Body Positive Gift Ideas for the Holidays for the Non-Dieter in Your Life

Here are some different gift ideas for the non-dieter in your life!

If you have grown tired of hearing about fad diets and finally recognize (or are starting to recognize) that diets don’t work for the long term, consider giving thoughtful, body positive gifts.
These gifts will support your loved one’s authentic health in the new year. I have curated a list of gift ideas that will be sure to make your special person feel supported and loved in making peace with food and their bodies.
So many things are different now as we celebrate the END of 2020.  Connection with family and friends has become more important than ever. Unfortunately, this year has also highlighted the enormous disparities in our country with privilege and power, and highlighted the oppression of black, brown and indigenous people. Communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by COVID — illness, death, job loss and lack of government assistance.

Buy black!

What does this mean to me? Now more than ever I want to highlight the importance of being intentional around our purchase power, and to buy black.

Gift Ideas for the Anti-Dieter

Gift Your Loved One With Some Self-Care and Buy from a Black-Owned Business

1. She Matters Subscription Box Give the GIFT of  Self-care for yourself OR a friend!
2. I am Brave candle
3. All Black Everything Tea Gift Set : Sipping tea is a lovely form of self-care!
4. Self-Care Queen Bundle:
5. Phenomenal Woman  keychain: Because you ARE phenomenal!
6. Affirmation cards: Because you ARE enough!
7. Queen’s Wash:  Explore the herbal medicine with a cult-following and experience the results for yourself.

Books to Encourage Body Kindness:
To send a message about size acceptance and the non-diet approach, I highly recommend

1. Health at Every Size by Lindo Bacon. You will learn the theory behind why diets don’t work! and
2. Radical Belonging: How to Survive and Thrive in an Unjust World (While Transforming it for the Better)
3. Intuitive Eating Book and Intuitive Eating Workbook by Tribole and Resch. These are the seminal books written about the non-diet approach to living a healthy life.
4. Body Kindness by Rebecca Scritchfield. Learn to heal your body from the inside out.
5. The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor. In one reader’s words: “This book has helped open my eyes to body shaming that is all around us, and most importantly what we do to ourselves on a daily basis. It has changed how I think and interact with my own body and others’. A must read!”
6. Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating by Christy Harrison, host of the podcast Food Psych, is available for pre-order.
7. Eat to Love, an intuitive and mindful eating book with a Buddhist approach, by Jenna Hollenstein, MS, RD.

Help Them to Become Body Positive and Recover from Dieting or Disordered Eating:

1. Intuitive Eating Essentials for Midlife, Menopause and Beyond: This is a self-paced program that transforms you or your loved one’s relationship with food and body, particularly at midlife!
2. Weighted Blanket: The ultimate stress reliever to wrap you in comfort if you are anxious  and struggle with insomnia.
3. One-of-a-Kind Body Positive pillows or wall hangings with YOUR favorite affirmation. Mine is “Take up Space.”
4. “No Wrong Way to Have a Body”: An embroidered pillow is a beautiful way to say, “I love you just as you are!”
5. Voluptuart: Find body positive art, clothes & more on this beautiful site.
6. Nalgona Positivity Pride Etsy Shop: Body Positive poster.
7. Alex and Ani Healing Takes Love Charm Bangle, which supports the National Eating Disorders Association.
8. Kathryn Hack Body Liberation Art: Shop for unique fat positive art.
9. The Body Love Box: A monthly subscription to all things body positive.
10. The Recovery  Box : A wonderful resource for  anyone  in  recovery

Clothe Your Special Someone with Some Personal Styling:

1. Stitch-Fix: This is a personal styling service for everyone — No matter your age, size or budget!
2. Dia and Company: Personal styling for the larger-bodied woman.
3. Chubstr: Personal styling for the larger-bodied guy.
4. Thredup: This is the first online consignment thrift shop for your child, teen or adult woman in every size.

Food that Nourishes the Body and Soul:

1. Hickory  Farms Gift basket:  Filled with delicious snacks and gives back to end childhood hunger.
2. Harry and David Fruit of the Month Club:  Premium fruit and gourmet delights, delivered monthly.

Instill some body positivity and celebrate Every Body for young girls through adolescents:

1. Celebrate your Body by Sonya Renee Taylor.
2. Free to be Be Me: Self Love for All Bodies Book  by Leslie Williams, MD
3. The Intuitive Eating Workbook for Teens by Elyse Resch

Have a happy holiday season and remember that learning to let go of diets and embrace your body’s natural shape is a gift. This is a gift that just keeps giving, and can help your loved one:

• Feel more comfortable around food and with their bodies.
• Silence the critics who tell them they are not “good enough” just as they are.
• Practice patience, not perfection.
• Truly enjoy food.
• Trust their bodies to learn to stop eating when satisfied

You can click all the links above to find the items mentioned. To learn more about the Intuitive Eating Essentials Program, or to inquire about individual sessions, click here.