Holiday meals can be triggering for those who seek control over food and have (or had) an unhealthy relationship with food and the body. Eating with others (even virtually) may bring an overwhelming amount of uncomfortable feelings. Whether you are afraid of gaining weight, trying new foods or binge eating, you dread the uneasy body image and diet conversations with family or you fear being unable to "burn off" the calories with your typical early morning T-day workout, you may find it hard to be kind to yourself during this holiday season.
Although I am not advocating eating with members outside of your household (remember - we still have a deadly and highly contagious virus spreading quickly throughout our country), here are a few tips to help take the focus away from food during the upcoming holiday:
- Food should never make you hate yourself.
- Identify your triggers for overeating/binging or food restriction. For example, rather than going long hours without food or randomly eating something that you are not comfortable with, plan snacks and meals for yourself.
- Prepare your responses for conversations about body image, dieting and weight.
- Give yourself time and space during social interactions.
- It's ok to eat a little more than you normally would. It's also ok to use the tools that help you eat in a responsible way that supports your physical and emotional health.
- Keep diet talk off the table. You don't need to help others. You don't need to be helped over the Thanksgiving table. You don't need to debate over certain diets, not to mention starting an exercise plan with the goal of losing weight.
- Keep body image discussions away from the holiday season. Even the standard statement of "you look healthy" or "you look great" can be triggering. Many disordered eating behaviors stem from food control and body image/appearance.
- Statements like "you/I put on some pounds" are also unacceptable. There's no need to criticize your body or other people's bodies.
- Holiday eating is not a socially acceptable time to binge. Working out just to eat is not healthy. Compensation after eating is an eating disorder behavior. The talk of restriction or overexercise to compensate for a meal is not a healthy strategy.
- It's physically healthier never to diet. It's emotionally healthier not to try to control body weight through a diet. A diet mentality leads to body dissatisfaction and an unhealthy relationship with food. All diets can be considered disordered eating.
- Avoid all-or-nothing thinking. Eat with a mindset of curiosity.
- Express gratitude when you feel anxious.