On our Wellness Journey we have met some interesting people. When we started, Eddy Encourager was a great help to keep us going and Wilma Water supplied us with clean water. We welcomed them on our journey.
As we continue down the road, we will also meet Fanny Food Pusher. Let me give you some background:
Food pushers find ways to interfere with the healthy relationship you have with food. They make comments about your nutritional choices or insist that you eat differently, whether that means eating more food or eating different food than you want. For example, at a family gathering Aunt Sue may insist that you have seconds. Or a co-worker may say, “I can’t believe you are eating a vegetable salad for lunch!”. Maybe it is not intentional but the pressure to eat can make you feel uncomfortable and derail your nutritional goals.
Why people push food
People pressure others to eat for a variety of reasons. Some may be insecure about their own food choices. Others want someone to enjoy the food with them (a form of celebration) or do not want to eat alone.
There are people that learned that making sure others eat is a form of love or kindness. Sharing food is social activity and a way to connect.
Not all people will understand your nutritional restrictions because of your medical condition or will agree with your food choices because it does not fit into their moral or ethical system.
Why saying “no no” is important
To say “no” is to say that one will not accept or agree to something. Know your health guidelines and respect your body enough to know when to say “no” because:
- You are the only one who can really identify your health priorities in life.
- You are the person who is going to be most affected by the health decisions you make.
- Life flows, moves, and progresses, whether we say no or not. There will be negative health consequences when you do not have boundaries.
- Saying no to one thing is saying yes to another.
- “No” is one of the best forms of self-care.
Tips from Walker on how to say “no no” to a food pusher
Saying “no” can be difficult. It is often associated with being rude and you don’t want to draw attention to yourself. Maybe you do not want to hurt anyone’s feelings by saying no and are afraid to lose their favour. Finding ways to politely refuse a food pusher will help you stick to the eating habits that you have chosen for your health.
- Be honest. “Thanks, but no thanks. This is not what is best for my body right now.”
- Practise assertiveness. “I appreciate the thoughtfulness and generosity. I am unable to enjoy this food today.” Repeat yourself if necessary.
- Change the subject. Say no thank you and then talk about something that is not associated with food.
- Keep it positive. Do not make negative comments about the food, your body, or health status. Be kind, praise the host for their hard work and how delicious the food looks and smells while politely saying no.
- Be consistent with your boundaries. When you say no but then allow someone to pressure you into another helping, you are telling that person it’s okay for them to keep on pushing.
- Ask for help. Keep your friend or spouse up to date on your food preferences. When you are in a difficult situation when someone does not respect your “no” ask for their support.
There will be times on our Wellness Journey that we will have to say no to food. It will be tough because you can almost taste the savoury flavour or smell the sweetness, and you want to take a bite or an extra helping. Check in with your body before you do. Let it be your guide to saying no. If you lose a friendship because of an uneaten cookie, it is time to move on.
Your Wellness Buddy
Sarlene
https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-say-no-to-food-pushers-3495964
