Intuitive Eating During the Holidays

The holiday season can bring unique challenges related to food, body image, and diet culture. Between celebratory meals, family gatherings, and an abundance of other people’s opinions, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or disconnected from your body. But the holidays don’t have to be about restriction, guilt or shame. By leaning into intuitive eating during the holidays, you can prioritize your well-being, enjoy the foods and traditions you love, and approach this time with self-compassion and balance. Let’s explore practical strategies to navigate the season while staying true to your intuitive eating journey.

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1. Navigating Diet Talk

We all know family gatherings and parties can be ripe for diet talk. But you don’t have to tolerate it or stick around for it. Here’s my recommended approach for handling it:

• Recognize it: Notice when conversations shift toward dieting, weight, or food shaming.
• Set boundaries: Practice responses in advance, like, “I’m focusing on enjoying the holidays without food rules” or “I’m working on healing my relationship with food and body image. Can we avoid talking about weight loss or diets?”
• Redirect: Steer the conversation to other topics, like favorite recipes or holiday plans. Have a go-to question ready to shift the chat in a different direction.

Having these responses planned and practiced can prevent that deer-in-headlights moment when diet talk arises. Address it head-on early, and others may adjust over the course of the holiday season.

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2. Prioritize Self-Care

You deserve time to care for yourself and your needs. Taking care of yourself ensures you can fully enjoy the holidays while staying mentally and emotionally healthy. Consider these three areas:

• Rest: Prioritize quality sleep, even during busy schedules.
• Movement: Choose joyful activities, like a family walk or dancing to holiday music, and don’t shame yourself for skipping your usual exercise routine.
• Downtime: Schedule moments of solitude or quiet to recharge.

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3. Cultivate Self-Compassion

The holidays don’t need to feel “perfect” for you to enjoy them. Your experience largely depends on how you treat yourself during challenges.

• Practice kindness: Replace guilt with curiosity when food, movement, or social situations feel overwhelming.
• Reframe “mistakes”: Overeating or feeling unprepared is part of being human. You can eat and enjoy delicious holiday foods without guilt—there’s no such thing as “cheating” in intuitive eating.
• Affirm yourself: Use phrases like, “I deserve to enjoy my holidays without judgment or shame” or “This is a special season, and I can return to my usual habits afterward.”

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4. The Importance of Eating Consistently

• Avoid skipping meals: Consistent nourishment regulates hunger and energy. You don’t need to “save up” calories for big meals—eating regularly helps you feel balanced and in control.
• Plan ahead: Bring snacks to events if meals might be delayed. This prevents both hanger and the urge to overeat when the meal finally arrives.

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5. Applying the 10 Intuitive Eating Principles

1. Reject the Diet Mentality

Diets aren’t for everyday life—and definitely not for the holidays.

• Tip: Challenge diet culture messages about indulgence. Make it a game by calling out holiday diet messages when you see or hear them in ads, conversations, or media.

2. Honor Your Hunger

Stay attuned to hunger cues, even during busy or social times.

• Tip: Use the hunger-fullness scale to check in with yourself throughout the day.

3. Make Peace with Food

Embrace all foods without assigning “good” or “bad” labels.

• Tip: Remember, all food breaks down into nutrients that your body uses, whether it’s a vegetable or a holiday cookie.

4. Challenge the Food Police

Your food choices don’t define your worth.

• Tip: Prepare a response to counter internal or external “food police” messages, whether in your mind or from others.

5. Feel Your Fullness

Pause during meals to assess your fullness but extend grace if you overeat.

• Tip: Use a mantra like, “This feeling of fullness is temporary and will pass, just like it always does.”

6. Discover the Satisfaction Factor

Enjoy food for more than just nourishment—it’s about connection and celebration too.

• Tip: Keep a list of your favorite holiday foods to revisit when you need something special later.

7. Cope with Emotions with Kindness

The holidays bring a range of emotions. Food is a valid coping tool, but it doesn’t have to be the only one.

• Tip: Explore non-food strategies like journaling, deep breathing, or connecting with a loved one.

8. Respect Your Body

Unsolicited comments about your body may arise—be ready to handle them.

• Tip: Wear clothes that feel comfortable and prepare a response for body-related remarks.

9. Movement – Feel the Difference

It’s okay if your movement routine looks different during the holidays.

• Tip: Choose movement that’s fun and connects you with loved ones rather than tracking calories burned.

10. Honor Your Health with Gentle Nutrition

Focus on variety, not perfection.

• Tip: Aim to include a serving of fruit and vegetables each day for balance while enjoying holiday foods.

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The holidays are a time for joy, connection, and making memories—not for guilt, restriction, or diets. By embracing intuitive eating, you can navigate the season with confidence, honoring your needs and staying attuned to your body. Whether it’s setting boundaries around diet talk, prioritizing self-care, practicing self-compassion, or following the principles of intuitive eating, there are countless ways to stay aligned with your values and enjoy the season to its fullest.

Remember, no single meal, snack, or moment will define your health or your worth. Approach the holidays with curiosity and grace, trust your instincts, and give yourself permission to savor this special time. 

For more tips and guidance on ditching dieting and embracing intuitive eating, download my free guide with 10 practical steps to get you started.