The season’s focus on food can make the holidays a particularly hard time for people with eating disorders.

To help, Overeaters Anonymous holds support group meetings at 6 p.m. Thursdays at Unity Church of Lawrence, 900 Madeline Lane, and 10 a.m. Saturdays at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, 325 Maine. OA’s Northeast Kansas’s hot line is (785) 357-8774.

And, here are some tips from the National Eating Disorders Association. More information can be found at nationaleatingdisorders.org.

1. Eat regularly and in a reasonable pattern.
2. Worry more about the size of your heart than the size of your hips.
3. Discuss your anticipations of the holidays with a member of your treatment team.
4. Have a well-thought-out game plan.
5. Talk with a loved one about important issues.
6. Choose ahead of time someone to call if you are struggling.
7. Choose a loved one to be your reality check with food portions.
8. Write down your vision of where you would like your mind and heart to be during the holidays.
9. Focus goals around what you would like to do, rather than on what you want to prevent.
10. Work on being flexible with your thoughts.
11. Stay active in your support group, or join one.
12. Avoid overstressing or overbooking yourself over the holidays.