Holiday Food Chaos

Episode Title: “Chaotic Holiday Eating” Intro: In this episode, Tracy interviews Stacy Schilter-Pisano, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Eating Disorders Specialist / Supervisor, and Site Manager at The Emily Program in Lacey, WA. Stacy and Tracy help listeners understand why some people struggle with food, eating and body image, especially during the Holidays.   Why do people experience chaos around food, especially during the Holidays? Internal Stressors = Thoughts that are distressing. 60% of the time, people are thinking: What did I eat? What will I eat? What do I look like? What do I weigh? External Stressors = Situations or events that happen in the world that are distressing Family togetherness when family members make negative comments Isolation from family or friends during the time of expected togetherness Financial concerns Busy Schedules, School and Work Returning home from college during the holidays and facing possible judgment Family comments about how your body has changed (appearance-related comments) COVID-19 and the impact of isolation on our body shape and size TIP: Be aware of / avoid any appearance-related comments (i.e. “You’ve got that COVID-19” or “You look great…you’ve lost weight”) TIP: Focus your comments on the person, and who they are (vs. what they look like) Food-Related Stressors: Family Comments about Food “I shouldn’t be eating this” or “Today is my cheat day” TIP: Enjoy the food and the company without excessive comments or pressure on yourself or others “What you’re eating doesn’t look very good” or “You can really put it away” TIP: Be mindful of your comments on someone else’s eating experiences “You need to eat more (or less)” TIP: Be supportive! Keep your loved ones out of the spotlight “I’ll need to work this meal off later” TIP: Keep the focus off the effects of the food – appreciate food and family “I’ll starve myself for the big meal, then go to town eating.” TIP: This effects blood sugar, and sets us up for overeating later. It’s best to regulate your eating all the time to keep blood sugar regulated. Fear Foods: Look at the Pie! Pie Thought #1: “I’m afraid of the pie.” Pie Thought #2: “I never get pie. I want pie!” Pie Thought #3: “This pie will make me gain weight” Pie Thought #4: “This pie will make me behave in ways I don’t want!” Pie Thought #5: “Am I expected to eat this pie?” Pie Thought #6: “Who made the pie? What’s in it?” Pie Thought #7: “What will people think if they see me eating the pie?” Pie Thought #8: “Someone expects me to eat this pie now!” Pie Thought #9: “Maybe this pie isn’t so bad…it has fruit in it.” Pie Thought #10: “What are the ingredients? Is the pie safe?” Pie Thought #11: “I’ll avoid the unhealthy crust” TIPS to handle internal, external and food-related chaos TIP: Attend to your body’s actual experience of hunger and fullness TIP: Speak the truth about your hunger and fullness TIP: Think about and enforce your own food boundaries TIP: Honor and respect your own food choices, and the choices of others TIP: Empower each other to make our own wise choices with food TIP: Stay on your own plate! TIP: Know who is at your table and cope ahead (try not to “catastrophize”) TIP: Have a safety plan and / or a support person to contact TIP: Take a breath and consider leaving the area for a bit TIP: Talk yourself through it like a...