How aware are you to how other people influence your eating decisions, especially in social settings?
If you’re intending to make a lifestyle change that gets you healthier, like improving your eating, people will either help you or hinder you.
People Who Help You
These people will probably have a healthy and relaxed relationship with food themselves. People like this generally make their own decisions about the food they eat and they can easily say “no” when they don’t want any more.
For example they might be around at a friend’s for dinner and offered a slice of home-made cake for pudding. They’re really full so they say something like “I’m so full so no thanks, I’ll take my slice home and have it tomorrow”. They can say this with confidence and politeness and not offend their friend.
People like this help your for two reasons. Firstly it demonstrates how to stop when you’ve had enough and make a confident decision regardless of what others are doing. Secondly they are not concerned with your choice, your choice is your choice – they don’t try to persuade you one way or another.
People Who Don’t Help You
Unfortunately there are many more of these about, and there is often nothing deliberate behind this hindrance. But it’s really important to become aware of them so you can prevent this often unintentional sabotage to your good intentions. It’s especially important to become aware of this if you live with someone who does this to you.
Hinderers encourage you to eat or drink more than you would if you were left to your own devices. They might say things like “oh go on, have a pudding I’ll feel greedy if it’s just me having one”, or “you’re no fun since you started getting healthy”, or “have another drink”.
The intention might be good here, BUT – it isn’t helping you, therefore it is harming you.
What To Do
Notice the helpers in your life and study how they are around food. What can you learn from them that you can start doing?
Set your own boundaries around food, be ready to stand your ground and stick to your guns. If you find it hard to “no thank you” – start practising it! If you really want to lose some weight it’s time to stop going with the flow and dancing to someone else’s tune.
Lastly – do you help or hinder the people in your life regarding their choices around food? When you start helping and encouraging others you help yourself too.
Please share this blog if you have enjoyed it, I’ll be very grateful
Have an Uber Healthy week
Dr Julie
PS If you’re interested in learning everything you need to know about losing weight sign up to my newsletter and be among the first to know when my book is ready (later this year).