How to Respond to Diet Talk in Social Situations
Diet culture is everywhere. From the media, to online social networks, to friend groups, work, and even at home, when you take a step back it’s easy to see that diet talk has taken over much of the conversation. It may come from your co-worker who restarts their low-carb diet every Monday, or your best friend that won’t stop talking about her goal to lose 10 pounds and how she is restricting calories to do it. It is infused in the way we talk, the way we think, and what we’ve been taught as to how to “lose weight and be healthy”.
We know you are smarter than that, though! You know that a quick fix won’t fix anything long term. You want a healthy, sustainable solution. That’s why you’ve been listening to your body more and honoring your hunger cues- and we salute you for that!
So what do you do when you’re trying to steer clear of the yo-yo dieting, but your environment continues to focus on it?
Walk Away- It just so happens you suddenly need to excuse yourself to go to the restroom… but seriously! This is a valid excuse. Ask to help someone in the other room, or just excuse yourself away from the conversation. Your mental health is most important.
Change the Subject. There are nine million topics in the world to chat about- pick another one! Switching the subject is as easy as bringing up a new subject or asking about how their weekend was. A simple pivot of the conversation can make a world of difference.
Set Boundaries. It is important for not only our mental, but our physical health, to set boundaries. This doesn’t need to be confrontational- it can sound like “I appreciate you are trying to focus on your goals, but would you mind if we talk about something else?”
Challenge the conversation. You never know who you could help by explaining intuitive eating and the positive impact it has made on you. By helping to educate them (in a polite way) you could really be making a significant impact on someone else!
Challenging societal norms can be scary, but it is necessary if we are ever going to change the conversation around diet culture. Don’t let this give you anxiety- let this empower you and give you freedom!
