Establishing Healthy Boundaries this Christmas to Navigate Social Events & Divert Diet Culture Talk

We all know that Christmas is a time for being with friends and family, but it can also be a difficult time.

Boundaries are important to establish so that we don't have to hear about diets, weight loss or how someone's body has changed.

Boundaries create an atmosphere of respect and understanding which will allow you to enjoy your social events without feeling judged by what you eat or how you look.

These boundaries should not be set in stone; they should change depending on the event and people involved.

Boundaries should be thought about at least a week or two before the event so that you can prepare for them and put them in place if they are necessary.

Boundaries don't have to mean completely shutting down your friend, just making it clear what is OK with you and what isn't.

How to establish a boundary with a loved one or friend

If you are struggling to set boundaries with a loved one or friend, it might be helpful to start by explaining why you need the boundary.

For example, if you don't want to talk about dieting and weight loss at Christmas, explain that these topics make you feel uncomfortable and stressed.

This will help your loved one understand why you need the boundary and they might be more likely to respect it.

You could also try setting a strike limit for conversations which appear to be trending towards these topics or conversations which you find continue to revert back to them; for example, allowing for 3 strikes (with a strike referring to a gentle intervention on your part either discussing how you'd rather not discuss this topic or trying to divert the conversation in a different direction) before changing the subject more firmly or walking away from the conversation.