I hope your holiday season is off to a cheerful start! I personally love the overall spirit in the air this time of year. I just wish we could leave the food and body talk behind.

Holiday parties, school events, social media, magazine articles, in line at the grocery store… I don’t know about you, but no matter where I go this time of year, I hear about someone’s diet, them being “bad,” or how they need to lose weight.

Just this past week I removed myself from two different situations, one at a lovely school breakfast event with my preschooler and the other at a friend’s holiday party.

It’s so ingrained in our culture that it seems normal for most people. I hear others willingly engage and ask for more information, offer compliments, share their personal diet secrets, or join in with their own body bashing.

I find it hard to be a part of, and if not directly involved, try to remove myself ASAP. If I’m directly addressed, I try to offer another perspective or simply reassure them that they’re ok just the way they are.

I don’t enjoy these conversations and sometimes find them hard to navigate.

Check out these awesome and direct responses from Redefining Wellness!

Even more important for me than my own discomfort is doing my best to protect my children.

They are likely to overhear these unfavorable conversations in passing or to be the subject of others’ concerns:

  • You have to eat more dinner.
  • No vegetables–> no dessert.
  • Wow! You can really eat a lot!
  • Don’t eat too much sugar or you’ll get sick. It’s bad for you.
  • Concerns about their weight, under or over.

It is absolutely ok for you to set boundaries and remove yourself from situations that don’t serve you and your family.

You can candidly speak to the one offering advice or commenting:

  • Let’s not talk about food or bodies. Thank you!
  • We trust our child to listen to their body eat the amount of food they want and need.
  • We don’t view food as good or bad. We just enjoy it!
  • We allow everyone in our family to eat food in whatever order they choose.
  • We all come in different shapes and sizes. Isn’t that the beauty of our humanity… Let’s chat about something else!

You can also politely ignore the person and remind your child of your families “rules”:

  • You don’t have to eat anything you don’t want. Just remember to listen to your body.
  • You know you are welcome to eat dessert if you choose. You can stop eating whenever you are done.
  • No food is “bad” for us. Too much of anything might make your belly hurt. I trust you to listen to your body.
  • All bodies are good bodies. Your body is perfect just the way it is!

The holidays often bring a lot of stress and overwhelm in general, along with family dynamics and heightened emotions.

REMEMBER: You do not owe anyone anything. If it’s too overwhelming, you can simply excuse yourself from a situation without any explanation.

You deserve to take care of YOU and your child ❤️

Thank you for joining me and letting me be a part of your journey in creating joyful eating for your family. I look forward to connecting with you soon!