Surviving the Holiday Season

The holiday season is full of feel-good times including family, friends, gifts, games, parties, etc. The holiday season can bring on a wide range of emotions – love, excitement, joy, anxiety, frustration. This season can spark diet and weight talk – with people fearful of holiday foods and of weight gain. It’s no secret that diet-culture THRIVES during the holiday season. Here are 4 tips and tricks to navigate your relationship with food during the holiday season.

Stick to a Normal Eating Routine

Try not to skip any meals. Your body requires consistent nourishment. Eating consistent meals and snacks helps your body promote reliable hunger and fullness cues. Holiday breakfast is just as important as a Holiday dinner. “Saving room” for later is largely a diet-culture reference and will often end with eating past your fullness level at the meal. Your body requires consistent nourishment.

Plan ahead if you can

Wear clothing that makes you FEEL comfortable. Consider which foods you will eat, what fear foods may be present. Give yourself unconditional permission to eat. Use your positive affirmations for mealtime and after. “Food is food, what you eat does not define who you are.” Have a support plan in place. Reach out to a family member or friend who can be your support system. Set up a game plan in advance.

Set boundaries

Setting boundaries can be intimidating. Allow yourself to say no. Allow yourself to leave conversations. Allow yourself to leave the function early. Examples of some boundaries can sound like:

• Can we talk about something more meaningful?

• Tell me about your new job.

• I’m glad you found something that works for you, excuse me I’m going to go say hi to *insert family member.*

Allow yourself to say yes.  Set boundaries to not engage in diet culture food – talk. Nothing about holiday foods is “unhealthy.” Challenge the inner food police and diet talk around food. The stress / anxiety / guilt or shame about eating is much more harmful than actual foods.

Self-Care! 

Reduce your stress levels leading up to the holidays. Use your healthy coping mechanisms or grounding techniques! Knitting / coloring / drawing / journaling / taking a bubble bath / extra snuggs with your pet. Even if that means bowing out of an activity.

Set realistic expectations for yourself about what you can accomplish. Be kind to yourself. Focus your attention on the people you are spending time with. Reflect on what the holidays mean to you. Most importantly, take it one day at a time.