Navigating the Holidays (when you're stressed around food)

Not that long ago, my holidays weren’t full of family, fun and friends - they were full of pain, stress, comparison and judgment. About food, my body, my weight…even myself.

I actually tried to get out of holiday parties and family functions because I was worried everyone was going to notice my weight gain since last year/or that I hadn’t lost weight yet and point it out, that I’d eat too much and that I’d eat all the bad foods.

So I strategically planned my day around my events. Treadmill and eating...well, NOTHING.

We think we’re doing ourselves a favor by restricting ourselves during the day. Calories in, calories out, right? Not exactly. Why?

Because when we restrict and deprive - we set ourselves up to overeat later as a biological, mental and emotional response. And because you’ve put so much pressure on not eating TOO much or anything BAD, you place what’s off-limits on a pedestal, and therefor you CRAVE those exact foods.

*We want what we can’t have.*

Then, when you do give in and eat those “off-limits” foods (because you’ve preprogrammed in the mentality that they’re bad) you’ll eat even MORE. This is because in your mind you’ve already screwed up so you better eat it all NOW (screw-it right?) since tomorrow you’re going back to more restriction to fix it.

Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. This was me.

Let’s break the cycle:

1) Eat breakfast and lunch like you normally would - do not save up your calories, it always backfires and disrupts your stress and hunger hormones. Drink water, eat some fiber, protein, fat and carbs.

2) Give yourself permission to eat ALL foods, aka practice the mindset of abundance. This does not mean you have to actually have to eat everything and you can still choose healthy options if that’s what you’re craving, but don’t make the salad better than the pie and vice versa. Whatever you eat, eat it with 100% permission. This will eliminate the instinct to “fix” it later/tomorrow.

3) Remember that anyone else’s comments about your body, or food choices are PROJECTIONS. They have nothing to do with you and everything to do with the other person. Send them LOVE because they’re probably struggling too.

Are these suggestion helpful? Comment below and let me know — or how else I can help!

xo,

Chelsea