Easter is almost here, and with it comes an abundance of chocolate, food and celebrations. However, if you have an eating disorder or are in recovery from an eating disorder, it can be a very stressful and emotional time.
Here are some tips for getting through the Easter long weekend:
1. Stick to your usual routine
Aim to follow your usual routine over the Easter period, particularly with regard to mealtimes. Eating regularly will help to minimise stress and reduce the likelihood of bingeing or making food choices you aren’t yet comfortable with.
2. Plan ahead
Know what you feel comfortable eating and have a plan for what to do if you become overwhelmed. This plan may include having some snacks with you that you feel comfortable eating, or it may involve using distraction techniques (such as listening to music or doing some gardening) until the overwhelm passes. If you have a family member who you are comfortable talking to, you can ask beforehand if they could support you over the Easter weekend. Let them know how to identify when you’re feeling distressed, and talk through what they can do to help.
3. Take some time to do the things you enjoy
Take the focus off food when you can, and do the things you enjoy. This will help to reduce negative thoughts and improve your self-esteem.
4. Resist restricting to compensate for other choices
Missing meals to compensate for eating chocolate, cake, sweets or hot cross buns is going to deprive your body of the nourishment it needs, which is more likely to result in bingeing. Continuing to eat regularly during this time will help you to stay more in control of your eating disorder, and keep you on track for your recovery.
5. Dealing with unwanted comments
If you feel comfortable to let your family know before Easter, you can tell them that you don’t want to talk about your food intake or appearance, regardless if it is positive or negative. If you’re not comfortable doing this, there are ways to manage stressful conversations as they come up. If you are feeling a conversation heading in an unwanted direction, you can excuse yourself to the bathroom or to grab some food or a drink, or just to take some time out for yourself. If you don’t get any warning and someone says something that makes you uncomfortable, you can simply say “I don’t really want to talk about that”. Usually, people will quickly move on from this.
6. Have an Easter egg if you want one
Lastly and most importantly, don’t deny yourself an Easter egg if you want one. After all, it is Easter! Acknowledge that it is ok to eat chocolate/sweets, and give yourself permission to enjoy it.
If you would like more support, book an introductory phone call today.
