A juicy, perfectly seasoned turkey may look amazing. But, for those struggling with an eating disorder, anticipation of digging in is replaced with anxiety.
“They may struggle with portion control... [and] avoidance,” said Relevé Counseling therapist, Alex Gonzalez.
That’s just the internal battle. Loved ones can pose a big challenge as well.
“There are people that may push you to eat more of x, y, zed because they made x, y, zed for you.”
Or, your body type might be called into question.
“Oh, you’re too big,’ or, ‘You’re too skinny, don’t eat that much. Or, eat more of this.’”
Alex recommends going into that Thanksgiving meal with a gameplan and don’t let others dictate how much you’re eating.
“You may want to do practice runs up and to the event of setting appropriate portion control and taking your time with eating. It [comes] back to the boundaries thing. If you’re done, just say, ‘No, I’m full. I really appreciate the thought, but I’m full and I don’t want to be sick later.’”
If you need a little extra support, identify someone ahead of time to be your support person. They could help divert attention away from you during a potentially triggering moment.
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