Navigating Holiday Eating Anxiety & Diet Culture

Happy Food-days!

Ah, the holiday season. The lights, the decorations, the traditions, the matching outfits, the events, the family and friends, and, of course… the FOOD!

For many, the holiday season is a time for joy. A large part of that joy is eating a lot of delicious food with the people we love.

While it brings joy to many, it also brings anxiety to others. Gatherings centered around food can be very difficult for those who struggle with their relationship with food and/or eating disorders.

Diet Culture in Holiday Conversations

While Mariah Carey’s voice is repeating a Christmas song in your head, there may also be thoughts of food and diet culture repeating. Diet culture wants you to be monitoring how much of the Thanksgiving helpings you are putting on your plate. Diet culture tells you to make a joke about your own plate or the plates of those around you.

Common phrases you might hear:

“Somebody’s hungry!”
“Slow down there, friend!”
“Save some for the rest of us!”
“Another serving? Are you sure?”
“Good thing I didn’t eat anything before this!”
“I’ll have to starve myself tomorrow!”
“I better stop before my pants burst open!”
“I’m going to have to work this off tomorrow.”
“I haven’t eaten all week, so I deserve to eat all this food!”
“I’m such a pig.”
“I feel so fat.”
“I wish I had some self control.”
“I wish I had an eating disorder.”

Why These Comments Can Hurt

These sayings are so common that we don’t even realize the messages that we are sending to those around us and to ourselves. These comments are straight out of diet culture, telling us that food is bad and we have to apologize for eating “too much” of it.

Diet culture makes us think we have a right to comment on and judge the amount of food someone is eating. We feel shame looking at our own plates and our bodies.

Who’s Impacted by Food Talk

During the holiday season, we need to be mindful of who might be hearing these comments. It may be the five year old who is just starting to develop her sense of self and self confidence. It may be your twenty year old niece who is hiding an intense eating disorder. It may be yourself as you struggle to have a healthy relationship with food.

Shifting Toward Joyful Eating

Focusing on the amount of food everyone is eating and comparing ourselves robs us of the joy of the holiday season. If you want to focus more on the joy, I have some suggestions for new phrases to have on repeat that won’t make everyone feel ashamed to indulge in the festivities.

Supportive alternatives:

“This food looks and smells delicious. I can’t wait!”
“It feels so good to eat such good holiday food!”
“Pass the turkey.”
“I’m so grateful we can all be together.”
“I love that the holidays bring us together to share a meal.”
“Thank you for making this dish.”
“Happy Holidays!”

ABOUT

WENDY CANOVA

Wendy is a trauma-informed therapist who supports clients navigating eating disorders, body-image concerns, and trauma. She offers a compassionate, affirming space to help you rebuild your relationship with your body and move toward healing.