Give the food, weight police a day off this holiday

Thanksgiving can be a lightning rod. Many people have complicated family relationships, particularly with their family of origin. There are divorces, remarriages, estrangements, old wounds, and painful losses. Sometimes, we have a circle of friends who are our “real,” albeit adopted, family.

Combine complicated family dynamics with issues surrounding eating, weight, and body image, and you get…Thanksgiving. We’ve all heard that there are two taboo topics of conversation: politics and religion. I recommend expanding that list.

Most of us have a complicated relationship with food. The majority of Americans are overweight or obese and most want to lose weight. Disordered eating and/or negative body image is also common. While eating disorders are more common in women, eating disorders affect women and men regardless of race, ethnicity, size, weight, or socio-economic status.  You can’t tell by looking at someone whether (s)he has an eating disorder. Many people suffer in silence and secrecy, so you may have a family member with an eating disorder and not know it.

To avoid potential conversation landmines this Thanksgiving, think POWER:

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