43 | Why Your Body Feels Like the Problem During the Holidays

The holidays have a way of turning your body into a problem overnight.

One minute you’re fine.
The next, you’re aware of how your clothes fit, how you look in photos, what you’re eating, and what you promise yourself you’ll fix in January.

If this happens to you, it is not because your body changed.
It is because anxiety is looking for safety.

In this episode of Block Out the Noise, Jessica Davis breaks down why body anxiety spikes during the holidays, why control starts to feel like protection, and why anxiety so often targets your body when you feel watched, judged, or out of routine.

This is not an episode about weight loss, discipline, or loving your body.

It is about understanding why anxiety turns your body into a battleground and how to stop fighting the very thing that keeps you alive.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why body anxiety spikes during the holidays
• How anxiety uses your body as a stand-in for safety and belonging
• Why control and food rules never bring the relief they promise
• What the “moving finish line” really means
• How to shift from monitoring your body to working with it
• How to approach food and movement with care instead of punishment
• How to protect your mind from comparison and overload

This episode is for you if you feel disconnected from your body, exhausted from overthinking food or movement, or stuck in a cycle of self-criticism that gets louder during the holidays.

You do not need to shrink to belong.
You do not need to earn rest, food, or comfort.
And your worth is not something you negotiate with anxiety.

Got a question or feedback? Text us and share your thoughts—we’d love to hear from you!

RESOURCES:
Get your FREE Anxiety Survival Toolkit to help you when your anxiety is overwhelming!

📱 Follow Us:

Instagram | Facebook | Threads

🎙️ Presented by Davis-Smith Mental Health

This podcast was created by Davis-Smith Mental Health, offering counseling for teens & young adults in Illinois (only). We accept BCBS PPO, Aetna PPO, and self-pay clients.

Links:
Anxiety Survival Toolkit:
https://www.blockoutthenoisepodcast.com/anxiety-survival-toolkit/

Davis-Smith Mental Health:
https://www.davis-smithmentalhealth.com/

1:1 Confidence Coaching:
https://tidycal.com/blockoutthenoise/confidence-coaching

⚠️ Disclaimer: Block Out the Noise provides personal insights and practical strategies to help manage anxiety and self-doubt. The content is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional mental health care, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a crisis...