She suggests trying something like: “I think you meant that as a compliment, but it’s a sensitive subject for me that I would prefer not to discuss.” What have you accomplished recently?” Or maybe: “I’m working really hard to focus less on my body right now. Let’s talk about something else.”
2. “All bodies change over time for various reasons, so it makes sense that their bodies would be different.”
Even if your the body is not a topic of conversation this year holiday gathering, someone might try to talk to you about how someone else’s situation has changed. And while some people might consider this gossip trivial, it’s actually incredibly harmful.
“It’s important to help normalize that all bodies change, without attributing value to these changes as good or bad, while reinforcing the concept that commenting on other people’s bodies is problematic,” says Dr. Stevens . “I also recommend encouraging others to focus on other attributes that are far more meaningful than how a person’s body looks on any given day.”
It might look like: “Well, all bodies change over time for various reasons, including yours and mine, so it makes sense that theirs might be different. Personally, though, I was so struck by their brilliance. Have you noticed how they seem to put others at ease with such ease?
3. “Yes, it’s high in calories and I’m going to enjoy every bite.”
For some reason (probably diet culture), some people just can’t enjoy food without worrying about how many calories, carbs, or fat grams it contains. Worse yet, they might project this worry onto you by making comments about what’s going on. your plate – things like: “You know, this stuffing is really high in calories! or “Oh, I could Never eat so much!
“People are more or less comfortable with confrontation, especially in a vacation context, surrounded by loved ones,” Léa Tsui, RD, dietitian and owner of Limitless Nutrition in Los Angeles, tells SELF. For this situation, says Tsui, you can try a simple response like: “Thanks for letting me know!” or add a little boldness by saying: “I had no idea! Wow, thank you!» – and continuing to eat the stuffing.
