INTUITIVE EATING: THE ANTI-DIET FOR THE HOLIDAYS
What It Is and How You Can Benefit
What are the benefits of eating this way? Intuitive eating isn’t about weight loss, although some people who practice it do shed pounds. Instead, many articles point to other benefits like increased respect for your body, less stress and guilt around food, and even a better understanding of your emotions. Ultimately, practitioners of this anti-diet claim to find more joy in eating than before. How can I learn more? Intuitive eating is based on 10 principles, including “honor your hunger” and “feel your fullness.” You can read about them at Health. ClevelandClinic.org/what-is-intuitive-eating or pick up a copy of the 1995 book that started it all: “Intuitive Eating” by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, two health professionals who specialize in nutrition and eating disorders. Intuitive eating is an “anti-diet” for every age and body type. It may be just the strategy you need to heal your relationships with food and get more joy out of the holiday season.
If you’ve ever seen any “What I Eat in a Day” videos on TikTok or Instagram, you’ve probably come across the hashtag #intuitiveeating. It pops up under posts ranging from snapshots of green smoothies to reels of influencers sprinkling cheese over giant bowls of pasta. If you’re not familiar with the term, you probably have a few big questions. What is intuitive eating, and why is it considered an ‘anti-diet’? At its core, intuitive eating is simply giving your body the food it needs in a mindful way. As psychologist Dr. Susan Albers explained in an interview with the Cleveland Clinic, “Intuitive eating is the polar opposite of dieting. Instead of following rules and restricting what you eat, you trust your internal hunger, fullness, and satiety cues to help you decide what and how much to eat. No food is off the table.” This means you won’t catch an intuitive eater counting calories, talking about cheat days, or staring longingly at a doughnut they want but just can’t have. Instead, you might see them slowly savoring their food and pausing between bites to decide whether or not they’re full.
COPING WITH NARCISSISTIC ABUSE AT CHRISTMAS
TACTICS TO WATCH FOR
Narcissistic abuse is a year-round phenomenon, but the holiday season can be especially dreadful for those on the receiving end. Holidays can trigger the worst in narcissists, as they can create circumstances that give them the perfect opportunity to engage in abuse tactics. Because the holidays are ostensibly about values like love, tradition, caring for the less fortunate, and creating magical childhood experiences, narcissists may find themselves sorely lacking the attention they crave. Holiday gatherings and family plans can become a stage for narcissists to engage in all sorts of power plays and shenanigans.
ways by a narcissist. The mother or father will buy excessive presents as a parental alienation tactic to show up their coparent. They may gift exercise equipment or overly large (or small) clothing to trigger body image concerns and hurt feelings. They’ll give insensitive, thoughtless, or cruel gag gifts. Some narcissists will even go so far as purchasing a Christmas puppy on a whim that inevitably ends up in a shelter weeks later. It’s downright evil how narcissists can take something that’s supposed to be wholesome and poison it. Ruining the Most Special Days It's one thing to deal with a typical narcissistic abuse tactic on any given day of the year, but having your Christmas morning ruined by a person acting out is exceedingly terrible. The narcissist loves to play games like singling out someone for cold, cruel treatment on the sly while turning up the charm with everyone
else. They isolate them and ensure they aren’t supported if they try to call out the narcissist.
You don’t have to let a narcissist steal your holiday cheer. You can make plans without them or learn to detach yourself so they can’t elicit a reaction from you. If children are involved, strategize for them, and create a backup plan so the holidays remain magical. We specialize in helping clients with divorce and family law matters complicated by gaslighting, narcissism, bipolar disorder, and other psychological challenges. Call our office today to see how we can help you.
Here are a few things you can expect from narcissists during the holiday season.
Weaponized Gift-Giving Gift-giving can be weaponized in countless
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