Welcome to the -ber months. AKA, September, October, November December. The most magical time of year, yet, the time of year when everything revolves around food. Let’s be real: those festive meals? They can send anyone spiraling into an eating frenzy. I’ve been there—starting with “just one cookie” and somehow waking up on January 1st wondering where my jeans went! 

In this episode, I’m joined by the amazing Sabrina Magnan, a fellow binge-eating coach, and together we’re sharing our craziest holiday eating stories (yes, we’ve been there too!) while offering real tips to help you enjoy all the food-centered holidays without the guilt.

If you’re ready to break the binge-regret-repeat cycle, Sabrina and I have your back with some seriously practical advice—and a few laughs along the way! This is a must-listen for you!

The Burr Months: A Survival Guide to Navigating Food, Holidays, and New Year Chaos (Without Losing Your Mind)

Welcome to the Burr months, my friends! No, not “burr” as in chilly (although, yes, it’s cold too), but “burr” as in September, October, November, and December—the glorious time of year when we get to bask in the chaos of food-centered holidays, and a whirlwind of festive anxiety. If you’ve ever found yourself tangled in a web of Halloween candy wrappers, Thanksgiving leftovers, and Christmas cookies, welcome to the club!

Meet Your Guides: Kelly and Sabrina—Fellow Survivors of the Burr Months

First things first: Hi, I’m Kelly, your host from the Food Freedom Society Podcast, and I’ve teamed up with my girl, Sabrina, from the Live Unrestricted Podcast. Together, we’re here to help you ditch the guilt, shame, and all the “I’ll start over in January” vibes. Because, let’s be real, that “New Year, New Me” stuff is like a hot mess on a treadmill. It sounds good, but halfway through, you’re just praying you don’t trip over your own shoelaces.

Sabrina and I? We’re both Virgos, we’re both a little bit crazy, and we’re here to bring you all the tips, tricks, and laughs to make it through these food-heavy months. Spoiler alert: you deserve more than the guilt binge-cycle!

The Holiday Eating Marathon: From Halloween to New Year’s (Where’s the Finish Line?)

Let’s be real—once you survive Halloween, it’s like opening the gates to an all-you-can-eat buffet that doesn’t stop until you’ve promised to kill it with Whole30 in January. Halloween hits, and suddenly you’re surrounded by Reese’s shaped like pumpkins (which are, obviously, superior to the regular kind). Then, boom—Thanksgiving rolls in with its turkey-and-pie marathon, and before you know it, you’re eye-deep in Christmas cookies that are basically shaped like Santa. It’s chaos. Pure, delicious chaos.

Cue the Holiday Anxieties: It’s Not Just the Food

But here’s the kicker—it’s not just the food, is it? It’s the people. Oh, the people. You’re suddenly surrounded by family members who ask those wonderful questions like, “Have you gained a little weight?” or “Are you sure you’re going to eat all of that pie?” Add that to the overall pressure of food-centered gatherings, and bam—your anxiety levels are spiking faster than your sugar intake.

Kelly’s Holiday Hustle: The “I’ll Start Over in January” Trap

As someone who has totally been there, let me tell you—it used to be a full-on mental Olympics for me. Every holiday was like, “Alright, I’ll just throw in the towel now, but don’t worry, come January, I’ll be a whole new person.” Spoiler alert: I was not. The idea of being good “after the holidays” is just another way to set yourself up for failure. Because here’s the thing: there’s always something. Whether it’s Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just a random Tuesday with leftover cake, food is always going to be a part of life.

Sabrina’s Sneaky Holiday Binge: It’s Like Saving Up for Disaster

Now, let’s hear from Sabrina. She had her own system going on: she’d “save up” for holiday meals, get up at 6 a.m. for a killer workout, and then binge like it was her last supper during the big family brunch. And we can all relate to this cycle, right? You feel so proud of yourself during January’s “no sweets” challenge, but by February, hello, Valentine’s Day chocolates—boom, back to square one.

The Root of the Problem: It’s Not Just About Food

Here’s the harsh truth: the problem isn’t really the food or the holidays. It’s about the mindset behind it. If you’re constantly bouncing between being “good” and then going into full-on “eff it” mode, it’s time to dig deeper. Why are we treating every holiday like it’s the last chance to ever have a piece of cake? Why does every dinner out turn into a guilt-ridden, post-meal slump? It’s because we haven’t tackled the root issue—our relationship with food. As long as we’re in this love-hate, all-or-nothing dance with food, there’s always going to be an excuse to binge.

The Cookie Monster Conundrum: How Holidays Stole My Cookies

One of my favorite (and most cringeworthy) memories is from my family’s annual Christmas cookie-baking day. We’d bake all day, wrap up the cookies to give to neighbors and teachers, and guess what? By the time everyone left, I had eaten all of mine. Yes, every. Single. One. They didn’t even make it to the gift bags! And it wasn’t because I loved cookies so much—it was because I felt like I’d never be able to stop if I started.

