Let me be frank.
Nobody wants to hear about your diet or what you are eating or not eating during the holidays.
And if you are raising children or around children (especially teens), they certainly don’t need to be hearing about your diet.
If nobody wants to hear about it and you are not supposed to talk about it – why am I writing about this?
Because I still remember holiday dinners filled with diet and food talk, that left me feeling nothing but shame and guilt for eating what everyone else was eating.
It makes me sad to reflect and remember these memories.
The good news is, I’ve learned it doesn’t have to be this way.
It’s time to shift the conversation.
There is a movement in the world of nutrition, health, and wellness revolving around a non-diet approach and mindfulness. This is a concept I wish I had understood better as a young girl, but now I’m grateful I can at least share it with others.
As a mom, raising two girls, I love the freedom of knowing I don’t have to follow any diet or rules to be my best. I love sharing this freedom with others.
You see, when it comes to mindfulness, the first rule is there are no rules on what you can or should eat. Instead, it’s about exploring hunger and fullness cues, honoring food preferences, cultivating awareness with how your body feels and responds to certain foods.
The journey in becoming a mindful eater is a process. It certainly cannot be solved in this one blog post, but I can share some tips to help you shift the conversation.
Alissa Heath, a dietetic intern working on her master’s degree, shared some comments she’s observed regarding nutrition, weight, and body image during the holidays. Together we dove in to find healthy responses designed to educate and empower all the mama’s of Lafayette to shift the conversation this holiday season~
Some examples of how to change negative comments are:
Typical Comment: “I feel so fat after eating all of that.”
Positive Shift: “That was delicious! My tummy is happy!”
Typical Comment: “You look like you lost weight, you look great!”
Positive Shift: “I love your smile and energy!”
Typical Comment: (version 1) “I don’t eat that food because it is bad for me.”
Positive Shift: “I really like (food), I have the freedom to enjoy it.”
Typical Comment: (version 2) “I don’t eat that food because it is bad for me.”
Positive Shift: “I choose not to eat that food because it doesn’t make me feel good.”
Typical Comment: “Does this outfit make me look fat?”
Positive Shift: “Does this outfit bring me joy to wear?”
Typical Comment: “I need to diet tomorrow because of all the things I ate.”
Positive Shift: “I’m going to slow down and listen to what the body needs to feel energized.”
Typical Comment: “Ugh, I need to lose 5 pounds.”
Positive Shift: “I want to have a healthy relationship with my body.”
Typical Comment: “Carbs are bad for you.”
Positive Shift: “Carbs help me have the energy I need to be happy.”
These are just some examples, and I know there are many more out there. But now that you have read this, hopefully, you feel a little more educated and empowered to begin shifting the conversation.
One thing I know to be true: while words can harm, words can also heal.
Together we can begin to shift the table talk. When this happens, we will experience healthier, happier holidays, and beyond.
