Tag Archive for: holiday stress

Woman suffering from stress grimacing in pain

5 Strategies to Deal with Top Holiday Stressors

The holidays are such a nice time of year but the stress that comes along with it, well, THAT I can do without. Maybe being around all your relatives and the crowds feels overwhelming. Perhaps finding the right gifts for people is anxiety producing. Maybe, just maybe, you get even tense knowing that this time of year is “supposed” to be joyous, yet all you feel is anxiety.

 

Top Holiday Stressors

The first step to truly enjoying your holiday season is identifying your stressors. The two top stressors for many people are money and family!

 

Money Stress:

It may come as no surprise that one of the top stress-inducers identified during the holiday season is worry over money. Since the beginning of November, you have been constantly bombarded with deals, steals and the newest gadgets. You might feel pressure to work overtime to be able to afford all the presents on your family’s wish list. However, it’s important that you take a step back and remind yourself what this time of the year is really about – togetherness. While your loved ones and friends do appreciate your thoughtful gifts, it’s really the thought that counts. Show them you love and appreciate them in other ways, they will cherish that for a lifetime.

 

Family Stress:

Another stressor may be constantly being around your extended family. This time of year, it seems that there are no shortage of family gatherings. Your weekends are probably jam-packed with holiday parties, leaving you very little time to do what you enjoy doing. While this time of year is all about being with family, you cannot forget to take care of yourself as well. Carve out time every day to do something that makes you feel fulfilled and that meets your needs of being taken care of.

 

5 Strategies to Manage Top Stressors Without Food

Unfortunately, some people may turn to food to help deal with these holiday stressors. Do you?

 

If so, please know that while food can be one way you decide to manage uncomfortable emotions, it becomes a problem when food is your only go-to coping mechanism.

 

1) Move Your Body:

Choose a movement that you enjoy doing and find time to do it at least three times a week. Regular movement has been shown to reduce stress levels. If you fall short on time and you cannot make it to that spin or kickboxing class, try going for a walk around your neighborhood or do a yoga video at home.

 

2) Connect and Talk:

Talk to a family member or friend that you trust. If you are feeling overwhelmed, a good venting session can make you feel better. Just talking through your feelings can provide relief.

 

3) Sleep it Off:

Aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. You are probably running on empty more frequently this month than you do the rest of the year. Sleep is important for your health, try to go to bed an hour earlier and avoid hitting snooze in the morning. Interrupting your sleep with multiple alarms can interfere with your body’s natural wake mechanisms, leaving you feeling exhausted throughout the day.

 

4) Breathe through It:

When you feel a stressful moment coming on, excuse yourself and take a few minutes to relax and breathe. Search the internet or download an app to your phone that will guide you through stress-reducing breathing techniques. Meditation is also a useful relaxation technique that you can do anywhere!

 

5) Journal Your Thoughts:

Pull out a pen and paper and start to write. Don’t edit. Just let your thoughts come out of your head onto the paper. Let it flow! You will feel an almost immediate relief.

 

Grab these FREE 20 Emotional Eating Journaling Prompts to help you get started!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If even after engaging in a stress-reducing exercise or talking with a friend, you still feel that you want the soothing power of food, that’s okay! Put your desired food choice on a plate and sit down to eat it. Stay fully aware and conscious as you are eating. Savor each bite, stay mindful and present with the food, and your feelings. Once you’ve finished, take a deep breath and move on. The key here is to not move out of your body when you are eating so this doesn’t become a full-on binge.

 

Let me know below which of these strategies will be your go-to!

Is the Holiday Stress Already Getting To You?

Does the approaching holiday season stress you out? I have had a few clients come in to my office recently who are already beginning to feel the stress of the holiday season now that it’s November!  One conversation really stuck with me.

 

Sara walked into my office this week all stressed out. I asked her what was wrong, and she started to tell me about how overwhelmed she’s feeling about Thanksgiving, Christmas, all the parties and family visiting. There’s still 3 weeks until Thanksgiving, yet she’s already anticipating and feeling the stress.

