A midst all of the excitement and joy, the holidays can still be difficult regardless of whether or not you struggle with an eating disorder. For better or worse, food has become a major component of many of our family traditions. As such, it’s important to enter into the holidays mindfully and intentionally.
Here are just a few tips to get through the holidays feeling good and balanced:
- Be realistic. Do not expect to eat perfectly over the entire holiday season. And remember there is no such thing as “perfect eating”!
- Try not to go to parties too hungry. Be mindful to plan a snack prior to going.
- Avoid eating sweets on an empty stomach. This can cause the blood sugar to spike really high and crash really low which can lead to stronger and stronger sugar cravings.
- Decide before you go to an event how much you are going to eat. While at the event then review the food options and see how they can fit into your meal plan.
- Ask for help. If you need help with eating habits, cleaning, or anything else, ask. No one can do everything. Delegate chores to family members, hire a helper, go to your support group and just let go of everything having to be perfect.
- Do not skip meals. It can be tempting to think about skipping lunch because you envision dinner being a big meal. Not only can this cause you to overeat later, skipping meals can contribute to sugar cravings.
- Make some holiday traditions that do not revolve around food. Take a drive and look at Christmas lights, plan a holiday hike or neighborhood walk, and dance to holiday music.
- March it to the garbage. De-clutter. Whether it is sweets, toys or junk it is important to get rid of stuff we do not really need. Follow your meal plan and don’t be afraid to throw out food if your body and your meal plan have been satisfied.
Remember to pause in order to gather your intention for this holiday season. May it be full of peace, meaning, and love!
