IT’S YOUR PLATE!
The topic in this blog applies year round but it is not lost on me that I am sharing these thoughts a few days before Christmas, a time when we’re gathering with friends and family to celebrate. Friends and family that we may not have seen in person for a while the way the past few years have been and this can bring some anxiety when it comes discussions around eating and specifically people commenting what’s on your plate!
For some reason people feel free to make comments about what other people are eating and this can be especially true if you have made the choice to pass on the dessert table to stay on track with your eating plan and goals. I want you to feel empowered and free to enjoy your time, so here is some advice for handling those conversation points that take you off guard or feel a bit nosy.
Start with a deep breath
I think it is important to note that comments and questions mostly come from a place of interest or care. Sure there will be the errant perpetrator trying to get a reaction from you but they are the rarity. So take a deep breath and remember this! Keeping your cool and calm is usually the biggest determiner of how the conversation will go. Which leads to my next point.
Know your limits
Like the title says, it’s your plate and not anyone else’s. You owe no one a response about why you’re eating a particular way, regardless of their intent. I want you to feel empowered to make the right food choices for you but to also make the right choices for you when it comes to talking about it. Know yourself. Are you already feeling stressed out or overwhelmed by the holiday season in general? Is it the sixth person to make a comment and you’re just already all talked out? It’s okay if someone says something like “Aren’t you going to try the pies?” to reply with “Not today” and move on. There’s only so much in your cup and if you already feel like you’re scraping the bottom with a spoon, it’s okay.
Arm yourself with knowledge
If you do want to respond to that person who’s throwing out common misconceptions about keto it can be okay to brush up on some good responses in advance! Have handy resources you can pass along. Websites, book titles, great instagram accounts to follow, and more can be useful when you want to direct someone to a source. It can be very easy to reply, “It sounds like you’re interested in learning more, here are some resources I used when I started doing some research myself. Heck, you can always direct them to the Getting Started page here on our website! You don’t have to share all of the information yourself and if a person is not genuinely interested, a referral can be a great way to put a pin in the moment.
You can smile & nod
Honestly I have struggled with “going negative” when putting this blog together but I think we know that there can be those people who purposely make inflammatory comments to draw us into conversations, like the comment section on an Instagram post come to life! I have to reiterate that these are people and comments that you don’t need to pour any of your energy into. You don’t have to engage them, get mad, or even storm off. I find the best response is a polite smile and nod, then walk away. It takes their power away if you don’t play their games. Control yourself and your response as these are the only things we ever can control. These are not the minds that you can open or change. Instead look for those folk worth your time and energy. This is a hard line to draw with family especially but it is worth it.
Respond to genuine interest
On the flip side, you may find that someone is genuinely curious about your food choices and the changes you have made. They may even be looking to talk about how what you’re doing could be helpful to them or someone in their life. Be open to them asking the basic questions and not having a clear understanding about keto. When every headline is telling them it’s burgers and bacon only, they might benefit from learning more. These can also be great opportunities to find allies in your navigation of the event. These conversations can indeed be well worth your input, so don’t discount them right off the bat. These are the times to share your enthusiasm for what you are learning and experiencing.
The biggest lesson here is that you control who you engage with and the topics you’re willing to discuss. If a conversation makes you uncomfortable, you can choose to continue it or disengage. You’ve been empowered to make choices about your health and fitness. I want you to carry that empowerment with you when you go to any group event. Make the choices that benefit your physical and emotional health. If you’re struggling with feeling empowered in this way, I want to encourage you to check out the coaching programs that Jon and I have available to assist you right now! My programs can be found here and Jon’s are here.
