Eat For You Dietitian

The festive season is often painted as a joyful, cosy time of year, and can come with more social events as friends and family want to experience everything that the festive season brings. Yet for those in eating disorder recovery, it can bring a very particular set of challenges. Routines shift. Food takes centre stage and can be at different times. People that we haven’t seen in a while can appear. Expectations (both internal and external) can feel heavier.

If this time of year makes you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or unsure how to navigate recovery, know this: you are not alone. With some planning, support, and self-compassion, it is possible to move through the festive period in a way that protects your recovery and your wellbeing.

It is important to remember that it is ok to:

• Set Boundaries

We can often feel uncomfortable setting boundaries with our nearest and dearest. Setting boundaries can mean asking for a clear plan of what time things are going to happen and if there is no clear time given (which is causing you anxiety and distress), then you can ask for one to support you in being able to participate in the event. Following this, you can agree potential solo time within the day, depending on how long the event will be, it is important to be aware if you need even 5 minutes in the middle to be alone to breathe.

We can call this time, recharging the social battery. I highly recommend this for my clients and their loved ones.

Probably the most important boundary is, no food or body talk during the social event. It is not useful unless support has been requested at a particular time. This boundary can be difficult to set as often it can involved family and friends to talk to other people attending beforehand. They may feel uncomfortable to do this but it is necessary. We also live in a society where it is ‘normalised’ to comment on what someone is eating or their body shape and size, but really it shouldn’t be and let’s move the conversation on to something more interesting.

• Ask ahead of any event what food will be available

Try to not feel ashamed of asking these questions. You are not doing this to ask for your safe foods to be available, but instead to prepare yourself and potentially to challenge some of these foods beforehand. Challenging these fear foods beforehand can be very helpful for my clients to begin breaking down the strong beliefs around what eating these foods mean, so that when the social event comes, they can try to enjoy the moment. Maybe not for the whole time, that can be too much pressure, but aiming to see of how food can be a part of joyful moments and being with loved ones.

One step closer towards a better relationship with food.

Thank you for reading and throughout the month I am going to continue sharing my guidance on how to navigate this festive season and social events when you’re in the depth of your eating disorder recovery.