Ep 33: How to Handle food Pushers This Festive Season

Show Notes

Ever felt pressured to eat holiday food you don't want? You're not alone. In this episode, I'm sharing exactly how to handle food pushers during the festive season while staying on track with your weight loss goals and low carb lifestyle.

I've maintained my 30 kilo weight loss for 25 years, and I've learned that the holidays aren't just about managing your relationship with food-they're about navigating everyone else's expectations too. Whether it's family gatherings, Christmas parties, or work celebrations, you'll discover practical strategies to set boundaries without damaging relationships or feeling guilty.

If you're trying to lose weight during the holidays, this episode gives you the exact words to say, mindset shifts to make, and strategies to use so you can stay in control and enjoy the festive season on your terms.

What You'll Learn

• Why family and friends push food on you (and why it's usually coming from love)
• 5 polite ways to decline food without offending anyone or making excuses
• The power of deciding in advance what you'll eat - so you stay in control
• Mindset shifts that make saying no to holiday treats easier
• How to use low carb alternatives to make festive eating enjoyable
• Why self-compassion beats self-criticism if you slip up
• Planning strategies to set yourself up for success at holiday events

Key Moments

The Holiday Food Pressure Problem
Understanding why hosts and family members push food—it's about love, validation, and cultural connection, not sabotage.

Your Ready-to-Go Responses
Practical phrases you can use when someone insists you eat: from gracious declines to honest boundary-setting to strategic white lies.

Changing Your Internal Dialogue
The mindset shifts that helped me navigate 25 years of festive seasons while on this journey: reminding yourself it's your choice, remembering you've had it before, and focusing on temporary pleasure versus long-term consequences.

Low Carb Alternatives Make It Easier
How having delicious low carb options available makes saying no to sugary treats much simpler.

Planning for Success
Simple strategies like eating before events, finding a supportive friend, and knowing when to leave early.

If You Slip Up
Why self-compassion is essential and how to get back on track immediately - not Monday, not tomorrow, but with your very next meal.

You're the Boss
The key principle: whether it's others or your own thoughts trying to convince you to eat, you decide. Staying in the power seat is what matters.

One Action You Can Do to Start Now

Think of 2-3 replies you can use for upcoming holiday situations where someone might push food on you. Write them down. Practice saying them out loud. Have them ready to go so you enter every festive event feeling confident and in control.

Bonus: Create a personal affirmation for those moments when you feel tempted. Something like: "It's a treat for 10 seconds in my mouth, but I have to deal with the consequences much longer. I choose to stay on track with my goals."

• Next week's episode: How to Do Low Carb on Holiday

Remember: The only thing that's going to stop you reaching your goal is if you quit. Never, ever give up.