It’s the meal you think about for days before, and talk about for days after. It’s makes people travel, arrive, and sit down together. How to eat in a way that keeps you present at the table and still feeling light enough to laugh, move, and have energy for the conversations you’ll remember.
There are meals. And then there’s Christmas lunch! It’s the meal you think about for days before, and talk about for days after. It’s makes people travel, arrive, and sit down together. It’s a ritual. A reunion. A return to familiar faces and fond memories.
This week's memo in the run up to Christmas isn't about restraint. It’s a memo about rhythm. How to eat in a way that keeps you present at the table and still feeling light enough to laugh, move, and have energy for the conversations you’ll remember.
Let’s dive in.
Where insight becomes impact
What I’ve been looking at this week…
Here’s the Christmas trap. You can be at the table, but not really there. You know that feeling. You’re already full, yet you keep picking. A roastie here. Another splash of gravy there because it tastes so good. A extra slice of pudding because someone says "go on, it's Christmas." Then suddenly you’re over full, slightly sleepy, and you go quiet. Someone brings out the Christmas games, and you’re not joining in. You’re physically present, but your energy isn’t. So what's the real reason Christmas lunch gets away from you.
Fullness isn't instant.
Your gut sends signals to say “I’m full.” Your brain gets the message 20 minutes later. In those 20 minutes, you keep eating. That’s why fast eating turns into accidental over eating.
Then the cost is not just discomfort. The cost is presence.
This is exactly why I love the Japanese concept of Hara Hachi Bu, eating until you’re 80% full. It’s not a diet. It’s a timing strategy. It protects your afternoon.
One more little gem I love. Mindful eating plus deliberate chewing training can reduce energy intake, without turning Christmas into a calorie counting contest.
Here’s what I do. I aim for 20 chews per mouthful for the first five mouthfuls. It sounds simple, and it is. It slows the meal down enough for your body to send satiety signals.
And here’s the part most people miss. It’s not only how much you eat. It’s the order you eat too. If carbs come first, think roast potatoes, your glucose rises faster. If carbs come last, your glucose rise tends to be gentler, so you’re less likely to get that post lunch energy crash. Starting with protein and fibre slows gastric emptying, and it changes the gut hormone response that helps you feel satisfied sooner.
That’s the difference between enjoying Christmas lunch, and missing the best bit of Christmas lunch. The people.
Food at Christmas is meant to be savoured and enjoyed, not rushed, It’s one of the ways we connect. It’s how families tell stories without realising they’re telling stories that last.
The pause between bites doesn’t take the pleasure away. It protects it. It keeps you present for the people, not just the plate.
Track it to hack it.
What I’ve been monitoring this week…
So what devices can help you create the pause?
1. A watch When you start eating, look at your watch. Your only job is to make the meal last long enough for fullness data to arrive. Minimum 20 minutes.
2. A CGM for 14 days A continuous glucose monitor shows you exactly what your Christmas plate does to your glucose, cravings, and energy. No judgement. Just data.
3. Your ring If you eat late and heavy, check your wearable for your resting heart rate overnight and your heart rate variability. These numbers often explain the next day slump better than any motivational quote.
From knowing to doing.
What this means for YOU…
Now turn this insight into a new approach to Christmas lunch this year. This is what I call:
The Pause Plate Protocol
P. Pause your fork Put it down between bites. Not every time. Just often enough to slow the pace.Those moments are where the conversation happens A. Add fibre first Start with veg. Brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, greens. It steadies the glucose curve and helps fullness arrive sooner. U. Upgrade the order Protein next: turkey, salmon, roast chicken, gammon, nut roast, lentil loaf. Then fats: gravy, butter on veg, olive oil drizzle. Then carbs last: roast potatoes, parsnips, stuffing, yorkshire puds. Carbs need a chaperone. Protein and fat first. Never let your sugars roam alone. S. Stop at 80% Hara Hachi Bu. Leave a little space. That space is where energy lives. Choose your favourite food on your plate. Eat it slowly, unapologetically, with full attention. That’s how you get pleasure without going past 80%. E. Exit for 10 minutes A post meal walk or 10 squats. Not to burn calories. To support glucose clearance and protect your afternoon. energy.
If you want precision this Christmas If you’re the kind of person who loves knowing what actually works for your body, here are two smart options. 1) The Christmas CGM Sprint Wear a continuous glucose monitor. You’ll learn your personal spike foods, your best food order, and your top 3 stabilisers so you stay energised after lunch instead of crashing. 2) Nutrient Mapping If you already get energy crashes, cravings, or reflux, there’s often a biochemical reason. Check key metabolic markers and your vitamins, minerals and digestion so you know exactly what to adjust to shift appetite, energy, and mood. No guesswork. Just your numbers. Reply to with PAUSE and tell me which you want. CGM or MAP
💼 Case in point: Last year, one of my patients described her Christmas cycle as “coma, cravings, and reflux.” So we tested. Her wearable showed late, heavy eating crushed her HRV, so this year, lunch won’t drift into dinner and midnight nibbling. Her metabolic and nutrient mapping showed low B vitamins and magnesium - once corrected her baseline energy lifted and cravings eased. Then a CGM revealed her final lever. When she ate fast, her glucose rose fast. When she slowed down and sequenced her plate, the crash didn’t arrive.
That’s the missed opportunity if you don’t test. The Pause Plate Protocol works even better when you know exactly what your body needs.
🎯 If you'd like to make decisions with precision based on your personal data and using devices that are specific for you, then book a private consultation and let's start to decode your health.
Where you’ll find me…
Last week: I was speaking to a room full of CEOs at Watermen’s Hall. A stunning, historic venue that’s been woven into the working life of the River Thames since the 16th century. A river that keeps moving, and people, The Watermen, whose job was to read it, respect it, and navigate it. Reminds me of health. Your body is dynamic, in constant flow, sending you signals. My job is to help you read them and navigate your health. This week: Christmas with the family in Hampshire, dogs included of course. I'm looking forward to long walks, muddy paws, cosy fires, and the chatter of my children. My plan is simple. Presence over presents. And yes, I’ll be following my own Pause Plate Protocol - because my son tells me he has lots of games planned that I need to make sure I have the energy to be present for! Next week: I’m in a recording studio - all part of taking my mission beyond the clinic walls. More to reveal in the new year!
A thought to pause on…
“Food is festive. Presence is the real feast.”
Have a wonderful Christmas Alka. I'm sending you the gift of unhurried time. I hope your home feels warm, your heart feels full, and your day feels slow in the best possible way. Eat with joy, pause with ease, and be present for the moments that matter most.
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead (that's 168 hours of your million hour life!) Dr Alka
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