It’s that magical time of the year again, when we get together with family and friends, celebrate our holidays of choice, attend parties, wear ugly sweaters, and eat a lot of delicious stuff. Along with the green bean casserole and frosted sugar cookies, chances are you’ll hear any number of the following things – maybe out of your own mouth. Let’s all do each other a favor and not say these things. Deal?
I can’t eat that, it’s so bad!
Makes you feel good to resist something bad, doesn’t it? Except food doesn’t have morals. It’s not “good” or “bad.” Sure, clementines are more nutritious than a piece of Aunt Josie’s double chocolate fudge, but it’s not always about nutrition. What you choose to put or not put in your mouth doesn’t make you a good or bad (or better or worse) person. Which leads us to…
Do you think you should be eating that?
That thing where you think it’s your duty to police what someone else puts in their mouth? Stop it. What someone else eats is absolutely none of your business.
You know, my friend’s sister’s cousin’s boss lost forty pounds on The Honey and Parsnips Diet.
Ah, unsolicited weight loss advice. Just what everyone was hoping to get! Too bad it clashes with the fact that diets have been repeatedly shown to not work in the long term, and usually result in the dieter being fatter than they were before they started. We’ll just go ahead and return this.
I gave up gluten, and I feel like a new person!
That’s fantastic, good for you. Please see above about both food policing and unsolicted advice. And then please pass the rolls.
I am so going to start going to the gym in January. Have you thought about joining a gym?
Wow, I had no idea you could determine a person’s fitness just by looking at them! Please stay out of my way in the pool.
I feel so fat!
Fat is not a feeling.
Make an effort to not body or food police anyone this holiday season (and, um, always). It really is none of your business what someone chooses to do or not do with their body, what they do or don’t eat, or if they are healthy or not. We tend to think that we’re doing someone a favor when we offer “help” in terms of diet and exercise advice, but unless you’re a doctor…
and the person you’re talking to is your patient (and maybe even then), your advice is most likely gonna come across as fat shaming. Is that how you would want to spend your holidays?
No time is a good time for body shaming and food policing, but this is an especially tricksy time of year for a lot of people. In short, be kind to others – and to yourself.
