Kacey Musgraves said it best: you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t, so you might as well just do whatever you want. When it comes to eating, this is all too true.
People are ALWAYS going to judge your food choices, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying.
We’ve all been there before. We don’t want a slice of cake at a family party, so we receive countless passive aggressive comments about how we should live a little.
Or we DO eat a slice of cake, and someone comments on how we really shouldn’t be eating all that sugar.
Here are some tips I have to help you look past those comments.
- Remember that nobody actually cares. Nobody is going to look back tomorrow and think about what you did or didn’t eat today. You might feel incredibly awkward when your friend is on your case about not eating cake on their birthday, but they’re not going to think twice about it once tomorrow rolls around. I promise.
- Think about what will make you feel good. Will you feel better eating what you want, or what you think someone else wants you to eat? That is what matters. When you look back on this day, odds are that you’re going to be much happier if you know that you did what was best for you, and not what someone else wanted you to do.
- Be honest about your goals. You have a goal, and your food choices are part of reaching that goal. Explain that to them. If it’s someone worth caring about, they’ll understand that. It’s possible they simply won’t understand, but they should accept that those goals will bring you happiness.
- Realize that they may simply be insecure. When someone judges your choices, it’s often because it makes them feel insecure about their own choices. When you turn down the ice cream that they’re eating, they may suddenly feel like they shouldn’t be eating it, so they’ll pressure you to make them feel better. That’s okay! Understand that they are just insecure and let them do as they please.
- You can always tell them to back off. This is your life, not theirs. If they care about you, they’ll understand that you have your own choices. And if they stay on your case about it? Simply tell them to back off! Maybe do it nicely… but I won’t tell you how to handle your business. Be a little rude if needed.
At the end of the day, these judgments are something we need to learn to write off. Easier said than done, I know. But people are alllllllways going to make these comments.
That’s why it’s important to stay focused on yourself. Eat what you want. Remember your goals. Commend yourself on your amazing progress. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks, because YOU are what matters.
The main thing I want you to remember is that nobody ACTUALLY cares.
It feels like they do, and it might feel awkward in the moment, but every single person gets over it almost immediately. If you skipped out on Grandma’s Pumpkin Pie at the last family party and she questioned you about it, I can guarantee that she has gotten over it.
Some people will judge you because your choice makes them feel insecure about themselves. Some people will judge you because they’ve been hard-wired to think a certain way. Some people are just jerks.
That’s why confidence is such a beautiful thing.
Learn to be confident with yourself and your goals, and you’ll be well on your way to telling all those people to screw off. Nicely, if you so choose.
