Living with Disordered Eating at Christmas

For many, the holidays are a time of celebrations, and a time to unwind after a busy year, however for those with disordered eating, it can be quite the opposite. Food is undeniably a central part of the holidays that brings people together and should be enjoyed, however it can be overwhelming, stressful and a major anxiety trigger for those struggling with their relationship with food. 

My experience over the holidays changed dramatically as my relationship with food did. In the past, Christmas day has been an overwhelming experience for me as I questioned and stressed over the nutritional makeup of the food on the table, discreetly tried to minimise portions, avoided desserts and frantically attempted to make ‘healthier’ ‘guilt free’ versions of the traditional holiday food I was craving, which more times than not, ended up as a disgusting failure. I have spent too many holidays this way, and share my experience in the hope that others out there who have experienced similar things are able to find comfort in the fact that they are not alone. 

When it comes to strategies that help with managing disordered eating everyone is slightly different; however I do believe that it is so important to be kind to yourself over this time and make the most of the Christmas period. I have come a long way with my relationship with food throughout the year and I hope that these strategies that I have found to work for me will help others make the most of their holidays. 

• Talk to people that you trust. Talking to people you trust, whether that be family, friends or a professional is so important as it allows you to express how you’re feeling and seek support. This can help others understand how you are feeling and is a great way to develop strategies together on how to assist you. This is something that helped me so much when it comes to feeling pressure surrounding food and also allowed my family to understand how to support me.

• Have a plan in place to help you feel more comfortable. Having a conversation or developing a plan with your family or friends that helps take the pressure off the day and that makes you feel more at ease will definitely make Christmas smoother and less overwhelming. This could include ensuring you have access to the type of food you are comfortable eating, and working around your triggers. 

• Be kind to yourself. This may sound straight forward, but treating yourself with kindness and compassion when you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed makes a huge difference. If it was your friend who was struggling, you wouldn’t judge or make them feel bad, you would be kind and compassionate, so make a conscious effort to talk to yourself the way you would talk to a friend who was experiencing similar things to you.

• Yoga and breathwork. Yoga has amazing benefits when it comes to managing stress and anxiety and has been helpful in allowing me to process uncomfortable feelings and emotions surrounding eating. There are so many amazing free online classes available on youtube that you can do anywhere at any time of the day that works for you. I find mornings, after a meal or before bed to be very helpful in recentering and releasing tension.

• Focus on more than the meal. Making a conscious effort to focus on things other than eating, such as spending time with the people around you, and doing other things can help when feeling suffocated by the food. Ironically, I love cooking for other people, so helping prepare the food for others and setting up the area takes my mind off actually eating it (as counterproductive as that sounds). Being grateful for those around you and the other aspects of the holidays is something I find incredibly helpful to ease the pressure. 

• Seek professional help. If your relationship with food is having an impact on your life, seek professional help. For me, seeing a dietitian who specialises in disordered eating and other qualified professionals has helped me get clarity around food, and has taught me strategies to deal with it. Disordered eating is a complex issue that takes time and patience to recover from, and seeing a professional is an essential step to recovery. 

I share my experience in the hope that others out there who have experienced similar things are able to find comfort in the fact that they are not alone, and are able to make the most of the Christmas season. Disordered eating is something that many people struggle with throughout the year, and that can be heightened around the holiday time. While it is something that is not often spoken of, it is important for people struggling to seek support and understand that there is help available.

© Tabi May Life