 

These are some of her stressors that she started listing:

 

  • Gift shopping. Sara is a mom of four children and in charge of gifts for them for the holidays as well as the rest of her large extended family. This causes her a lot of anxiety about finding the right gift and making sure she’s getting what everyone wants, while still staying on budget.

 

  • Hostess. Her parents come in from out of town during the holidays and tend to stay with her and her family. She said this becomes very stressful because she has to make sure her house is spotless the whole time, cooking meals every night and she feels pressure to constantly entertain them.  This becomes overwhelming and takes away from her own self-care.

 

  • Cooking. Finding a balance between cooking what her family wants and finding meals that nourish her own body has become very stressful. Normally, she likes to choose meals based on whole foods. During the holiday season, her family requests lots of holiday favorites, which she enjoys as well, yet she has trouble balancing the holiday favorites with foods that feel best in her body.

 

  • Cleaning. As the holidays approach and her extended family visits, Sara finds that she is cleaning nonstop.  This chore becomes daunting and stressful, as it’s hard to keep a full house clean all the time.  However, she feels she needs to do it to keep everyone happy and not let anyone know she is overwhelmed.

 

  • Parties. This is where Sara said she has the most stress. Sara is usually the hostess at the family holiday parties and dinners. She feels extra pressure to entertain everyone while still ensuring they are well fed and happy. She really doesn’t have any help, and finds it difficult to ask for assistance from her husband and kids. She feels she ‘should’ be able to do it all.

 

And then of course there is the obligation of attending her workplace holiday party where there’s lots of food and drink available. By this time, she’s physically and emotionally drained and just says “What the heck. I’ll deal with my eating in the New Year!”

 

Woah! No wonder she is already worrying about the holidays.  This is a lot to handle and can be hard for anyone to keep from getting stressed.

 

In working with Sara, I’ve identified that she has the all-or-nothing mindset when it comes to the holidays.  She needs to do everything herself at 100%, or it doesn’t count. She needs to eat perfectly, or she eats “terribly” (her words!).

 

Does any of this resonate with you?

 

Can you relate to Sara?

 

Well, Sara asked me to help her handle the stress better this year and lucky for her, and you, I have exactly what she needs.

 

I invite you to join my 3-week free challenge “Enjoy Your Holiday Festivities (and Sweets) without Guilt” where I’ll give you tips on self-care during the holiday, navigating holiday parties and eating your sweets without guilt.

 

Yes, you CAN eat your holiday sweets and not have any guilt. 

 

You CAN rid yourself of the all-or-nothing thinking when it comes to your food and the holidays.

 

Allow me to show you how.

 

In this challenge, you’ll get step-by-step training and support every step of the way.

 

We start Monday, November 6th!

 

Learn more and join us HERE!

 

I look forward to supporting you through the holidays, so you can enjoy your holiday festivities and sweets, without the guilt!

 

Holiday Parties? No Problem!

Holiday OrnamentsWhoa, can you believe it? Thanksgiving is in one week. Where has the time gone!

 

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love cooking for the Thanksgiving feast and spending time with my family.  I especially love when my daughters stand side by side next to me and help me cook. One year, they made name tags and wore them around their necks that said “Assistant Chef”.  So cute!

 

Many of my clients start to get nervous when the holidays arrive. Well, to be really clear, these clients I am referring to are just starting to see me and who still have a dieter’s mindset. They feel “uh oh, how will I handle all the food at all the holiday meals and parties I am going to? Maybe I should wait to begin our nutrition coaching sessions until the New Year”.

 

Ding, ding, ding. This is how a dieter thinks and speaks.

 

This is not how my clients who are on the intuitive eating journey think and speak. They have successfully been shifting their mindset and moving away from the “all or nothing” dieter’s way of thinking. They are not worried about the holiday meals and parties because they are learning how to honor their bodies and giving themselves permission to eat.

 

Now, having said that, I still think it’s important to set up your environment for success and to have some tips in your back pocket for when you head out to your parties.

 

I’ve put together a video for you with 3 tips for before you head out to the party and 5 tips for when you are at the party.

 

Just click the image below to watch. Then come back and let me know by commenting below which tips you will implement this holiday season.

Holiday Tips