Food Anxiety at Christmas

There’s no denying that food is a huge part of Christmas festivities.

From your first advent calendar chocolate on 1st December to your buffet supper or extreme takeaway order on New Years Eve, and all the Foxes biscuit selection boxes, mince pies, stuffing and Quality Streets in between. There’s no denying that British Christmas traditions, and other culture’s traditions I’m sure, are based around what you’ll be eating at any given moment, and it’s certainly an indulgent season.

For a lot of people, food is the highlight! It’s what makes Christmas, Christmas. It’s maybe the one time of year when we have our favourite foods and drinks, and it’s totally acceptable to just keep eating and drinking!

But I know all too well that feeling of dread that some people will experience. Wondering how on earth you will make it through Christmas Day, let alone the whole holiday time, with food in front of you at every second.

It almost feels like over Christmas you have no control. It’s near on impossible to stick to any sort of “diet” you might be following, or rules that you try to stick to. Your clean slate of no alcohol, chocolate or sweets is challenged on a daily basis. It’s difficult to track what you’re eating, especially when things have been cooked for you and you don’t really know what went in it. How are you supposed to navigate through it all and come out of the other side not feel guilty?

Well, I think the answer might not be what you expect. Because despite what many media outlets might tell you, it’s not in how to say no to those temptations. It’s not in how to make a low calorie Christmas dinner or how to fit a mince pie into your daily macros, how to calculate how many carbs a meal has or how much exercise you have to do to burn off a turkey roast. It’s about learning to forgive yourself for enjoying the Christmas diet for what it is, and learning not to feel guilty for indulging.

But I know it’s not as easy as it sounds, and so I’ve put together a few tips that might help with food anxiety over the festive season.

IT’S ONCE A YEAR. Remember that the holidays are only a very small proportion of your whole year, and so what you eat over this week or two will have very limited, if any, long term impact. Sure, you might feel slightly sluggish come 1st January but after a few days back into your regular routine you’ll feel fine.

WILL YOU ENJOY IT? Enjoying food isn’t just about it tasting nice, and it’s easy to start eating everything in sight because you know you like the taste. So if you’re not sure whether to have something or not, think – are you just eating for the sake of it, or are you really enjoying and appreciating the food?

ARE YOU FULL? Listen to your body. Similar to the last point, know your signals, and if you’re full you should stop eating. Both this point and the last point should help to stop those feelings of regret after eating. And on that note…

DO NOT REGRET. Under no circumstances should you feel guilty about eating. Food is not a moral issue, and while you might feel full or even a bit sick, you should not feel guilty about anything you eat. You just shouldn’t.

DON’T PREP. It’s easy to rationalise a preparation diet, the logic being if you lose 3lbs the week before Christmas and then gain 4lbs over the Christmas week, your net is only +1lb. Sounds smart, but this is generally not how it goes. Restricting yourself in the run up to Christmas will only mean you are more likely to over-indulge. As well as this, it’s confusing for your body to go from one extreme to the other. This all-or-nothing relationship with food isn’t a healthy one – it’s always best to think in longer terms than just the coming few weeks.

HAVE FUN. If you feel yourself being distracted by thoughts about the consequences of food, try to remind yourself that these things preoccupying your mind are detracting from the fun of the season. I can look back on holidays where I’ve sacrificed the enjoyment of the trip because my mind was always on what I was going to eat. That’s something I’ll regret much more than eating a cookie! Just try to enjoy the time you are spending with loved ones.

WWNPD. What would “normal people” do? This might sound like a bit of a weird one, but it was a thought I often referred to during my eating disorder recovery. I remember once pouring out a portion of pasta and then freaking out and returning it back into the packet. I caught myself, stopped and thought “Do normal people eat pasta?” Yes, yes they do. And so I will, too. I know there is no “normal” in this life, but this might help you to identify whether you are being fearful of a food that is actually fine. (It will also remind you to keep the brussel sprouts away from the chocolate fountain, so you’re welcome)

ROUTINES. For many people, the lack of routine can often be what provokes food anxiety at this time – you’re not necessarily having three meals and two snacks a day, or eating at your usual times. If you recognise your routine is crucial for you, then there is no harm in getting up and having an earlier breakfast than everyone else if it keeps your anxiety at bay. (I have to note that it is an issue if sticking to your routine makes you go completely out of your way or starts taking over your thought processes, and this is a much deeper issue that I couldn’t address in a blog post.) But generally, visualising the meals you’re having as part of your normal routine can help you to be at peace with it all, and can reassure you that you’re actually not straying that far from what you’d normally do.

These are just my suggestions and things I’ve picked up from my own experiences, but do whatever works for you!

The main thing that I want to get across is that food is really not something to be feared, at Christmas or any other time. And whether you’re just feeling a bit concerned or acutely anxious, I really hope that this year you can enjoy it, along with everything else that’s magical at this time.

Don't let food anxiety ruin your Christmas.