The Real Gift: Freedom from Food Obsession

Here’s the thing—we deserve more. You deserve more. Whether you’re like me, who was in a constant “holiday binge mode,” or you’re like Sabrina, pacing yourself but still caught in the guilt, you deserve better. You deserve to be present during the holidays, not living in your head about the food on your plate. You deserve to enjoy the moments, not just survive the holiday marathon.

So this year, instead of sprinting towards January with hopes of being “better,” let’s focus on feeling better. Eat the cookie, enjoy the pie, but also be kind to yourself. It’s not about being good or bad—it’s about living freely, even when the world is covered in pumpkin-shaped Reese’s and gingerbread men.

Shifting the “Save-Up” Mentality

A huge lightbulb moment for me was realizing that saving up for a big meal—like skipping breakfast or eating really clean before a holiday dinner—was setting me up for failure. The truth is, when you deprive yourself beforehand, all you’re doing is creating hunger and mentally preparing for a binge.

Picture this: you walk into a dinner event, and all you can think about is when the food will arrive. Your eyes keep darting to the waiter, wondering if that plate is yours. You’re so hungry that you can’t even focus on the conversation. Sound familiar? This is what happens when you “save up” calories for a meal, only to end up starving and unable to fully enjoy it.

Instead, I learned to approach it differently—by eating regularly and tuning in to my hunger cues throughout the day. No more starvation beforehand. By the time dinner rolls around, I’m no longer obsessing over the food but able to relax and enjoy it.

Recognizing the Limits We Set on Ourselves

Here’s another kicker: when we tell ourselves, “I’ll be good tomorrow,” we give ourselves a free pass to overindulge today. It’s like saying, “I won’t have this food again for a long time, so I need to get as much in as possible now.” This thinking locks us into a scarcity mindset, one where we believe this is our only chance to enjoy the food.

But the truth is, you can have these foods anytime. There’s no “last time” or “only chance.” You can buy a pie whenever you want, not just on Thanksgiving. So, why rush? Slow down, savor each bite, and remind yourself that you can always enjoy it again tomorrow, or the next day, or the next.

Eat What You Actually Like (Not What You “Should”)

One of the most freeing realizations I had was learning to only eat what I truly enjoyed. Gone are the days of stuffing myself with something I don’t care for just because it’s part of the holiday spread. If I don’t like it, I don’t eat it. Simple as that.

Instead of mindlessly eating something just to “get my money’s worth,” I now ask myself, “Am I really enjoying this?” If the answer is no, I don’t need to keep eating it. This creates room to truly savor the foods I love—without guilt.

Guilt, Shame, and Judgment: The Cycle Breaker

Ah, guilt. It’s such a common emotion tied to food, especially during the holidays. I used to think, “Well, I ate that pie, so now I have to make up for it tomorrow.” But what I didn’t realize is that this guilt was setting me up for a vicious cycle. The more guilt, shame, and judgment I piled onto myself, the more likely I was to binge again.

Recognizing this was a game-changer. Instead of attaching guilt to the food I was eating, I began practicing acceptance. I told myself, “I’m eating this because I want to. And that’s okay.” This simple shift turned what used to be a negative experience into a moment of joy and satisfaction.

Find the Joy in Food Again

One way to break the binge cycle is by adding more enjoyment and mindfulness to your meals. Ask yourself, “Am I present right now?” Are you truly tasting that cookie or apple pie? Or are you rushing through it because you think this is the only chance you’ll get?

Take time to really experience your food. Savor every bite. Find joy in the flavors. That way, you don’t need to have a dozen cookies to feel satisfied—one or two might be enough when you’re fully present.

Wrapping Up: What Do You Want to Feel After the Holidays?

Before we close out this episode (and this blog post), take a moment to reflect. How do you want to feel at the end of the holiday season? Do you want to wake up after Christmas feeling bloated and overstuffed, or do you want to say, “That was the first holiday season where food wasn’t the most important thing in my life”?

Grab a pen, pause the podcast, and jot down how you want to feel when the Burr Months are over. Once you have that vision in mind, reverse engineer your steps. How can you make that vision a reality? What strategies can you implement today?

Final Thoughts

Remember, the holidays are meant to be enjoyed. The food is part of that, but it doesn’t have to be the main event. Focus on the memories, the connection, and the laughter. When food is just one piece of the puzzle instead of the whole picture, you’ll find yourself enjoying it more and stressing about it less.

Here’s to a season filled with joy, presence, and a lot less stress!

Follow me for daily tips on Instagram! @kellylwellness

Are you ready to stop overeating and finally be in control around food? Watch my FREE training How to Stop Binge Eating (Without Cutting Out Your Favorite Foods) to learn how it’s possible!