The holiday and New Year season can be overwhelming, especially if you’re trying to heal your relationship with food or your body. This time of year tends to bring a flood of diet culture messaging, like subtle hints to “fix” your body, “earn” your meals, or “detox” after indulging. These messages can be exhausting and often leave us feeling guilty, ashamed, or disconnected from the joy of the season.
We wrote this blog to share tips that can help you rise above these pressures. Our goal is to give you practical, empowering strategies that prioritize self-care and balance instead of restriction and shame. We hope these tips can help you feel more confident and at ease this holiday season and beyond—because you deserve to enjoy this time of year fully and without guilt.
Focus on Connection:The holidays are about so much more than what’s on your plate—they’re about the people you share it with. Focus on the moments that truly matter: spending time with loved ones, laughing together, cooking, dancing and creating memories. When you shift your attention from food guilt to connection, you allow yourself to be present and enjoy the things that make the holidays special.
Embrace Joyful Eating: Food is about more than just nutrition—it’s tradition and culture, love and care, community and connection. It’s okay to savor your favorite holiday treats, whether it’s your grandma’s pie or festive cookies. These moments are part of the celebration, not something to feel bad about. Give yourself permission to enjoy every bite if you want.
Balance, Not Restriction: Focus on finding balance. Mindful eating is a great way to do this—listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues, and enjoy your meals without rushing.
One tip we always share with clients is this: don’t skip meals if you have a party or big dinner planned later. Skipping meals might sound like a good idea, but it often backfires, leading to intense hunger and feeling out of control around food. By eating balanced meals throughout the day, you can stay in tune with your body and enjoy the holiday spread without feeling overly hungry or uncomfortable.
Set Intentions, Not Resolutions
Rethink New Year’s Goals: Diet-focused resolutions almost always fail because they’re rooted in shame and unrealistic expectations. In fact, less than 10% of people actually stick to their resolutions. Instead of aiming for drastic changes, focus on goals that genuinely enhance your life, like increasing your energy, managing stress, or building strength. Choose things that feel exciting and achievable, not punishing.
Focus on Holistic Health: What would really improve your quality of life? Maybe it’s getting more sleep, finding a hobby that brings you joy, or strengthening your relationships. These kinds of goals are sustainable, fulfilling, and way more meaningful than chasing a number on the scale.
Set Boundaries with External Pressures
Navigate Difficult Conversations: We’ve all been there—those awkward comments about your body or what’s on your plate. You don’t have to engage. A simple “I’m focusing on enjoying the holidays, not dieting” can shut the conversation down and protect your peace.
Curate Your Social Media Feed: Social media can be a major source of diet culture messaging, so take control of what you’re seeing. Unfollow accounts that make you feel bad about yourself, and follow those that promote body positivity, intuitive eating, and joyful movement. Surrounding yourself with supportive content makes a huge difference.
Use Personal Affirmations: When the pressure starts to creep in, counter it with affirmations like, “My worth isn’t tied to my size,” or “I deserve to enjoy this season without guilt.” Write them down, say them out loud, or keep them somewhere you’ll see them often as a reminder to stay grounded in your values.
Seek Support and Community
Find Your People: You don’t have to navigate this journey alone. Whether it’s an online group, a local community, or a few trusted friends, surrounding yourself with people who share your goals of body acceptance and balance can be incredibly empowering. This kind of support not only helps you tune out the diet culture noise during the holidays but also builds a foundation for lasting confidence and peace in your relationship with food and your body.
As you move through the holidays and into the New Year, we encourage you to hold onto this truth: your worth is not tied to your appearance or your eating habits. You have the power to rise above the noise of diet culture and create a season centered on connection, joy, and self-care. Remember, the diet industry is a massive, multi-billion-dollar machine designed to profit from your insecurities—it thrives when you doubt yourself. But you don’t have to buy into it.
Let this season be about celebrating—not just the holidays, but yourself. You deserve a time that uplifts and nourishes you, free from guilt or shame.
Take the Next Step and Get Support
And if you ever feel like you need extra support, know that you’re not alone. The team here at Rooted Path, are here to help. Whether it’s strengthening your relationship with food or navigating these challenges, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Together, we can create a path that honors your well-being.