Why Am I Worried About Food at Christmas?

It's only November, but you're already thinking about Christmas and what it might mean for your eating and your body.

Maybe you're telling yourself you'll be "extra good" with food in November so you can "enjoy yourself" in December.

Maybe you're already thinking, "Christmas is coming, so I may as well eat what I want now. I'll start again in the New Year."

Or perhaps you're planning to be really strict in the run-up to Christmas because you're worried about what might happen when there's food everywhere.

Sound familiar?

If you're stuck in the binge eating cycle, this time of year can bring up a lot of anxiety, guilt and the feeling that you need to get your eating under control before you can relax around food.

But what if you didn't have to spend November trying to be "good" so you can give yourself permission to enjoy December?

1. . You're already caught in the restrict–binge–restart cycle

If you've experienced binge eating before, you might recognise how quickly the cycle can start.

You decide to be stricter with food. You try to eat less, avoid certain foods or stick to a set of rules. For a while, it might feel like you're in control.

Then hunger builds, food starts taking up more of your thoughts, or you find yourself eating foods you've been trying to avoid.

You end up eating more than you intended, feel guilty and promise yourself you'll do better tomorrow.

Christmas can give this cycle a whole new set of rules.

November becomes the month to be "good". December becomes the month when you can finally relax around food. January becomes the time to get back on track.

But this approach can keep you stuck in the very cycle you're trying to escape.

You don't need to restrict your food in November to earn permission to enjoy Christmas.

Working toward regular, adequate eating now is a much better starting point than trying to control your food intake before the festive season begins.

2. You're treating Christmas food as a last chance

Have you ever found yourself thinking, "I'd better enjoy this now because I'll be back on my diet in January"?

Perhaps you eat more of certain foods because you know you'll try to avoid them again after Christmas. Or you feel as though you need to make the most of every opportunity to eat something you enjoy.

When foods feel forbidden or temporary, they can become much more appealing.

You might find yourself thinking about them more often, feeling preoccupied with when you'll next be able to eat them, or eating past comfortable fullness because part of you believes this is your last chance.

This doesn't mean you lack willpower. It may mean that your food rules are making certain foods feel more urgent and desirable.

Instead of treating December as your one opportunity to enjoy festive food, consider how you could give yourself more flexibility throughout the year.

You don't need to eat everything now because you're planning to restrict later.

And you don't need to wait for a special occasion to allow yourself foods you enjoy.

3. You're putting pressure on yourself to be "good"

Christmas is surrounded by messages about food and weight.

You might hear people talking about being good before Christmas, avoiding the mince pies, working off their Christmas dinner or getting back on track in January.

If you've spent years dieting, it's easy to absorb these messages without even realising it.

You might find yourself judging your eating choices, feeling guilty about enjoying certain foods or believing you've done something wrong if you eat more than you planned.

But food isn't a test of how well you've behaved.

You don't need to earn your Christmas dinner, compensate for dessert or prove that you can resist the foods you enjoy.

And if you eat more than you intended, you haven't ruined anything.

You can simply continue eating regularly rather than responding with restriction the next day.

4. What can you do now to feel less anxious about Christmas?

You don't need to wait until December to start making things easier.

Here are three places to begin.

Stop trying to be "extra good" in November

If you're cutting back on food now because you're worried about December, ask yourself whether this is actually helping you feel more relaxed around food.

Restriction can increase hunger, food preoccupation and feelings of deprivation, potentially contributing to binge eating.

Try to focus on eating enough and regularly, rather than following stricter rules in preparation for Christmas.

Notice the rules you're making about December

Are you telling yourself you'll eat whatever you want because you'll start again in January? Or are you planning to avoid certain foods because you're scared of losing control?

You don't need to follow either extreme.

You can enjoy festive foods without treating them as forbidden, and you can eat them without deciding that the day is ruined if you have more than you intended.

Remember what you actually want from Christmas

When you're worried about food, it can start to feel as though managing your eating is the main event.

But what else matters to you about this time of year?

Maybe it's spending time with family, seeing friends, watching Christmas films, enjoying traditions or having a break from your usual routine.

Food can absolutely be part of those experiences. But you deserve to enjoy them without spending weeks worrying about what you're eating or how you'll make up for it afterwards.

If food anxiety is taking up a lot of mental space, support from a healthcare professional experienced in binge eating may also help you understand and change these patterns.

The Bottom Line is That You don't need to earn the right to enjoy Christmas

If you're already worrying about food in November, I want you to know that you don't need another set of rules to follow.

You don't need to lose weight beforehand, eat less to prepare or promise yourself you'll start again in January.

You can begin by eating regularly, giving yourself permission to enjoy food and challenging the idea that you need to be in control all the time.

And if you do struggle with binge eating over Christmas, that doesn't mean you've failed. It means you deserve support, not punishment.

You don't have to spend November restricting to survive December.

If you're tired of feeling stuck in the cycle of restriction, binge eating and starting over, my free mini-class, Why You Can't Stop Binge Eating (And It's Not What You Think), explores what's really driving binge eating and what you can focus on instead.

Watch the free mini-class here.

Contact Toni for support