It is common to feel stressed about food and exercise during celebrations, and this often peaks at winter holidays. Balanced You and our colleagues at Public Health want to remind you to be gentle and kind to yourself.

The winter holidays and the new year are a great time to take a look at our assumptions and judgments about food, exercise, and our bodies, and to learn more about Intuitive Eating and making peace with food. During the holidays, you can support yourself and others by:

• Not labeling foods as “good” or “bad”
• Honoring your cravings around food by giving your body and mind what they are asking for
• Offering yourself kindness and self-compassion if you feel uncomfortable after eating
• Redirect conversations about “good” or “bad” food, dieting, or body size. Say, “I’d prefer we didn’t talk about this. Let’s talk about (insert topic – sports, nature, music, art) instead.”

Read more about the principles of intuitive eating on the Balanced You blog.