How to Survive the Easter Weekend with an Eating Disorder

Happy Easter Long Weekend Everyone!

The holidays can be stressful for a lot of people - hosting a party, trying to stay on track with your healthy eating and exercise plans,

feeling overwhelmed with social gatherings, we've all been there. Holiday can be a nightmare especially for those suffering from an eating disorder... ! Unfortunately, Holiday celebrations almost always invovle food...LOTS OF IT and it can become challenging to stay on track. Keep these tips in mind, keep calm and carry on!

1. Plan Ahead!

Planning ahead is the absolute key to healthy living. Bring along to the party a healthy choice for yourself and others, have a couple of safe food options to choose from can help decrease fear and anxiety. DO NOT skip any meals, stick to your meal plan if you have one - this is the worst time to go on a diet. Having regular meals can help your body regulate its metabolism, satisfy your cravings and reduce the chance of overeating, binging and/or purging. Have a chat with your support person beforehand, anticipate triggers & obstacles and discuss how you can use your coping skills to overcome some of these challenges.

2. Take the Focus OFF of Food & Weight

Holiday celebrations doesn't always have to be about food... It might be a good idea to set your own traditions amongst your friends and family - Avoid giving food as gifts, plan to do an activity together instead of having a feast. Avoid weighing yourself especially during the holiday, remember that weight alone is never a good indicator of your health. Remind friends & family (there's always that one relative...) not to make comments about weight, body size and the eating disorder - be assertive! Avoid comparing yourself to others; the holiday is really about getting together and enjoying each other's company.

3. Mindful Eating

Give yourself permission to enjoy some of the food over the holiday. Practice mindful eating - pay attention to the appearance, aroma, texture & taste of the food. Enjoy them in moderate amounts and feel good about it ! You probably don't get to eat these foods very often anyways, and there is nothing wrong about eating some chocolate eggs at Easter - Remember that Fun Food is a part of the meal plan.

4. Enjoy some ACTIVITIES

Do things that make you feel good. Exercise doesn't have to be a 5K run or going to the gym, it can be as simple as going for a walk outside (enjoy some sunshine), playing with the kids (that can be exhausting!), skating, biking, swimming, just to name a few. Paint some Easter eggs or have an Easter egg hunt with eggs filled with non-food related surprises!

5. IT'S OKAY!

Be kind and gentle to yourself! Don't beat yourself up if the holiday didn't go as well as you planned, take note and learn from this experience so you can be better prepared next time. Get back on track to your healthy living goals after the holiday - no after holiday compensation, no judgement, no guilt, no shame..

How did your Easter weekend go? Share with us a dish that you've made, an activity that you've enjoyed or a success that you want to celebrate! Tag @chowdownnutrition or #amychowrd for a chance to have your story featured.