How Other People Affect Your Diet

When you go on a diet, you might see it as an intensely personal matter: your weight – and your weight loss – is your business, not anyone else’s. While this is true, it’s also true that other people can have a significant effect on whether or not your diet is likely to succeed.

These are three key ways in which your friends, family and even strangers might be affecting your diet…

We Tend to Behave Like the People Around Us

Firstly, we all take behavioral cues from the people around us. If you’ve ever had a second glass of wine because your friend was – or turned down dessert because you were with a group of other dieters – then you’ll have seen this in action.

Statistics show that, if you’re overweight, there’s a good chance that your friends and family are overweight too. In some ways, being overweight is “catching” – you get used to the portion sizes, and clothes sizes, that are around you, and you see this as normal.

It doesn’t just have to be your friends, though: even strangers may influence our behavior. Ever been at an all-you-can-eat buffet and helped yourself to a fourth plateful, because the people at the next table were?

What You Can Do:

• If you’re going out with a group of overweight friends, plan your meal beforehand. Decide for yourself whether or not you want dessert, and don’t feel pressured by the group.
• When you want to achieve a particular goal, such as exercising more regularly, surround yourself with people who have already managed that. You’ll be encouraged and motivated by them.
• Try reading success stories from other dieters when you’re struggling to find good role models in your life.

We Work Harder When Someone’s Taking An Interest

Researchers have found that participants in their studies sometimes work harder just because they know they’re being observed. It’s often easier for us to focus on our goals when we know that someone’s taking an interest – whether it’s our mum, our doctor, a life coach, or a close friend.

Think about the times in your life when someone’s shown a strong and positive interest in your progress. It might have been a teacher at school or college, or a line manager at work. Did you find yourself motivated to work harder?

You can get the same effect in your diet by finding a person or a small group of people who can help support you.

What You Can Do:

• Consider talking to your doctor, or to a dietician, life coach or personal trainer about your dieting goals.
• Ask a close friend to help you stay accountable: perhaps they’ll phone once a week to ask how you’re doing.
• Find an online dieting buddy to swap emails or instant messages with each day.

We Often Struggle to Say No to Friends and Family

Have you ever had a really good dieting day … until the point when a colleage insisted on giving you a slab of her birthday cake, or when your mum pressed you to have second helpings?

It can be really difficult to say “no” to well-meaning friends and family. It’s especially difficult when many of your nearest and dearest are also overweight: you may feel awkward being the person who stands out by eating a salad or turning down dessert.

Usually, your mum means well when she cuts you that huge slab of apple pie. For many of us, food is a form of nurture – a way to show that we love someone. However, if you want your diet to be successful, you can’t let it get off-course every time a friend wants you to share a bag of chips with her.

What You Can Do:

• Let people know that you’re changing your eating habits. Sometimes, the word “diet” provokes strong reactions: you might find that “eating healthily” works better. Depending on the context, you might also mention that you’re “cutting down on sugar”.
• In many cases, saying “It looks lovely, but I’m full right now” is an easy way to get out of extra food.
• Don’t feel guilty or upset if someone seems offended: it’s their problem, not yours! There’s no reason why you should feel obliged to eat everything you’re offered.

In general, do you find that other people are supporting or derailing your diet? Do you have any tips to add, or questions to ask?

Written by Ali Hale

Related posts:

1. You Don’t Have to Diet Alone
2. Seven Great Habits of Slim People
3. Five “Do”s and “Don’t”s to Help a Friend Who’s Dieting