Navigating Thanksgiving without Food, Weight & Family Drama

How will I deal with all of the food?

What will my family think of my body?

Can I indulge in the yummy food or will everyone judge me?

What if I eat too much and can never lose the weight?

How can I prevent all the bingeing that I've done in the past?

What if I don't eat anything?

Can you relate to these pre-Thanksgiving fears?

Many people can. Thanksgiving can often be a pure nightmare. 90% of my coaching clients struggle BIG TIME with the restricting/binge eating cycle during this time. The family gatherings, the variety of food, the force conversations and the heightened sense that everyone is looking at your body can make this holiday a day you just want to skip. It can affect your mental health and self-esteem in many ways, especially if you end up "losing control" and feel like you are reverting back to destructive patterns.

One of the worst thing you can do to try to ease the fear of Thanksgiving is this:

Restrict.

Restricting food or restricting emotions will ultimately lead to the one thing you're trying to avoid: your inner pressure cooker exploding into every direction. The fear of the weight gain, the loss of control, the judgement, the chaos can contribute to you needing an outlet, which often is the one thing you are so terribly scared of.

In order to prevent this inner conflict this year, here's your guide to have a relaxed Thanksgiving celebration!

Guidepost #1: Stop restricting

As I've mentioned above, restricting is the number one mistake why my clients end up bingeing even if they've prepared properly for the days ahead.

If you go into the holidays with the intention of eating little or even losing weight, you're setting yourself up for failure.

Restricting backfires. Every single time.

Thinking you can lose weight is a ludicrous idea as food is part of this Holiday. It just is. The sooner you accept it, acknowledge it, you'll be able to deal with it.

So, in your heart and mind, allow yourself to eat during Thanksgiving (and beyond), to indulge a bit here and there and to enjoy yourself. If you go to your dinner knowing that that's what you'll do, the pressure to do the impossible is definitely reduced.

Guidepost #2: Do NOT feely guilty

Eaten what feels like too much? Forgive yourself and move on.

There doesn't have to be any guilt as there's nothing to be guilty about. Eating is not a moral act, always remember that. So, even if you've eaten way more than your body wanted, you didn't commit a crime. All you did was put food in your mouth and swallow it.

So what?

Guidepost #3: Prioritize self-care

Self-care is key around the holidays. And even more importantly, you have to practice self-compassion. Hold yourself to a standard of love and compassion instead of a standard of perfectionism.

So, start with your self-care practices now in order to be balanced and as relaxed as you can be during Thanksgiving.

See yourself with loving eyes, touch your body, massage your face, take time for yourself, journal, dance, read, go for walks and do whatever it is that fills your self-love cup.

The more practice you have now, the easier it'll be to tap into your resources when things are stressful and overwhelming.

Guidepost #4: Do NOT apologize

For eating, for having gained weight, for not eating, for not having gained weight, etc.

It can be hard to endure when your family judges your weight, your eating behaviors. It's like a repeated slap in the face to have relatives comment on your body or hear questions like: Should you really at this?

It's OK to be hurt, feel disappointed, angry or whatever else comes up for you.

However, it's not OK to apologize for being YOU.