Hello, hello! Hope you’ve all had a wonderful Christmas. I spent mine having a dance off with my dad, running around wearing reindeer antlers and Skyping my older sister in Scotland, who was working in a hospital today. Christmas done correctly, I think.
I love the allure of Christmas but to be utterly honest with you, it’s always a bit of a tricky day for me, because it was on Christmas six years ago that my eating disorder and horrible period of bulimia first kicked off. Needless to say, it was a pretty ugly experience & I can’t help but think about it every year.
Things are different now and this afternoon, I sat at the table with my loved ones and felt really in control of things. It’s not about ‘being skinny’ for me but it is about health. No panic, no stress, no binging – but with so much temptation around, all of that food can still be really triggering, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way.
Moderation is always going to be key to anything, and whilst I think it’s important to treat yourself I avoid overindulging due to obvious reasons. There’s no point in eating excessively because if your brain is wired a certain way, it’s never going to end well!
I’d rather just focus on being with my family and enjoying the day without getting stressed about calories/fat/sugar content. And that seems to work really well for me.
In case it helps for anyone who feels the same, here are three tips to avoid a binge during the festive season…
1 Drink water
It sounds so simple but this is key. Stay hydrated! You’re far less likely to be reaching for extra portions or making return trips to the fridge.
2 Limit your sweet tooth
As someone who has an insatiable sweet tooth, avoiding going crazy on sugar is really key for me. When I have it, it’s like something kicks off in my brain. I have to have it all. So I’m really careful about eating rich Christmas puddings and cakes. Swap them for healthier alternatives or be strict with your portion size – and stick to it!
3 Avoid feeling guilty
There’s no point in beating yourself up. If you ate too much, watch your intake tomorrow. Go for a walk. Listen to music. Don’t view it as a failure and definitely don’t beat yourself up about it. Christmas is a time of enjoyment, and that’s how it should be!
Have a lovely Christmas,
Sophie x
