How You Eat is Your Own Damn Business
Aug 02, 2017
I’ve gotten comments my entire life about how I eat.
That’s not terribly unusual for many people, I don’t think. We’re all super nosey, lol, and want to know how, what and why other people are eating a certain way. Even long before I became a Holistic Nutritionist, I was always intrigued by what was on other people’s plates.
Often I hear from clients that they are getting flak from friends and family members for changing up their typical meals, and honestly, it can be a tough adjustment.
One time, a co-worker asked me about the muffin I was snacking on. I told her, and before I could even tell her the ingredients and why it tasted so good, she said that “it must be gross” because I make everything “way too healthy.” LOL!
It’s easy to be offended when people comment on our food, because how we eat is a very personal choice. Many people already hold a great deal of shame, fear or uncertainty around how they eat, and it can sting to hear something like that.
So how do we handle these comments?
- Recognize that there will always be people who make comments.
- Understand that these comments are not about you. Rather, they’re a reflection of how the other person likely feels about their own style of eating and potential insecurities surrounding the way the eat.
- Get comfy in the uncomfy. Yes, some of the comments that people make might even feel downright rude, but nutrition is extremely personal and if how YOU eat makes someone else uncomfortable, that’s their issue.
When it comes to comparison in terms of nutrition, the only rule is that you need to do you. Your plate may look different from someone else’s and that’s totally ok.
Instead, focus on eating what you love and what makes you feel your best.
You don’t need to justify how you eat to anyone.
If someone is very persistent and it’s bothering you, mention in a polite way, “this might be different than how someone else eats or how I used to eat, but it’s making me feel really good.” Anyone who’s going to argue with you about eating in a way that makes you feel amazing is making it clear that they likely have a difficult relationship with food themselves.
The good news is that you’re also leading by example. Many people have told me that once they started quietly eating better, the people they spent time with began to naturally eat in a healthier way as well, without being at all pushy about it whatsoever.
Get started today on eating better with my 1-page FREE Digestion Cheatsheet!
Has anyone ever made you feel uncomfortable about how you eat? What did you do? Let me know over on Facebook!
