A holiday feast.
The holiday season notoriously brings festive décor, inanely repetitive yet somehow still charming music, and treats upon treats. But for many people, it also brings incredible amounts of food-induced anxiety and body shaming. For those of us who struggle with disordered eating or body image issues, all of the wonderful sugar cookies, cakes, and hot cocoa can produce fear and stress more than joy or delight. I know firsthand how this can make the holidays feel lonely and scary.
No one should have to feel this way and, slowly but surely, I’ve figured out some ways to reclaim my own body and happiness. Here are just a few things that have helped me during the holidays.
- Change the way you think about food. Food has social and cultural meaning that extends far beyond its nutritional value in this country. We uphold food as something that can transmit love and tradition and bring people together. But re-framing and re-contextualizing food’s purpose is a crucial way to change your own relationship with it. My favorite way to do this is to shift this value away from myself. Rather than focus on whether or not the choices I make about my own food are “good” or “bad,” I focus on how I can use food to show my love for others and usually do so by baking for those dearest to me. This makes it easier to see food as meaningful and positive rather than scary or bad.
- Take time to yourself. Whenever you feel yourself getting really worked up, go somewhere by yourself for a few minutes. Take deep breathes, journal, watch a movie, talk to someone you trust, do whatever you need to do to decompress. I like having some comforting phrases that I can call to mind whenever I need them (like “I am happy, healthy, and whole” or “I am loved, loving, and lovable”) no matter where I am. Since it is the holidays, maybe grab a peppermint candle and a cup of your favorite tea and immerse yourself in your own little peace on earth.
- Feel your body. It’s easy to lose touch with your body when you get so caught up in worrying about food or what visual effect that food has on your body. Should this happen, it’s really helpful to get back in touch with all of the wonderful things your body can do and feel. Take a warm bath, go for a walk, give yourself a massage, snuggle up in a mountain of fuzzy blankets — whatever makes you feel good! The goal is to experience how your body feels rather than what it looks like.
- Focus on the other parts of the holidays. Food and body stress make it hard to what should be a fun, special time of year. Try to delight in your favorite parts of the season, whether that’s ice skating, cuddling up and watching movies, making crafts, or just spending time with loved ones. Remember and rediscover the joy that can come from other parts of the season.
- Recognize that bodies are ever-changing. It’s okay if you’re bloated, it’s okay if you gain a little weight, and it’s okay if your pants get a little tighter. Bodies are constantly in flux and stressing about every little change is a waste of energy. Your physical being does not define you. Never forge that emotional health is just as important as physical health, and if anyone tells you differently, feel free to remind them it’s not okay to comment on your body and that you love yourself just the way you are, thank you very much!