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Hi, everyone! If you've been following my blog, you know that we recently explored two of the three destructive dieting voices which are listed in the fabulous book, Intuitive Eating. The Food Police and the Nutrition Informant. To wrap up our three-part destructive dieting voices series, let's talk about the third destructive dieting voice - the Diet Rebel!
The Diet Rebel voice frequently has rebellious thoughts in response to being on the receiving end of critical or controlling comments about eating and body sizes. But as the the Intuitive Eating book states, "Unfortunately, these rebellious comments reside in your head, because you're usually too scared to confront your space invaders and tell them to bug off." Therefore, the Diet Rebel voice results in committing actions of self-sabotage. Here are some examples below of the Diet Rebel's internal voice after receiving unwanted comments from others:
THE DIET REBEL'S INTERNAL VOICE WHEN RECEIVING UNWANTED COMMENTS
"I can't believe he told me that I shouldn't eat a slice of pizza! Game on! I'm going to eat pizza until I can't take another bite!"
"So you think that I should order the broccoli?! Whatever! So not going to happen!"
"I can't wait to leave work and head home so that that I can eat all the chocolate I want without any co-workers nearby making critical comments!"
"You think that I shouldn't eat anything until the next meal? Even though I don't feel like eating food right now, I'll show you! It's time to snack away!"
"So you think it's gross that I'm eating tofu in my stir-fry? Bring on the tofu!"
TURN YOUR DIET REBEL VOICE INTO A REBEL ALLY
The Diet Rebel voice can become a Rebel Ally voice. As the Intuitive Eating book states, you can implement the Rebel Ally "...to help you protect your boundaries against anyone who invades your eating space. Use your mouth for words instead of food in a direct but polite way - it's surprising how powerful it can make you feel while giving you a tremendous release."
For some of us, it can feel uncomfortable and intimidating to set boundaries when we're talking to a loved one, friend, coworker, or a stranger. Sometimes we can feel guilty for setting boundaries. If you can relate to this, check out this article. Or if it's difficult for you to set and keep your boundaries, here's something that might help you in this area.
We've explored some examples of what the destructive dieting voice - the Diet Rebel - sounds like above. Since our goal is to transform the Diet Rebel voice into a Rebel Ally voice - through setting boundaries - here are some examples of what the Rebel Ally voice could say to loved ones, friends, coworkers, strangers, etc:
"I'm working hard to develop a healthier relationship with food and my body. When comments are made about my food choices and my body size, it can harm the progress that I've worked so hard to achieve. Instead of talking about my food choices, body size or weight, let's talk about something else."
"Yes, I'm still hungry. We all have different energy needs. Please stop making comments about my eating. Thanks!"
"Yes, I'm full - but I prefer to have more to eat. I'm really enjoying this meal!"
"Thanks for preparing this delicious food! Since I'm comfortably full, I won't be having seconds. But thanks again for making this wonderful meal!"
"I'm just not craving chips. Thanks though for the offer!"
"Can I have some more mashed potatoes please? I'm still hungry. Thanks!"
So as you can see, the difference between the Diet Rebel voice and the Rebel Ally voice is that the Diet Rebel does not express its thoughts to the people who are making critical comments about food choices and the person's body size. In contrast, the Rebel Ally voice sets boundaries. If you listen to the Diet Rebel voice, actions of self-sabotage can result - with no boundaries being established to protect your well-being and the progress you've made on your Intuitive Eating journey. In contrast, if you listen to the Rebel Ally voice, you can feel more empowered by setting boundaries around your eating and body with others.
The bottom line is that we all deserve to set boundaries and keep them. Setting boundaries around food and our bodies is definitely a a form of self-care. By converting our destructive Diet Rebel voice into a Rebel Ally voice, we take a big step towards protecting the progress that we've worked so hard to achieve during the Intuitive Eating journey, and continue to make great strides in making peace with food and our bodies.
I hope that you have found this destructive dieting voices series to be helpful! If you would like to work with me to develop a healthier relationship with food and your body, or address general wellness concerns, click here to learn more about my private one-on-one sessions.