How To Reduce Food Anxiety Over the Holidays

I remember the lead up to the holidays in the past would cause me a lot of stress and anxiety. It was almost like I didn’t have a choice but to throw all of my healthy habits out the window. All of my “hard work” would now be going to waste. But after years of stressing about social gatherings, I've finally released the stress ball/control freak from within and now allow myself to enjoy the social gatherings (and the food!) freeingly. 

If this is something that you are currently struggling with, I have some tips that will show you how you can feel awesome throughout the holidays while enjoying all of the goodness that comes with it.

1. Give yourself permission to enjoy all foods: Yup, the nutritionist is telling you to eat the holiday cookies, the phyllo pastry-wrapped brie, and the Swedish meatballs. Why? Because if you really want it and forbid yourself from having it, you're going to end up building a craving life around that food to the point where you won't be able to stop thinking about it. 

We feel the need to overeat when we attach a novelty around a certain food; when we make it "the forbidden fruit". 

When you finally have that specific food, you may engage in overeating or binging, which we know is often born out of deprivation and restriction. However, if you simply allow yourself to enjoy the cookie, the slice of brie or a meatball, you'll feel more satisfied as a result and won't feel the need to overdo it. And hey, if you only have your Mom's peanut butter balls once a year, enjoy it!

2. Bring your own dish: Instead of stressing about the food that might be present at your holiday gathering or potluck, bring your own! This is especially important if your food-related stress is due to a food allergy or food sensitivity of yours, in which case, it's really important to bring your own dish to ensure you have something to eat.

I like bringing at least one dish because that way I know that I have something I can enjoy that makes me feel really good. Even though I know I can have the cookies and the brie, I also know which foods make me feel good and which ones don't, so it's nice to have various options available. Plus, it's a great opportunity to introduce people to new and delicious foods, like a Turmeric Curry Hummus, Herb & Garlic Nut Cheese or Almond Pesto Cucumber Bites!

3. Release the idea that you need to restrict the next day or exercise "off" what you ate: As I mentioned above, restriction and deprivation are a recipe for overeating and binging. In fact, it was said that "normal eaters" (those that simply allow themselves to eat what they want) gain on average 1lb over the holidays whereas people who have food rules and play around with restricting/depriving end up gaining an average of 5lbs.

That might sound a bit odd to you, but the reason being is that "normal eaters" are really good at honouring their body's needs. They'll eat when they're hungry, stop when they're full, eat foods they genuinely want and not eat foods they don't. They feel satisfied, not deprived and aren't thinking about food 24/7 because food is just food. It's delicious, but it will be there for them tomorrow.

Whereas someone else who engages in restricting/depriving, is constantly going through that cycle of "tricking their body" (which does a number on their metabolism, which we know is responsible for burning calories), ignoring their hunger signals, pushing their body beyond its limits, not eating foods and then gorging on foods as a result of deprivation. This group of people are not relaxed around food because of the amount of control they exert over it. 

The same goes for exercise. Not to mention, exercising from a place of self-hate or as punishment doesn't set the stage for healthful behaviours and can actually create more stress in the body, which interfers with weight management. It's much more beneficial for you to find a form of movement that you enjoy and do it consistently, or on a schedule that works well for you.

4. Eat before you go: I'm not sharing this as a secret tip to eat less and to ultimately lose weight, but because I recommend never going anywhere in an over-hungry state (or should I say "hangry"). Yes, social/holiday gatherings are great because of all of the delicious food but the food isn't everything. The food is meant to compliment the evening. But if you arrive in a super hungry state, you're going to be thinking about food 24/7 and if you're coming from a mindset that you can/can't eat certain foods, that's going to make for a stressful situation for you.

The best thing you can do is have a bite to eat before you go. I would aim to be 60% full knowing that you'll be nibbling throughout the night but don't stress about it either. The goal of this is to help you feel less preoccupied and controlled by food throughout the night.

5. Don't talk negatively about food: By saying things like "I don't care if this goes straight to my hips, I'm eating it anyway" or "Oh my god, this is SO good – it must be bad for you!", you're furthering the negative relationship you have with food and also affecting other people too. For someone they may be trying to overcome disordered eating and stray from diet culture, a comment like this can bring them right back and keep them from being able to enjoy the food in front of them – and it's keeping you from enjoying it too.

Instead, don't say anything at all! Simply enjoy it and if you witness someone say something like this, use it as an opportunity to turn the conversation around to foster more of a positive relationship with food.

How do you feel about the food situation at social/holiday gatherings? Do you find it difficult to navigate?