How to handle “food pushers”
Social pressure and food pushers is something we have all experienced on our journey of trying to be healthier.
As if it wasn’t difficult enough to get in shape or eat healthier, we have also food pushers to deal with.
Does this sound familiar:
“Just have one slice of cake, it’s not going to kill you, it’s your favourite”
“Here, have some real food, you don’t need to lose any more weight anyway.”
“You have to let loose sometimes.”
Soon enough, we’re drowning ourselves in too much unhealthy food, even though it’s not even what we really wanted in the first place. I personally would NEVER recommend that you try to eat “clean” all the time because that’s not life and it’s not sustainable, however there are moments when you are pushed to eat/drink things you never would and that can be frustrating.
Food pushers at times do it because they love you, they want to make you feel special by making tons of food and showing you that they care.
However, at times, food pushers are insecure or unhappy about their food choices so they try to find other people to join them in their unhealthy habits, they feel unloved if you don’t eat the foods they made and they don’t want you to change.
Here are some of my tips you can use in social settings that can help with social pressure and food pushers:
- Try to be consistent whenever you can
When you are not in a social setting with food pushers try to eat based on your preferences and be mindful that one “bad” meal won’t ruin your progress or your results. It’s a mindset shift you can try to implement. You can’t always all the time be on some diet and understanding that giving in from time to time to some foods not on your list, is perfectly fine.
2. Make is about health and not about looks
Most food pushers worry if you start talking about looking instead of feeling better. Make it about health: cholesterol levels, diabetes, longevity, good heart etc…If you have spoken to your doctor who suggested making some changes, tell them that. It’s credible and valid. You should never feel ashamed for wanting to be healthier but unfortunately nowadays health equals meeting some insane beauty standards and no one believes that people ACTUALLY want to be healthy first.
3. What can you say?
Here are some of the things you can say if you feel cornered and you don’t want to hurt other people’s feelings:
- “I am trying to eat less sugar (example), it gives me a heartburn and headache that I find difficult to manage”
- “No thanks”-use it if you don’t know the person at all
- “Wow this cake looks amazing, but I already ate enough, thank you for offering”. You affirm them, set boundaries, express gratitude
- “Not right now, maybe later”
Let me know what you think, any experience with this topic? How do you handle it?