Quiet the Noise: Practicing Body Neutrality This Holiday Season

As the season shifts from summer to fall, intentions and mindset may also begin to take different shapes. The once vibrant, bustling, and carefree attitudes begin to slow down into cozy, grounded, and reflective restoration. Every new season brings an array of themes and perspectives into focus, along with new challenges. The obstacles faced during autumn months can frequently become intertwined with the season’s holidays. While some may find peace and sentiment in the holiday months, others may notice an increase in more uncomfortable feelings of anxiety or rumination. 

Outward concerns may arise around managing upcoming trips, financial stress, navigating family interactions, or hosting gatherings. These disruptions in routines can trigger or intensify problematic narratives around self-esteem, self-awareness, and body image. In a 2025 study, researchers studying seasonal patterns of Body Image Dissatisfaction (BID), found notable increases of BID linked to the holiday months from November through January. The researchers also concluded that online searches about dieting spiked in January as a possible result of distress from holiday weight changes and heightened pressure to establish fitness goals for the New Year.

A few of the most frequent body image concerns may stem from exposure to diet culture on social media, unwanted comments made by family members, self comparisons to others, food triggers from celebratory feasts, or even the pressure of wanting to look a certain way in family photographs. Nutrition expert, Caroline Young, provides strategies for coping with these stressors such as taking a break from or reducing social media use, setting boundaries with family, having a designated “safe person,” and shifting perspectives about the holidays. All of these are great coping skills to use throughout the fall and winter months. 

In recent decades, the Body Positivity movement has become more prevalent in challenging societal standards of beauty and fitness. The main goal of Body Positivity is to reframe negative narratives about one’s body into accepting, loving, and feeling confident about one's body as described in this 2026 article from VeryWell Mind. In recent years, critiques on the movement's lack of inclusivity, unrealistic expectations, and maintained focus on the body have been more apparent. Major shifts in focus around body image are being driven by the reality that people are exhausted and fed up with anchoring their self worth on their appearance. 

Imagine how different the holiday season might feel this year if you started to realize that the way your body looks is the least interesting thing about you. Practicing Body Neutrality could offer an out from the body awareness trap. Body Neutrality is regarded as an effective idea that discourages hating one's body without the alternate demand of loving it unconditionally. Additionally, this movement is favored for its diversity, including trans and disabled individuals. An article published by WebMD describes Body Neutrality as the opportunity to “make peace with your body, step away from any negative or positive talk, and give yourself the space to simply exist.” 

In practice, Body Neutrality shifts can look like: 

• Viewing your body as a neutral vessel for existence. 

• Avoiding social discussions around body image or standards. 

• Appreciating the functions that your body is capable of rather than its form. 

• Using neutral phrases and affirmations when referring to your body. (“My body is where I live, not who I am,” “My body is neither good nor bad; it simply is,” “I appreciate what my body does for me.”)

• Turning your attention to personal strengths and unique talents. 

Reclaiming mental energy this holiday season by releasing the cognitive and emotional space taken by constant body evaluations, offers room to be fully present for meaningful connections, joy, and positive experiences. This change in thought patterns may require some practice but the goal is self-compassion and acceptance, not perfection. Patience is key. Body Neutrality is a helpful tool for navigating the season but it doesn’t have to end when the decorations come down. Incorporating this skill into your arsenal has the potential to bring lasting peace year round. 

What might you do and how might you feel if you realized that the way your body looks is the least interesting thing about you?

Resources

Cherry, K. (2026, April 18). What is body positivity?. VeryWell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-body-positivity-4773402 

Sreenivas, S. (2025, February 15). Body neutrality: What to know. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/beauty/what-is-body-neutrality 

Thomas, J., Regan, T., Samad, R., Aljedawi, Y., AlJuboori, D., & Wells, A. (2025). Seasonal body image dissatisfaction: a bi-hemispheric panel analysis of social media users across 4 years. Eating and weight disorders : EWD, 30(1), 72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-025-01782-9

Young, C. (2025, December 8). Expert advice on navigating holiday body image struggles. Expert Advice on Navigating Holiday Body Image Struggles. https://equip.health/articles/body-image/body-image-holiday-challenges