In addition to the actual food that's present during the holidays, there are also a lot of other factors at play, says Cabrera. For example, more so than any other time of the year, holidays come with this pressure to ~indulge~ and eat a lot more than you normally would. Not to mention, all the difficulties being around family can bring — parents fretting over whether/how you're eating and making you feel watched, uninvited comments from relatives, even just an overwhelming environment in general.

If you start by thinking through what problems you might run into, you can adjust your expectations and hopefully be ready for them, says Cabrera.