Navigating the Holiday Season with an Eating Disorder: Tips for Athletes and their Supporters
The holiday season can be a time of celebration, yet it often brings unique stressors, especially for athletes dealing with eating disorders. The season’s focus on food and social gatherings may trigger or exacerbate symptoms. With a strong focus on food-centric gatherings and social events, this time of year can amplify stress for those recovering from eating disorders.
To help manage holiday pressures and find balance, here are strategies for approaching the holidays with confidence, resilience, and support.
1. Set Healthy Boundaries and Stick to Your Routine
During the holidays, many social interactions center around food, which can be challenging. Setting gentle boundaries or redirecting conversations can help avoid diet-focused conversations. You could try phrases like, “I’d rather focus on what we’re grateful for today” or “How about we catch up on other things happening in our lives?” Additionally, try to stick to your usual meal plan and regular eating routine, even if holiday gatherings feature more snacks and larger portions. Maintaining your normal habits can help you feel balanced and recovery-focused in the face of holiday stressors.
2. Focus on Non-Food Goals for the Day
To keep gatherings from becoming too food-centric, consider setting personal, non-food-related goals for the day. By setting short-term, personal goals, you can make the most of your time with loved ones. Shifting attention to these meaningful interactions helps foster connection and enhances the joy of the holiday season. Emphasizing these other aspects of the festive period supports individual values and helps make the holiday season more enjoyable.
3. Pack Your Toolbox with Supportive Tools
Don’t forget your top-notch skills gained in therapy! If you or a loved one has been working tirelessly in and out of therapy to elicit change, use those skills during the holiday season when you are feeling overwhelmed or are noticing urges to act on your eating disorder. Research highlights the importance of having accessible coping mechanisms to help manage distress.
4. Avoid Overscheduling to Reduce Stress
Over the holidays, many people take time off work or try to take advantage of school breaks; during these times, we can feel pressure to fill the schedule with our favorite holiday activities, seeing loved ones, or even traveling. There can be a lot to do and little time to get everything done while prioritizing your wellness. The packed holiday schedule can lead to mental and physical fatigue. Review your plans. Keep the things you really want to do. Allow yourself to cross tasks/obligations off your list that are less important or do not have to get done. Simplifying plans can support mental wellness, allowing you more space to focus on recovery and enjoy the holiday season.
5. Show Yourself Compassion
Self-compassion is crucial, especially when the season triggers challenging feelings. Recognize that experiencing discomfort is normal and that choosing self-care is a courageous act. “True strength is not denying yourself food or avoiding certain foods, rather, it is challenging yourself, despite what the eating disorder voice may be telling you.” The following are some ideas for helpful coping statements you can use as a mantra throughout the holiday season:
I am brave for choosing recovery.
Each meal is a new opportunity to nourish my body and honor my recovery.
Healing is not linear. Every step forward is worth celebrating.
My relationship with food does not define my worth.
Embracing flexibility helps me experience life more fully.
6. Collaborate with Your Support Team for a Coping Plan
Work with your dietitian nutritionist or therapist to create a specific holiday coping plan. Together, you can decide in advance on foods to incorporate or identify value-driven challenges. It's also essential to keep your appointments during the holiday season, even when it feels tempting to cancel due to busyness. In stressful times, these sessions offer crucial support and maintaining your regular therapy routine can help prevent the holidays from becoming even more overwhelming.
7. Explore Alternative Activities with Loved Ones
Instead of focusing solely on meals, explore alternative activities with your loved ones, such as going for a winter walk, playing a board game, or engaging in other activities. This can be a fun, and low-cost, way to bond and create lasting memories. By shifting the focus from food to experiences, you can enjoy the holiday season in a more balanced and meaningful way.
For Friends/Loved Ones/Coaches/Family
Focus on the Reason for Gathering
Encourage conversations and activities that center around the purpose of the gathering, whether it’s celebrating the season, spending time together, or reconnecting with friends and family that you do not see often. Shift the focus away from food to create a more supportive and less stressful recovery environment.
Be Mindful of Language
Avoid making comments about calories, portion sizes, or needing to burn off a meal. Try not to label food as "good" or "bad." Refrain from discussing body size, weight, or shape. Such comments can be upsetting and may undermine a supportive and positive environment.
Create a Support Plan
Work with the individual who needs extra support to identify specific ways to offer assistance during challenging moments. This could include checking in privately, offering reassurance, or helping them plan ahead for food-related situations. A clear plan helps to ensure that the person feels supported and understood.
By implementing thoughtful strategies and leaning on your support network, it is possible to navigate the holidays with confidence, resilience, and a sense of empowerment. Setting boundaries, focusing on value-driven activities, and engaging in self-care can help reduce stress and increase enjoyment. Additionally, by collaborating with loved ones, friends, coaches, and family, you can foster an environment that prioritizes support and connection. Remember, healing is a journey, and each step forward is a victory. Embrace the season with compassion and allow yourself the space to grow and celebrate your progress.
If you find yourself coming upon the holiday season as a newbie to the eating disorder recovery scene or are navigating the season without a care team in place, please feel free to book a complimentary discovery call with the eating disorder specialists at Athlete Insight.