Avoid Stress Eating This Holiday Season by Matthew Lowe, MS, DO, MBA

This year has been a challenging year for most of us.  From the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to the still lingering election controversies, it seems the list of stressors for the year 2020 keeps growing.  And many of us turn to food for comfort.  Being inside and alone can mean that food becomes our only comfort at times.  We feel stressed, lonely, cooped up, and panicked.  Eating does temporarily increase our serotonin levels and makes us feel good for a short period of time, but that feeling doesn’t last and we find ourselves searching for something else to eat because we need more comfort.

The upcoming holidays can bring about a variety of emotions.  For some, the holidays are a time for reflection, friends, family, and festivities.  For others, the holidays are a time of stress and anxiety.  With increased stress, food can sometimes become an easy method for coping.  This year, due to the pandemic and restrictions on travel and large gatherings, our holidays may look different.  We may be home alone instead of gathering with friends and family.  This may increase our feelings of isolation and sadness, leading to more opportunities to overeat or to comfort ourselves with food.

If you tend to turn to food for comfort and emotional support, here are some strategies that could help you deal with holiday stress without overeating.

1. Focus on positives, not negatives.  Don’t dwell on the negative and stressful things in the world right now.  Try not to focus on what you don’t have or who you can’t see during this strange time in our world.  Be thankful for what you have.  Focus on the joy in the world.  Find the true meaning of the holiday seasons.  Give yourself a reason to celebrate.  Even if the reason is small, focus on that positive thing instead of all the negatives.  This will help decrease your overall stress level and help decrease emotional eating. 
2. Don’t isolate yourself.  Even if you can’t be with other people physically, reach out to them.  Call your friends, family, and colleagues.  Organize virtual get-togethers.  Maintain your connections with people outside your home even if you can’t touch them.  It is possible to still feel connected to others; it just may take a little more effort.  This will help decrease those feelings of isolation that may trigger overeating or eating for comfort.
3. Plan ahead.  Knowing what needs to be done, when you need to do it, and including eating in your “to do” list can be helpful to avoid stress eating.  Make a plan, stick to it, and plan for meals or snacks to help keep you on track. 
4. Maintain a schedule.  With the added responsibilities of the holidays, eating can be haphazard and spontaneous.  You tend to eat more when you graze and eat unexpectedly.  Sticking to a regular eating schedule will ensure that you keep on track with your body’s nutrition needs and will help you avoid being overly hungry (which can lead to overeating). 
5. Practice self care.  It is important that you take time for yourself this holiday season.  In the hustle and bustle of the holidays, you tend to forget about your own needs.  Do something that you enjoy or something that relaxes you every day.  Make this a part of your regular routine to avoid letting stress get the best of you. 
6. Meditate.  Mindfulness is a simple tool that helps you stay in the moment when everything seems to be spinning out of control around you.  It is that special ability to focus on the here and now and not worry about the past or future and to enjoy what’s in front of you.  But mindfulness takes practice.  Especially when you are now working from home or taking extra precautions at work to stay healthy, helping your kids learn virtually, and managing a household.  There can be many things happening at once.  Meditation is a great way to learn to stay mindful and to focus on the moment at hand.  If you master this technique, you will feel more relaxed, happier, and more focused.  You will also be able to pay more attention to the food you eat, enjoy it more, and eat less.  Some apps/websites that can help teach you mindfulness (and there are many more than these two) are Headspace and Calm.  Both are available in the app stores for free. 
7. Stay focused.  When you are really busy, you tend to lose sight of some of the most basic needs.  This can include drinking enough water, getting sufficient exercise, and eating regular  balanced meals.  Keep yourself focused on your tasks, but also focus on your own nutrition and exercise needs this holiday season.​ 
8. Eat in moderation.  During the holidays, you are surrounded by food, TV shows about food, or advertisements about food.  Food is the center of many holiday traditions.  Moderation is the key to making it through the holidays without overeating.  Choose a few items that you really want to enjoy, and leave all the others for another day.  There will be many other opportunities to have these other things later.

By practicing these few simple strategies, it is possible to get through the holidays without turning to food for comfort.  Pay attention to your body.  Eat when you are hungry.  Be mindful and slow down while eating.  Stop eating when you feel full.  Drink plenty of water.  Oh, and don’t forget to exercise every day.

Have fun this holiday season!  But if your eating gets the best of you, remember that Providers for Healthy Living offers nutritional counseling by our licensed dietician, Kelsey Russell, RDN, LD, and cognitive behavioral therapy and obesity medications by our obesity medicine specialist, Matthew Lowe, DO.  We are here to help you regain control of your eating and help you meet your nutrition and weight goals, if you need us.  Register as a new patient on our website if you are interested in receiving assistance.

Photo:
​https://www.dreamstime.com/thanksgiving-holiday-table-served-turkey-lot-food-roasted-dinner-celebration-apple-mushroom-meal-baked-cooked-image157705400