Spring Break and Eating
Spring break is a perfect time to take a pause on regular life. Whether you have a formal spring break from school, or you plan to take time off from work, it’s a necessary time of rest and a break from the routine. Maybe you’re traveling, visiting family or friends, or staying home and will be home more than you’re used to. All of these situations can bring up challenges if you’re in the midst of eating disorder recovery. If you’re traveling, you’ll have changes to your routine, less control around food, and you might be eating unfamiliar dishes. If you’re home, you might feel scared to be snacking all the time or unable to stop yourself from engaging in behaviors without your regular routine. These are all completely normal thoughts and feelings, and you can make some simple plans to be able to enjoy your spring break without letting your eating disorder control it.
Did you know that the team at Namaste Nourished loves to do this kind of work? We want to help you navigate your life and prioritize your values and goals. With our clients, we help them to figure out what makes them happy. If you want help figuring out how to approach spring break or any other situation (even daily life) from an eating perspective, we are here to help you. We specialize in eating disorders and disordered eating, but we also like working with everyone who just needs some support in our favorite subject- food.
Read on for how we recommend approaching spring break, whether you’re traveling or not.
If You’re Traveling
If you are traveling, you’ll likely have to be flexible with your eating. That doesn’t mean completely throwing away everything you’ve worked so hard on in recovery, but getting to test it out IRL. Other people might not be as attuned as you are to eating at regular intervals, including snacks, and making sure plates are balanced. This means you’ll need to work hard to protect your recovery progress. You might need to be assertive and say that you need to eat sooner, or prepare a snack if a meal isn’t going to be at the interval you are used to. Packing or purchasing some reliable staples for yourself is always a great idea- this way you’ll have options for snacks to ensure you’re getting carbohydrates, protein, and fat, and taking care of your body.
One of the joys of traveling is getting to try new cuisines. This might feel overwhelmingly scary, so let’s prep together. Can you pair the new, scary food with someone comfortable? Or rely on some coping skills or a travel companion to help you try this new food? All of the above? Just remember that food is supposed to be fun, variety is OK, and you don’t have to stick to your meal plan when you’re traveling. Even if you only take one bite of a new dish and eat familiar foods for the remainder of the trip, one bite can show huge progress. It’s the new and different steps that keep recovery going.
If eating while traveling feels unbearable, reach out to us. Our team of dietitians are all great at helping you figure out how to handle travel, how to approach eating a fear food, and how you can protect your recovery without being consumed by it so that you can enjoy your trip and get some much needed rest and relaxation!
If You’re Staying Home
A staycation or break from your usual routine is often just what the doctor ordered. It can be an incredible relief to be home and catching up on projects, relaxing, or enjoying time away from your regular schedule to do whatever feels good to you for several days. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, however, that freedom might feel scary. You might be concerned about feeling boredom, and eating the entire pantry, or allowing yourself a snack, but without work to jump back into right away, you might eat more than you wanted to, which could set off a guilt spiral. Or maybe you’re sleeping in, not exercising as much (or at all), and getting together with friends for meals out of the house. Guess what? This is all okay. If you eat what feels like too much, your body will use the energy. If you eat out for several meals, your body won’t know the difference between breakfast in or out. It recognizes that it’s getting energy, and your brain will be thankful for the social time you are getting with your friends.
Sometimes our routines work great for us, to help us set the tone for our day, give us structure, or allow us to do the things that bring us joy. Sometimes, however, we can get stuck in routines and continue doing them because “that’s our routine,” rather than because they still work. Maybe a week away from your routines reinforces how much they work for you, and you’re happy to get back to them. Or maybe a week break from them allows you to take a step back and reassess things. You’re always allowed to make changes that serve you best at the moment. If that means planning a lunch out with a friend regularly, do it. Or maybe you exercise a little less, so that you can sleep in a few mornings a week.
Whatever you are doing for a spring break, we hope you enjoy it. Nourish your body, mind, and spirit in what you choose to pursue. And if you can’t afford a week away, are there ways you can incorporate some break into your daily life? Switch it up- spring is the season of change and growth. If you need support during this season, please reach out to us. We’d be happy to help you find some calm around food.