Navigating Diet Talk During the Holidays 🍠

The holiday season brings great opportunities to connect with loved ones and create memories. Unfortunately, it can also lead to uncomfortable discussions about food, weight, and body image, bringing stress and anxiety into the holiday. If you're unsure how to navigate these conversations, we've got some tips to help.

Educate Family on the Impact of Diet Talk 💬

Before heading into holiday gatherings, talk to your close family about the effects that diet and weight discussions have on you. Many people don't recognize the anxiety that diet culture creates as it's so prevalent in our society. Discussing and educating family on this impact can help set a supportive tone so you have others to stand up for you if diet enters the conversation.

Set Boundaries 🙅🏽‍♀️

As early as you can, kindly ask others not to discuss their latest diet or weight loss trend. If someone comments directly on your weight or what/how much you're eating, you could respond by saying “I would appreciate if we didn't discuss weight today. If I want your advice in the future, I'll ask for it.” Such redirections can affirm your own comfort while guiding others toward healthier discussions.

Redirect Conversations Away From Diet Talk ↪️

Encourage family to discuss what the holidays mean to them or what they're grateful for instead of dieting or weight. If there is conversation about the food itself, encourage discussing traditions rather than calories. For example, "This is my Grandma's pie recipe. It's so nice to carry on her tradition!" If a family member mentions dieting or weight loss, gently steer the conversation in a different direction. You could say, “Why don’t we talk about how great this food tastes?” This can help with reducing guilt over eating choices and instead focus on food's role in sentiment and social connections.

Avoid "Good" or "Bad" Words While Discussing Food 🤚🏼

The words we choose around food significantly influence how we perceive it. Avoid categorizing foods as “bad” or “good” and instead, discuss how food makes us feel. Remember, guilt is not an agreement so no food can be "guilty" or "guilt free". Sometimes it can be difficult to honor your body because others are encouraging you to eat more or less than you choose. Remember, it's okay to say no to more food once you feel full. You're the only one who knows your body! Explain that you're working on listening to your body and honoring it's cues and you've had enough.

By setting boundaries and respecting our bodies needs, we can shift the focus from dieting to celebrating this holiday season. Ultimately, the holidays are about making cherished memories together, and avoiding diet talk helps everyone feel safer and have a more enjoyable time!