Keeping True to BED Recovery During the Holiday Season Amy Pershing, LCSW, ACSW
Board Member
Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA)
Founding Director
Bodywise Binge Eating Disorder Program
Ann Arbor, MI & Annapolis, MD www.thebodywiseprogram.com
When I was in the grip of my binge eating disorder, the holidays were a tough stretch. How much weight had I gained (or lost) since last seeing family and friends? If I'd lost weight, I got to be excited about seeing people; if i'd gained, I dreaded it. Would I be able to wear the holiday
dress I bought in October, two sizes smaller, that I swore I'd get into? What comments would family members make about weight (theirs or mine?), or how "bad" we were being? I thought about how little I would eat in front of others, thereby looking good and noble, and planned when I could be alone to binge on Grandma's cookies or Mom's lasagna. Bottom line, way too much time was spent with my Binger and Dieter voices fighting it out in my head. The holidays were hijacked by a lot of internal voices and external expectations.
For most folks with BED, this season is full of possible triggers. It can be very tough to stay present, to honor your voice of recovery, and to be compassionate and accepting of your body. We might see people over the holiday with whom we have a difficult relationship, we may travel
to places that evoke powerful feelings from our past, we may feel lonely or isolated if we're away from loved ones. We may have the added pressures of family meals and social gatherings that
trigger anxiety and the desire to soothe or escape with food.
Staying true to your recovery is the most important gift you can give yourself. Here are a few tips my clients and I have discovered over the years to stay true to your self this season:
As always, no good food/bad food. Choose holiday foods, like any food, for joy, delight, and what your body desires. You may wish to remind yourself that you can have holiday foods at other times. My Mom's “Christmas” lasagna is, blessedly, a staple in my life!
Try to eat when you are hungry and stop when you’re full. Do not skip meals in preparation for a "big feast". Overhunger is a huge binge trigger for most folks. And remember to try to have any movement/exercises that you enjoy available. Joyful movement can be an invaluable stress reliever.
Be prepared for others to be caught up in the good food/bad food, weight conscious paradigm. Doesn’t mean you have to jump in with them. You may wish to comment, leave the room, or you may let it go, and wish them well in finding their own path.
If seeing family is a potential trigger, take care to limit the time spent with people who are especially stressful for you. Keep close to those who support you, or ask them to be available by phone/email. Keep a journal of whatever feelings come up that you want to be sure to address later.
And as always, remember recovery is a process, not a destination. Doing one good thing for you, setting one new limit with family, or eating one cookie purely for the joy of it, is what the journey is all about. Happy Holidays!
JANUARY 2012 - Women’s Health Retreat Green Mountain at Fox Run Announces Program to Heal Binge, Emotional and Compulsive Eatin
Workshop Featuring Carolyn Coker Ross, MD, Offers Holistic Approach to Healing from Behaviors Triggered by DietingJanuary 8-14 Ludlow, VT Click here for more information
BEDA is a 501c3 tax-exempt organization. BEDA is a membership-driven organization that includes individuals with the disorder, family and friends, and multidisciplinary practitioners.
- Copyright 2011 - BEDA - Binge Eating Disorder Association.
