Do celebrations make you anxious?

by | Apr 13, 2021 | Blog, Food, Holidays, Weight loss

A lot of my clients feel anxious or uneasy around Easter ??(and Christmas and birthdays – really any time when eating and/ or drinking are a big part of the celebration). And maybe you feel the same?

Perhaps you feel like you just have to “get through” the weekend without bingeing on Easter eggs and you’ll be OK…

Or maybe this is a rare weekend where you allow yourself all the chocolate you want, guilt-free, because if not at Easter, then when?

Except the guilt usually creeps in anyway and you don’t enjoy the experience, knowing that you’ll have to “make up for it” next week…

If that sounds familiar, then there’s one simple trick that I (and my clients) have found really helps at times like this.

And actually it’s useful whenever you find yourself in ANY situation where you don’t feel in control, because either you’re emotionally vulnerable (stressed/ tired/ anxious/ overwhelmed) or you don’t have a say in the food/ drink situation (at parties/ social gatherings/ friends’ houses etc). It only takes a few seconds and it can mean the difference between feeling good about your food choices or regretful…

Just take a second (or 20) to breathe. Stop, take stock, and make a conscious decision about what you want to eat or drink at that moment.

No matter how busy you are (unless you’re in the middle of saving someone’s life), you always have a moment to breathe and decide.

You don’t need to dive right in and eat all the chocolate just so it’s no longer there to tempt you.

You don’t have to drink all the wine at the party because it would be rude not to ?.
You don’t have to eat dessert at your friends’ place because you’re worried about offending them.

You don’t have to get Maccas drive thru on the way home from your road trip because “it’s the only option” (and if it really is – unlikely – there are healthy options there too!).

Breathe and remember you always have a choice.

You can choose the healthy option or a smaller portion of the less-healthy option; you can choose one glass of wine instead of a bottle; or one Easter egg instead of 10.

If you take that second to stop and DECIDE what it is you really want (not just in that moment but in the long term) then I promise you, you’ll enjoy your choice – whatever that maybe – so much more ?