The holiday season has arrived and that means Christmas markets, movies, festive music, and delicious food. As much as we enjoy spending time with friends and family, or jamming out to Wham and Mariah Carey, for some, the food part can cause feelings of dread and anxiety.  This can be a time when many of us feel worried about the foods we eat over Christmas, deciding how much to eat, what not to eat, the post-holiday weight gain, and choosing the good foods from the bad foods - these are all thoughts that can consume our minds and, for a lot of us, food at Christmas time can be very triggering. 

These feelings over Christmas are real and you’re definitely not alone if you feel this way.

In an interview with WonderMind certified eating disorder specialist and licensed psychotherapist, Sarah Davis explains the negative effects and stresses that many people face surrounding food intake and diet during the holiday season,

“Where there is an abundance of food, diet culture does what it does best and swoops in with an abundance of moralizing food comments (i.e., “good” foods and “bad” foods) and body shaming messages… This can impact our own perception of ourselves based on the food we are eating: I am good because I am eating ‘good’ foods, and I am bad because I am eating ‘bad’ foods…”  

These conversations surrounding food can cause the holidays to be extra challenging and harm those already struggling with their relationship with food and body image. 

We should be able to enjoy the Christmas holidays, the much-needed break from work, and extra time with our loved ones, but the anxiety surrounding overindulgence of food can trigger negative self-talk, damage our body image, and can ruin the holidays. 

To help, That Girl Journals has researched ways to help you cope with these feelings of anxiety and conversations around food, to help you feel comfortable to indulge as you please this Christmas:  

Set Conversational Boundaries

It's important to set boundaries around subjects or behaviours that you don’t like and that can harm your mental health. The common advice is to ignore any comments surrounding food and weight, but that can be easier said than done. 

Nutritionist Francesca Alfano spoke to WomensHealth about ways to divert the conversion of food during the holiday season, suggesting phrases such as,

“I’m not too worried about enjoying a few sweets over the holidays, but let’s talk about something else.” Or “I appreciate your opinion, but this year I’m not focusing on my weight. There are many more interesting topics to talk about.” 

Remember that you don’t have to engage in any conversation that you don’t like. Practicing new ways to change the conversation can help avoid those triggering and stressful conversations with friends and family over the holidays. Whilst food talk over Christmas can be unavoidable, there are ways that you can prepare yourself for those conversations and move them onto something more enjoyable.

Extreme Christmas Weight Gain Isn’t Really a Thing

Once the new year arrives, most of us are prepared to lose the holiday weight through gym memberships, fitness classes, long walks, and the back-to-work rush. But the mere thought of overindulging this Christmas can cause a lot of people to feel worried and emotional before it’s even begun. 

 "It's definitely a very common worry and that concern is really understandable… We live in a culture that has led us to believe that our weight is the most important thing. Going into the holiday season, you could easily feel ... worried about the abundance of food " registered dietician Emily Fonnesbeck told INSIDER.

Research also found that during the Christmas holidays, the average weight gain is only a pound with further findings that half of our holiday weight gained is lost shortly after the festive period. So, it seems holiday weight gain isn’t as dramatic as it seems and shouldn’t take away from enjoying your Christmas dinner.

Stress & Overthinking Will Do More Damage

Unfortunately, the mental and emotional stress we put ourselves through overthinking about our eating habits could cause us to overindulge even more and go through even stronger feelings of guilt and anxiety. Research shows that when we deprive ourselves of the food we love out of fear, we often end up overindulging in those foods. Further creating an unhealthy cycle of stress and anxiety, and then eating to suppress those feelings but then feeling guilty for doing so. 

Remember, even during Christmas you can decide what to eat and drink. You can still exercise, prep your meals, drink plenty of water, and enjoy some treats – just as you would any other time of the year. It's all about balance and finding what works for you.

Practice Positive Self Talk

If you are feeling anxious about body image and food intake over Christmas, try to be kind to yourself. If a family member comments on the amount of food on your plate or questions your love of mince pies, try to remember that those comments say more about their relationship with food and it does not matter to you. Do not let other people’s insecurities become your own. Remind yourself that you are perfect just as you are, this is your Christmas and you’re enjoying all that it has to offer and showing your body lots of love by feeding yourself well – talk to yourself with love. So you’ll gain a couple of pounds over Christmas. Does that change your character in any way? Your kind heart? Your funny personality? That you’re any less than you were before? Definitely not!  

What it does mean is that you had a wonderful Christmas, you relaxed and ate some delicious food – it’s what you deserve.
Your body is your home, so remember to show yourself some love this holiday season.

Ask for Support

Christmas time can already be a lot to deal with and if you feel like food and weight will only make this season harder and trigger negative emotions, then consider talking to someone close to you or seeking help. Struggles with food intake and weight can get in the way of you enjoying your holidays and harm your mental health. If this is something you are worried about, then take the time to find help from a therapist or dietician/nutritionist that specialises in this area of mental health and wellbeing.

Note: This is not a specialist or medical service. Always consult with a qualified health professional if you have any concerns regarding your mental and physical health.