back for more when you know you are not still hungry but actually searching for peace, is to pause and say, "I am SAFE." Try it. 1. Eat Enough Earlier
First, when the craving or desire to eat when not hungry pops up:
(see more on NON FOOD REWARDS in Post 4 and our newsletter next week) Try:
Sugar + fat + salt = dopamine jackpot...Why We Crave Sugar, Fat, and Salt!  If you emotionally eat, it’s probably not broccoli.
It’s something sweet. Or something salty. Or something creamy. Or all three combined. There’s a reason. Your brain is wired for survival... Highly palatable foods activate the brain’s reward system and release dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for motivation and reinforcement, especially during times of stress. Stress Biology & Emotional EatingChronic stress:
Let’s look at each type of food that we are typically pulled towards in times of stress...sugar, fat and salt to truly understand why...and then we can learn just how to make it work for us, not against us! . Sugar
The spike is short-lived. Dopamine drops. Cravings return. Your brain learns: Uncomfortable feeling → sugar → relief...and there we have the loop created. So the desire to have something sweet, can actually be biological. Is the desire to have something sweet after dinner a bad thing? NO. You can...you just need to go in with a plan! More on this in the next post in this series. Fat
Salt
In an effort to not skip ahead, regarding electrolytes, we will cover this more but if you are not already using electrolytes to your advantage, using them when you do feel varying cravings come on...you should! I am linking my favorite ideas here: 1. Ningxia Red in afternoon + 1 scoop of Aminowise in 10-12 ounces of water would be awesome! Add in Ningxia Nitro for en extra energy boost. 2. Ultima or Junp The Combination Sugar + fat + salt is highly reinforcing. These foods are engineered to override fullness signals. As discussed in "The End of Overeating" by David A. Kessler, highly palatable foods can condition the brain to seek repeat exposure. Your brain isn’t broken. It’s doing what it is meant to do. Keep you safe, help you survive! The goal is awareness, not shame as Dr. Carl Jung said, "shame is a soul eating emotion.” We can learn from this. So as you understand this more, I want you to remember...You don’t crave sugar because you’re weak. You crave it because it works.
Next, we will cover more on How to Stop Emotional Eating and How to Use Non-food rewards! Be encouraged! With Love & Strength, Missy If you’ve ever stood in the kitchen after dinner thinking, “I’m not even hungry… so why am I eating?” You’re not broken. And you’re not lacking discipline. Emotional eating is not a willpower issue. It’s a nervous system regulation strategy. As a Registered Dietitian who works in weight loss and body composition, I can tell you this: most overeating isn’t about food. It’s about stress, fatigue, restriction, and emotional overload. Let’s break it down.  We often turn to food, especially sugar-laden, high-fat foods, because they create a quick spike in dopamine, the brain’s “motivation and reward” neurotransmitter. Dopamine isn’t just about pleasure; it drives us to seek relief, comfort, or stimulation. When we’re stressed, tired, bored, lonely, or emotionally drained, dopamine levels can feel low. Highly palatable foods trigger a rapid dopamine release, giving a temporary sense of calm, pleasure, or escape.
The catch? The effect is short-lived. Dopamine drops quickly, which can leave us wanting more, not necessarily because we’re hungry, but because our brain is chasing that temporary lift again. Over time, this can wire a habit loop: uncomfortable feeling → food → dopamine spike → brief relief → repeat. It’s not a lack of willpower. It’s a nervous system looking for regulation in the fastest way it knows how. Often times when we find ourselves being pulled towards food, we are often looking for PEACE...it may be hunger, but are you checking in with yourself and asking yourself what you need? Are you actually full? Are you not even hungry at all? Is it peace that you are searching for? Are you overwhelmed, been a stressful day? Why We Emotionally Eat (It May Not Be What You Think!) 1. Food Calms the Nervous System (Yes, Literally) When you eat — especially warm, soft, carbohydrate-rich foods — your body activates the parasympathetic nervous system, often called “rest and digest.” Chewing, swallowing, and stomach expansion stimulate the vagus nerve. That stimulation: • Slows heart rate • Lowers stress hormones • Signals safety • Creates a calming effect So when you reach for food after a hard day, your body is trying to regulate itself. It works. Just temporarily. 2. Stress Raises Cortisol (And Cravings) Chronic stress increases cortisol. Cortisol increases appetite — particularly for quick energy like sugar and fat. Your body thinks you’re under threat. It wants fast fuel. 3. Fatigue Changes Hunger Hormones Poor sleep: • Increases ghrelin (hunger hormone) • Decreases leptin (satiety hormone) • Weakens impulse control Nighttime eating is often biology + exhaustion. 4. Restriction Rebound If you’ve been “good” all day… Salad for lunch. Skipped snacks. Avoided carbs. Your brain will push back. Restriction fuels rebound. 