What do the HOLIDAYS mean to you? (December 2025)
As a registered dietitian who practices with a non-diet approach, I teach my clients how to approach food, movement and their bodies in a judgement-free way. This is what the holidays mean to me when speaking with individuals.
HOW you make choices about your food. Are you conscious, or unconscious when making choices at a holiday party? Are you scared to be flexible with various foods that are available? Are you adaptable to eating what is available even if it’s not what you want to eat? Explore ways that the “H” can be incorporated in a non-shaming manner.
OBSERVE all the options that are available to you. You do not have to be fearful that this is the only time you can have sweet potato pie or stuffing/dressing. When we get into the “last supper” mentality, that can set us up to binge.
LIKE what you are eating. I really believe this is important. Are you settling? Are you hoping the taste will grow on you? Or are you scared that you genuinely like the food? Food can and should be a pleasurable experience and we deserve to eat food that is satisfying to us.
INSIGHT about how various foods make you feel physically and emotionally is an important trait to develop.
DON’T tell yourself that you are going to DIET. When we send ourselves this message, it sets us up to engage in rebound eating, and possibly even bingeing. Learning how to achieve food freedom is a process with ups and downs.
ACOMMODATE your needs and be adventurous. Your needs may look like opting out of a social event, or attending, but only for a limited amount of time. Having a snack before attending the holiday party so you’re not ravenous when you arrive is another example that might help you accommodate your needs.
YES to trying new foods and new experiences—even if it feels a bit overwhelming. When you allow yourself to try things, you get to learn what does and does not work for you instead of just assuming that something doesn’t work.
SPEAK kindly to yourself and ask yourself, “Was this eating experience satisfying?
