Navigating Christmas with an eating disorder
Christmas is traditionally seen as an exciting and magical time filled with joy and happiness, however, it can also be a major source of stress and fear for those struggling with an eating disorder (ED) or a disordered relationship with food. If you, like many of our clients at The London Centre, are starting to feel overwhelmed by the thought of Christmas and all the social events that it entails, you’re not alone. Here, we’ve pulled together some helpful strategies to help you navigate the festive period:
Resist the urge to compensate - it can feel tempting to want to save up the calories for the big Christmas dinner or event, however, this can backfire. Neglecting or delaying your hunger can result in feeling extremely hungry later on and in turn, increase the risk of overeating or binging. This can leave you feeling physically stuffed and uncomfortably full and at an emotional level, it can trigger feelings of guilt and shame.
Make sure you are eating regularly - this is the antidote to prevent overeating or binging. Whether you have a big event coming up, a cocktail event or a buffet party, do not skip meals or opt-out of any of the meals set in your meal plan. This will ensure your blood sugar levels and appetite hormones are kept stable, reducing the risk of cravings and obsessive food thoughts.
Plan in advance - to ease the uncertainty and worry, speak with the host of the dinner about what food will be on the menu and the time they are planning to serve. It may be a good idea to have a dish that you like and that feels safe to you by contributing to making and bringing it to the party. Write a rough meal plan of the week(s) of Christmas so that you know what you will be eating, who will be there and the times of meals, especially the ones to which you’re invited. You could always ask your therapist, nutritionist or dietitian to help you with that!
Find helpful distractions - meals can be quite distressing and so finding a helpful distraction for during and after eating occasions can help manage this sense of discomfort. Make sure you keep active in the conversation (if you don’t really feel like sharing anything you can keep active by listening to others) this will help reduce the chance of negative thoughts creeping in. Relaxing and good mood music can also help you stay calm and positive. After the meal, have a couple of fun activities planned that can help you resist any urges to binge or compensate like writing Christmas cards to friends, singing or dancing to Christmas songs, playing a table game, going for a walk with your family or opening some presents!
Challenge the food police - if negative thoughts start creeping in at any point, make sure to shut them off. This is easier said than done but it can be extremely helpful. Start by acknowledging that there is an unhelpful thought popping up in the back of your mind and then, create some distance between the thought and yourself. You can do that by adding the phrase “I am noticing that I’m having the thought... (e.g. that I shouldn’t keep eating)”. Before engaging with the thought, ask yourself, do I really need to stop eating, am I full and satisfied with what I’ve eaten, is behaving this way what my body and I need? If you are still feeling hungry that means you need to keep eating. Note that the same applies if someone decides to make an unsolicited comment about what you should be eating, put yourself and your body's needs first. Navigating comments at the dinner table can be challenging so it may be helpful to talk to someone close to you beforehand and ask to advise the rest of your family and friends not to comment on your body and food intake.
Move your body in joyful ways - your routine will likely need to be shifted around the holiday season and so it may be tricky to fit in your usual day-to-day activities, like exercise. Don’t panic, this is okay! Think about other ways in which you can move your body that can still fit in with your other commitments. For example, going for a walk, being in nature with family and friends, even if it’s just for 20 minutes while the turkey is roasting! Or maybe movement for you looks like dancing to some Christmas music after dinner. Whatever way you choose to move your body, make sure it’s all about fun and feeling good.
Reach out to others when you need to - we totally understand that being around people at Christmas can feel quite draining, however, it’s important not to neglect those who care about you. Leaving some time in the day to be just with yourself is okay and necessary to check in with your feelings and relax but equally, it’s as important to reach out for support when you need it. It could be helpful to have a list of resources to refer to, for example, you could think of people in your family and friends that you're close to, helplines that open during Christmas such as Beat and Samaritans and make sure you know when your dietitian or therapist is working over the Christmas period and when your next session will be. Try to make a note of the things it would be helpful to take to your next session to remind yourself that there is somewhere to take these thoughts, feelings or challenges, and that you don't have to deal with them alone.
Finally, we want to encourage you to set a New Year's resolution that does not involve making up for any food eaten over the holidays. Make the New Year your year to build a peaceful and positive relationship with food and your body.
From all of us at The London Centre, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
If at any point over the Christmas period, you feel you require urgent support, then please contact your GP, Beat
(116 847 or help@beateatingdisorders.org.uk) or the Samaritans (116 123). If you are in crisis or feel at risk, then please call 999.
If you wish to book an appointment, please click here.