5. Emotional Avoidance Food can temporarily numb: • Loneliness • Overwhelm • Boredom • Anxiety It’s fast. It’s accessible. It’s socially acceptable. But it doesn’t solve the root problem. Emotional eating isn’t a character flaw. It’s a nervous system looking for relief. The goal isn’t to eliminate comfort. It’s to build better regulation tools. Next Post in this series will cover why we crave certain foods, how to begin to heal this area of your health with practical tools that have personally helped me and my clients! Take heart, this is your path towards healing your relationship with food once and for all:) ~With Love & Strength, Missy We recently ran a 30 day, MB STRONG 30 program with some clients with weekly giveaways! Our last giveaway was a mixture of several of my current favorite things! Check them all out below with links to learn or purchase if you want to try them!  1. Catalina crunch 🥣:
2. Orange 🍊 Cream 🍶 Coffee ☕️ : Target 3. Balance & Burn 🔥 Metabolic System naturally increased GLP-1 production 4. Stress Away Bath 🛀 Salts: 5. Ningxia Red Antioxidant 🫐🍒Drink: 6. “Signature” Scent Essential oil Roll-on Made with: 🍊 , grapefruit, bergamot, vanilla, ylang ylang & patchouli 7. Unreal Dark Chocolate 🍫🥜 Peanut Butter Cups 8. Ghirardelli 🍫Twilight Delight Intense Dark 72% 9. Daily Hormone 💕Essentials: 10. Cinnamon Roll Lip Balm 💋 : 11. Alkalime 🥴(helps to maintain optimal PH in stomach) 12. Savvy Minerals Eye 👁️ Shadow (discontinued ☺️, check out VRAI) 13. NuGo Slim Bars 14. David Bars 🥜 15. No Cow Bars 🍪 16. Make Wellness 💧 Hydrate (also love the MW Fit peptide) Link to all the YL goodies in one cart, if you desire any or all you can click to add to cart;) Enjoy! With Love and Strength, Missy  We have talked a lot about fiber! Both FIBER and PROTEIN are topics that I consider highly important in our nutritional wellness! Let's dive in...don't miss the ratio content! Please see this post for so much more valuable info on creating a plate where fiber & protein are prioritized! Why Fiber Matters •Fiber supports digestive health, satiety, cholesterol management, and blood sugar control. •Most adults benefit from aiming for at least ~25–30 g of fiber daily, yet many fall short of this goal. We can use a carb:fiber ratio to choose fruits & veggies that will help us most in maintaining a healthy blood sugar. Now, remember, simply choosing whole fruits & veggies will ALWAYS be better than other food choices but when truly understanding the role of foods on blood sugar, what we eat and how we pair our foods can really impact our overall satiety, fullness and directly affect both objective & subjective health markers. How to Interpret Carb: Fiber Ratio •Lower ratio = more fiber for each gram of carb → better for satiety, blood sugar control, and gut health. •A ratio close to 1:1 (like avocado or berries) is excellent; a higher ratio (e.g., >5) means more digestible carbohydrates relative to fiber. See the charts below! Guiding rule: ~> When choosing carbs from fruits and vegetables, aim for a carb-to-fiber ratio under 6. The lower the number, the more blood-sugar-friendly and filling the food tends to be. This generally supports blood sugar balance, satiety, gut health, and metabolic health. Feel free to save the pics below for reference! With Love and Strength, Missy     When we think about heart health, cardio often gets all the attention. While movement is important, your heart is influenced every day by habits that go far beyond just exercise. The good news? Many of the most impactful changes are simple, accessible, and sustainable. Here are heart-healthy habits anyone can start...with no gym required! 1. Eat Regular, Balanced Meals Skipping meals or under-eating can increase stress hormones and negatively affect blood sugar and blood pressure. Heart-supportive tips:
2. Hydrate Smart Water matters, but so do minerals like sodium and potassium, which help regulate blood pressure and heart rhythm. Try this:
3. Prioritize Quality Sleep Sleep is when your heart and blood vessels recover. Poor sleep is linked to higher blood pressure, inflammation, and heart disease risk. Support better sleep by:
4. Manage Stress Gently and Often Chronic stress keeps the body in a constant “alert” state, which can strain the heart over time. Simple daily stress resets:
5. Include Strength-Building Movement Strength training improves blood sugar control, supports healthy cholesterol levels, and protects long-term heart health. Examples:
6. Choose Heart-Friendly Fats Fats are essential for heart health when chosen wisely. Supportive options include:
7. Care for Your Mental & Emotional Health Emotional well-being and heart health are deeply connected. Feeling overwhelmed, rushed, or unsupported can affect the heart just as much as physical habits. Small daily check-ins help:
❤️ Final Thought Heart health isn’t just built through workouts...it’s shaped by how you eat, sleep, manage stress, and care for yourself daily. Small, consistent habits create lasting change. Your heart needs support...physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually... What the Balance & Burn System Is & HOW does it affect the heart?!
