FOOD/DIET Shaming – “DON’T YUCK MY YUM”

We have all heard of Body Shaming; but what about FOOD and DIET Shaming?

Food/Diet Shaming: Placing judgment on another for his or her diet/food choices. Commenting or negatively reacting, shaming or forcing your food choices or diet beliefs onto someone else.

With food being such an important part of human social interaction and cultures, it is a hard subject to avoid, and why would we want to?! Food is amazing!! Food can bring people together in so many ways. It can make you feel powerful, happy, sour, spicy and even sexual! Who would want to turn such a powerful tool into something negative? Not me! I want food to be something that brings people together, not rips them apart. Can’t the fast foodie and kale eater be friends?

Just because someone chooses to eat avocados and kale instead of steak and potatoes doesn’t mean that it should come along with comments like:

 

or that look of disgust…

The same goes the other way, just because you drink green juice and have a healthy BMI, does not give you the Certification of Healthy Food Police to The World. Comments like:

needs to STOP! You don’t know what they need! Maybe they do need that second scoop of ice cream!

Do I believe that we should all take care of our bodies and be educated on food and how it works in the body, of course! I am a Holistic Nutritionist after all, I have my beliefs and ways but I too have grown and changed throughout time. We are all growing and changing every second of every day. I have changed just while writing this article. I used to be a big steak-eater and even did an all protein diet once! Now my body is telling a different story, free of red meat and filled with greens. I want the world to be healthy and educated on the power of our food and listening to our bodies to lead us to a healthier tomorrow. I want to spread awareness and help those that are ready and open to begin. Yes, sometimes people need help, however, food shaming is not the way! Do we need to lie and agree with each other even when we don’t? Absolutely not, but we do need to respect why we each choose what we do.

We have all had moments where we have judged another for their choices, beliefs or even for the way they look or speak. Even if we just thought it in our minds, we are all guilty. We need to find a way to accept others food their choices, even if those choices are not our own. Let’s stop this negative cycle circling food and turn it into Understanding, Acceptance And Growth.