The Intuitive Eater's Holiday Bill of Rights
Filed Under: Holiday Eating
22 December 2021 | Written by Xenia Ayiotis
As we approach Christmas and the festivities with all the talk and focus on food. The Christmas table overflows with special foods that only come out at this time of the year. These foods may invoke happy memories. Unfortunately for many of us, the Christmas table is also full of diet talk or you might feel uncomfortable eating around others.
Here are your rights to let go of guilt around holiday eating so that you can enjoy this special time and be at peace with food AND yourself!
Evelyn Tribole, co-author of Intuitive Eating, has kindly allowed me to share this with you…
Consider your Intuitive Eating Bill of Rights, as we enter the holiday season, to help you foster inner peace with food, mind and body.
- You have the right to savor your meal, without cajoling or judgment, and without discussion of calories eaten or the amount of exercise needed to burn off said calories.
- You have the right to enjoy second servings without apology.
- You have the right to honor your fullness, even if that means saying “no thank you” to dessert or a second helping of food.
- It is not your responsibility to make someone happy by overeating, even if it took hours to prepare a specialty holiday dish.
- You have the right to say, “No thank you,” without explanation, when offered more food.
- You have the right to stick to your original answer of “no”, even if you are asked multiple times. Just calmly and politely repeat “No, thank you, really.”
- You have the right to eat pumpkin pie for breakfast.
- You have the right to feel less than “cheerful” no matter what others are saying about the ‘true spirit’ of the holiday season. You have the right to honor your true feelings and respond to them with compassion.” – Rebecca Galla
- “Not right now thanks but maybe later” works really well to appease the pushy host/hostess. If there isn’t a “later” then remind yourself that there is tomorrow and you won’t perish today.” – Tracy Stoker
- “You have a right to notice how your body responds to different foods and to eat foods that look good, taste good and make you FEEL GOOD.” – Latoya J. Williams
- “You have the right to share your inner peace with food, without judgement! Others may just even be jealous!” – Kathryn Fink
- “You have the right to enjoy your food immensely even if a loved one with food challenges is present.” – Becky Henry
- “You have the right not to participate in diet/weight talk.” – Judith Matz
- “You have the right to eat others’ forbidden foods without feeling guilty.”– Jaime Fenton
- “You have the right to say a graceful “Thank you” when someone compliments you without denying their comment or putting yourself down.” – Sumner Brooks, MPH, RD, CSSD
- And Elyse Resch, co-author of Intuitive Eating offers this gem: “You have the right to feel the painful feelings that may come up at holiday time and to ask for support from someone safe.”
- As Evelyn Tribole says: “Remember, no one, except for you, knows how you feel, both emotionally and physically. Only you can be the expert of your body, which requires inner attunement, rather than the external, well-meaning, suggestions from family.”
Used with permission. Copyright © 2010 by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD Published at www.IntuitiveEating.org
My additions:
- “You have the right to eat any food your like without feeling the need to justify your choices.”
- “You have the right to feel overfull without feeling guilty”.
- “You have the right to eat cookies for breakfast”
- “You have the right to gently remove yourself from a place or space if the conversation is triggering.”
- “You have the right to eat whatever you want, however much you want, whenever you want without explanation.”
- “You have the right to be kind to yourself no matter what!”
Rights to Reproduce: You may reproduce this post, as long as you leave it unchanged, you don’t charge for it, and you include the entire copyright statement. Please let us know you have used it by sending a website link or an electronic copy to Etribole@gmail.com.
Wishing you joy and peace with food this season!
Xen
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