The Balance & Burn System is a wellness support system from Young Living that uses a combination of botanicals, prebiotics, postbiotics, and essential oils to help with:
❤️ How It Might Relate to Heart Health 1. Supports Metabolic Health Heart health isn’t just about the heart muscle itself...metabolic factors like lipid (fat) levels, blood glucose regulation, and body composition influence risk for coronary disease and stroke. Balance & Burn helps the body maintain healthy blood sugar and lipid levels, which is one aspect of metabolic health that can affect heart health when combined with diet and activity. 2. May Promote Healthy Body Composition Healthy weight and lean body composition are associated with lower risk of high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and insulin resistance...all major cardiovascular risk factors. The Balance & Burn System assists with balanced metabolism, which helps manage weight in a sustainable way. 3. Microbiome & Inflammation The components in this system support gut microbiome balance via pre- and post-biotics. A healthy microbiome is increasingly linked in research to reduced inflammation and improved metabolic markers... factors relevant to heart health. Other Young Living Products Sometimes Mentioned for Heart Support While not part of the Balance & Burn System specifically, some other products in the Young Living lineup are positioned for cardiovascular or wellness support:
Bottom Line The Balance & Burn System supports all aspects of metabolic and overall wellness that, in the context of a healthy lifestyle (balanced diet, regular physical activity, good sleep), may help maintain factors that relate to cardiovascular health. With Love & Strength, Missy  Oh do I UNDERSTAND!!!! The parties, the fun outings, the events that are quite continuous throughout the holidays...from October through the New Year...they can be so often that we feel we are loosing all ground in our health & wellness efforts. But, when you are committed to a LIFESTYLE of healthy habits, MOST of the time, you never truly have to feel like you have fallen off the wagon. You CAN enjoy the holidays without guilt such as: pick your favorite indulgences, eat regular protein-rich meals, hydrate, and skip the all-or-nothing mindset. Savor what you love, leave what you don’t, and get right back to your routine at the next meal. Balance beats perfection every time. Here is how! I tell my clients, look at the list of things you CAN do, you don’t have to choose all. Decide what will work for you, and start practicing. We will never get better if we don’t practice! After you see the list, I’d love for you to reach back out to me and tell me what you will put in to practice!
How to Handle Holiday Indulgences 1. Go In With a Plan (Not Perfection) Decide your non-negotiables: • A favorite dessert? • A special family recipe? Choose the 1–2 things that matter most and enjoy them mindfully. Skip the things you don’t truly love OR the things that you can literally get ANY time at the store like candy, cookies etc. 2. Eat Regular Meals—Don’t “Save Up” Skipping meals backfires. You’re more likely to overeat later. Have a protein-rich meal before parties (shake, chicken, yogurt, etc.). A steady blood sugar = better choices + fewer cravings. 3. Use the “Plate Method Lite” Even at buffets or events: • ½ plate protein + veggies • ¼ plate carbs • ¼ plate indulgence This keeps things balanced without feeling restricted. 4. Practice the 3-Bite Rule for Treats Often the first 3 bites give the most satisfaction. THINK about the food and how it feels in your mouth, body etc. Do you want more? Do you like it? Are you having it out of habit? Are you enjoying it? If you want more—go for it. If not, you can stop without guilt. 5. Hydrate Before You Celebrate Dehydration mimics hunger. Drink a full glass of water before eating and aim for 60–80 oz per day during busy weeks. This is becoming my new favorite way to hydrate + add to our wellness routines using natural peptides. Its called the Muscle and Metabolic bundle. 6. Move Your Body—But Don’t “Earn” Your Food Take a walk after meals, stretch, or keep up your workouts. Movement is a supportive habit, not punishment. 7. Ditch the All-or-Nothing Mindset One indulgent meal isn’t the problem-- a “screw it, I already messed up” week is. Get right back to your normal routine at the next meal. 8. Use the “Holiday Sandwich Strategy” Make sure the meals before and after a big event are nutrient-dense and high in protein. This helps offset the indulgence without extreme measures. 9. Honor Your Hunger & Fullness Pause halfway through a meal and check in: • Am I still hungry? • Am I eating because it’s habit, social pressure, or true hunger? 10. Practice Self-Compassion You’re human. Holidays are meant for joy, connection, and yes--good food. A balanced lifestyle includes flexibility. With Love & Strength, Missy |
AuthorJust a momma who loves all things holistic health, writing, creating, bringing joy and hope to anyone I can! Archives
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