Who’s got your six with healthy eating?
Let’s face it, eating healthy is hard at times; but it can be especially difficult if your friends and family aren’t supportive of your efforts.
As a nutritionist and health coach, I’ve helped many Military Service Members and their families prioritize healthy eating. But I’ve also heard many stories of healthy habits being sabotaged. It’s frustrating to make progress with weight loss—or with healthy eating goals—only to have them thwarted by others.
Why would someone sabotage your healthy-eating efforts?
- They feel guilty: Your saboteur might think they should be eating healthier too but aren’t ready to commit. They use tactics to tempt you with unhealthy food choices saying, “A little won’t hurt” or “Just this time.” These comments can undermine your confidence and efforts.
- They don’t understand: If their eating goals aren’t the same as yours, they don’t know why it’s important for you to make the effort. They might also feel like they’re being punished by not being able to indulge around you.
- They miss the old you: They might miss the food experiences and special outings with you for favorite meals. This is especially common when you successfully lose weight. The saboteur could guilt you into feeling like you aren’t the same person anymore. For example, you aren’t a good parent for not baking cookies for the family. Or you aren’t a good partner because you don’t bring doughnuts home on the weekends. Or you’re not a team player because you skip happy hour with your co-workers.
How do others sabotage your good eating habits?
- Instilling fear: “You’re getting too thin.”
- Acting insulted: “You don’t like my cooking all of a sudden?”
- Confusing food with love: “You didn’t eat the cake I made. You don’t love me anymore.”
- Leaving unhealthy food around: “Help yourself to the candy in the dish on my desk.”
- Making you an outsider: “Since you don’t eat pizza anymore, you won’t be able to go to dinner with us.”
- Discouraging you: “Most people can only follow a diet for 2 weeks.”
- Psychoanalyzing: “You don’t seem as happy since you started this healthy-eating plan.”
Help them help you
You can encourage family members, friends, and co-workers to “have your six” with healthy eating by clearly stating your goals and plans. Ask them, “Is there any way you can support me?” Show them you’re confident in your decision and strategy.
How can you have someone else’s six when they try to make healthy eating a priority?
If you know someone who’s trying to eat better, talk to them to understand where they’re coming from. You can:
- Offer to go for a walk, a bike ride, or a hike. Or go bowling instead of going out to eat.
- Change your approach. If you start to say something negative or discouraging, ask yourself why, and reframe your comment.
- Plan a fun activity—non-food related—when they’re trying to start a new diet.
- Use the buddy system and get on board if you need to eat better too.
Making your health and good nutrition priorities can be daunting. Set yourself up for success by asking, "Who's got my six?"
About the Author
Maria McConville, of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, is a Scientific Research and Technical Editor for the Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU).
* The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of USU or DoD. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and do not reflect the views, opinions, or policies of The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The author has no financial interests or relationships to disclose.
