Anxious about food around the holidays?
You are not alone. Many people struggle with the fear of overeating on Christmas.
Food-centered holiday gatherings often bring up fears around “control.” We often want to go into parties and big meals with a game plan for how we are going to eat. Thinking about controlling our food in this way leads us to restrict or binge. When we are so afraid of overeating, it is often impossible to eat intuitively. Instead, we listen to our emotions and anxiety and let those feelings dictate how we eat.
By tapping into our bodies’ wants and needs, we can enjoy holiday meals for what they really are– good food and quality time with loved ones– instead of something that must be controlled or managed.
The holidays may bring up a lot of anxiety around food, but it is possible to enjoy the festivities and shift some of the focus away from your food intake. There are some tools you can use to feel emotionally safe around food, curb bingeing and stop restricting, and just ‘be’ at holiday meals.
Here’s your new game plan for eating during the holiday season, with tips from Kindful Body eating disorder dietitian Alisha Dudish.
1) Do not restrict during the day
Restricting leads to bingeing. You don’t need to “save room” for holiday meals. Eat as you would on any other day. This will help ensure that you don’t get overly hungry or experience discomfort before the holiday meal.
2) Have a buddy you can get support from in the moment
Text a friend, recovery mentor, or family member before and/or after sitting down to a holiday meal. Share your feelings and fears, or just ask for some encouraging words or memes. Be sure to check in with this support buddy beforehand to make sure they are available to respond around the meal time.
3) Be mindful and present in the moment
Holiday meals are about connecting with friends and family. Try to stay engaged in a conversation, even if you are just actively listening. Keep your mind on the table and people before you. If you find yourself thinking about past or future meals, picture yourself redirecting your thoughts as though you are faced with a fork in a road. Choose the present moment at the fork in the road every time.
4) Use coping skills to cope with anxiety in the moment
Anxiety during a holiday meal can be overwhelming. If you are looking for ways to deal with it in the moment, here are some coping skills that are easy to do when there are people around you: tapping, breathing, visualizing yourself going through the meal, repeating affirmations to yourself, and the five senses grounding technique (naming five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste).
5) Try at least 1 new/challenge food at a meal
Challenging yourself at a holiday meal may not seem like a good way to work through your anxiety, but it is actually a great exposure therapy exercise. Trying a new food or a food that you have previously made “off limits” helps you practice flexibility and can break you out of the control mindset.
6) Be kind to yourself, no matter how you eat
Holidays are special occasions. If you eat more than usual because you wanted to try all of the Christmas cookies, that is okay. You are allowed to eat something just because it sounds good and you want to taste it. If you do “overindulge” or “overeat” at Christmas, there’s no need to do anything about it or make up for it in any way. The fullness will pass. Nothing will be different about you when you wake up the next morning.
Overeating does not make you “bad.” You are a human celebrating the holidays, you are allowed to enjoy yourself and eat differently.
The holidays and eating issues don’t have to go hand in hand. With support, coping skills, and mindfulness, you can navigate food challenges during the holidays.
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