How to Deal with Food Anxiety on the Holidays

Why do so many of us feel so overwhelmed about holiday food? Why do we come back from a family gathering full of love and laughter, upset that we had dessert instead of happy about what happened? Why do we care so much about how the holidays *might* impact our bodies?

While many of us experience food anxiety over the month of December, we want to take a step back and explore how we can promote mental and physical well-being when engaging with food during the holidays.

Here are some ways we can approach holiday food to help us feel good instead of fostering fear, anxiety, and a feeling of overwhelm.

First and foremost, let’s understand the meaning food has for you

It is the meaning around food that creates lasting negative impacts and prevents us from feeling good about not just our food choices but also ourselves.

For many of us, food and the way we engage with it isn’t just a way to nourish our bodies and produce energy to function. It carries A LOT more meaning. For example:

“If I have dessert, I have no self-control, I can’t do anything right”
“If I have seconds, my body will change and I’ll undo all of my hard work, I’m such a failure”

When food carries this kind of meaning, it isn’t as easy as eating differently - that doesn’t make dessert less scary or decrease the feelings that come up when you do eat it. It is when we look at our relationship with food as a whole that we can take our power back from these meanings and remind and reinforce to ourselves that food is simply nutrition.

Start to look at it from a positive place

When food becomes overwhelming, we often shift our focus to how it impacts our body rather than being present in the moment and appreciating how it supports us. Food has the potential to bring people together, fostering connection through shared experiences. In this context, the significance lies not solely in the specific foods but in the overall experience.

Stepping away from fixating on individual foods and emphasizing the broader experience can alleviate the pressures associated with specific items and infuse joy into the moment instead of overwhelm. This shift in perspective not only eases the emphasis on what we are eating but also redirects the focus to the people and the environment that the food creates.

Remember that you always have a choice

At the end of the day, you have the autonomy to decide what you choose to eat and what you prefer to abstain from. There's no obligation to consume something that may make you feel unwell, even if it's prepared by someone else who wishes you to partake.

You're not obligated to eat when you're not hungry. Despite contrary feelings, you retain the power to determine the quantity of food that suits you, whether it's more or less. Remember, you are in control; food does not dictate your choices.

Don’t restrict during the day

When we engage in restriction during the day in anticipation of a substantial meal, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Insufficient daytime eating triggers a physical response where our blood sugar drops, resulting in cravings for sugar and an inability to feel satiated as the body tries to compensate.

Allowing ourselves to reach this state can lead to overeating later in the day. Maintaining a nourished and balanced state throughout the day empowers us to recognize when we are full or no longer wish to eat during a later meal. This prevents our body from driving our appetite from a state of panic and depletion.

Give yourself permission to have a little bit of everything

Restriction poses challenges for our bodies, triggering a rebellious response each time we impose limitations on what we can have and do. Denying ourselves something we desire can lead to a backlash in our nervous system, often resulting in binge-eating or overindulgence in specific foods.

Living from a restrictive mindset fosters the notion that if we allow ourselves only a small amount, we may never have it again. This belief can prompt us to consume all of it in a single moment to maximize enjoyment. Granting ourselves permission to have something can actually prevent overeating. By acknowledging that we can choose to have the food the next day or thereafter, there's no need to consume it all at once. It's perfectly acceptable to enjoy food that makes us feel good.

Do things that bring you joy throughout the day

During the holidays, food often takes center stage, but it's not the sole factor influencing our choices. Our comfort level in our bodies and the sense of control we feel can significantly impact our eating decisions. Ensure that you don't allow food to dictate your daily choices. Engage in activities throughout the day to enhance your mental well-being, empowering yourself to approach meals with a positive mindset.

The most important thing to remember is that it is the little things that make the biggest difference in how you are feeling. Our health and how we feel are not all or nothing. It is a collection of all the small things that we do each day to support ourselves. The holidays are no different.

A Final Word

During the holidays, make sure you enjoy food positively and focus on the overall experience. And if you’re really struggling, dive into what food means for you. This is where we can start to do the real work and ultimately support your well-being.

If you would like to learn more about how Naturopathic Medicine can help support you this Holiday Season, you can book a consultation with me!