6 ways to support liberated, attuned eating during the holidays

From our Friends at Rogers Behavioral Health

Written by: Cindy Dexter, RD, CD, registered dietitian for OCD and Anxiety Adult Residential Care

Holiday gatherings often come with a wide variety of foods, traditions, and expectations. For many people, this abundance is enjoyable; for others, it can bring up stress, anxiety, or confusion—especially in a culture that moralizes food and bodies.

Rogers Behavioral Health’s Cindy Dexter, RD, CD, a registered dietitian specializing in OCD and Anxiety residential care for adults, shares common challenges and gentle, non-diet recommendations for navigating this time of year.

What challenges are sometimes associated with holiday eating?

Holiday meals introduce many variables—new foods, unfamiliar ingredients, and overwhelming choices. People with food allergies must navigate these differences with care, and individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds may encounter foods they don’t recognize.

For someone with a history of eating disorders, diet messaging, food moralization, and heightened holiday stress can make the table feel intimidating. When anxiety rises, people are more likely to rely on eating disorder behaviors to cope.

Additionally, holidays are often paired with unrealistic expectations of perfection and constant joy. Overstimulation and pressure can leave people feeling inadequate or disconnected from themselves.

Why do the holidays often bring up emotional eating patterns?

The idea that holidays should be purely joyful is a myth. Many people experience intensified emotions this time of year:

• Financial stress: Gift-giving expectations can feel overwhelming.
• Pressure to “be happy”: People may hide their true feelings to avoid conflict or because others are emotionally unavailable.
• Family dynamics: Stress or disagreements can leave people feeling isolated.
• Life changes: Grief, loss, and transitions can shift the meaning of the holidays.

For some, the holiday food table becomes a place of comfort or numbness. For others, fear of judgment or fear of “losing control” around food—messages often learned from diet culture—can lead to restriction or avoidance of gatherings.

Supporting yourself with nourishment is not about discipline or restraint; it’s a form of compassion and care.

What does balanced, attuned eating mean?

Balanced eating is rooted in body trust and liberation—not rules. It means:

• Refraining from moralizing foods: Foods aren’t “good” or “bad,” and all foods can fit.
• Responding to your body’s cues: Eating when hungry, stopping when comfortably full, or following a consistent rhythm if cues are confusing.
• Universal worthiness: People of all body sizes, identities, and abilities deserve access to satisfying, varied, culturally meaningful foods.

What can balanced eating look like during the holidays?

If this time of year feels overwhelming, these gentle strategies can help:

1. Don’t skip meals.
   Skipping in anticipation of a bigger meal is a diet-culture trap. It often increases anxiety and distress around food.
2. Choose portions that feel satisfying for you.
   Aim to leave meals feeling nourished, not deprived.
3. Avoid all-or-nothing thinking.
   You’re allowed to enjoy both vegetables and desserts—rigidity creates more stress, not balance.
4. Stay hydrated.
   Water supports energy, digestion, and mental clarity.
5. Enjoy sweet foods without guilt.
   Pleasure is a legitimate and important part of eating.

Nourished bodies cope better with stress, immune demands, and emotional intensity. Restriction—intentional or unintentional—makes coping harder.

What if I ate beyond my usual intake?

This is extraordinarily common—and okay.

• Normalize it. Eating more than usual is part of human life, not a failure.
• Stay present. Future or past food choices don’t need to dictate the current moment.
• Practice gentleness. Your worth isn’t measured by how closely you follow any eating pattern.

How do I settle back into my eating rhythm after the holidays?

Consider a gentle, body-trust–aligned approach:

• Eat regularly. Try to nourish yourself every three to five hours—not as a weight management strategy, but as a way to support physical and emotional steadiness.
• Move in ways that feel joyful or grounding. Start where you are. Movement is not a punishment or a requirement for “earning” food.
• Prioritize rest. Consistent sleep supports hunger cues, mood, and energy.
• Set compassionate, realistic goals. Focus on what enhances your life—not what shrinks your body.

Every New Year, diet culture becomes louder, pushing unrealistic standards and promoting the belief that weight is fully within personal control. These messages create guilt, shame, and self-criticism—not health.

Protect your peace by reducing exposure to social media accounts or programs that moralize food or bodies. Instead, choose sources that affirm your autonomy, dignity, and lived experience.

Nourish yourself, hydrate, rest, move gently if it feels good, and honor your body’s wisdom. Body liberation is about recognizing that you are worthy of care, comfort, and respect—during the holidays and every day of the year.

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