Seven Weight-Inclusive IG Posts about Boundaries
Support, ideas, and fashion tips to help you create weight-inclusive body and food boundaries, No Weight Loss Required.
Do you feel like setting boundaries is "rude?" “Boundaries help to protect our well-being, and folks who care about you should be cool with that. It's also super normal to have to repeatedly set a boundary.” Explains, Renee Hope who is a weight-inclusive dietitian at Nourish. I had a great chat about setting food boundaries, and she detailed creating and enforcing boundaries is challenging and takes a lot of support. “This is personal. No one can tell you what your boundaries are, you have to listen, read and explore to find what works for you.” That hit home for me. Renee specializes in weight-inclusive care, and taking her advice, I have created a list of Renee’s seven IG people to check out in your non-diet journey.
Meet Cara Harbstreet, Anti-Diet Dietitian and creator of Street Smart RD
“…it sucks that it’s still necessary, but diets aren’t going anywhere, and neither are unwelcome comments about your food choices or your body. Sharing this now if you want to practice and prepare for the holiday season when it feels even more likely that you’ll have to deal with it!”
Check out Cara’s YouTube video for more tips.
1️⃣ Change the subject
2️⃣ Get snarky
3️⃣ Engage and educate
…and you also have the option to judge it on a case-by-case basis.
Here is some tea! “If you live in a multi-privileged body (AKA white, thin, young, non-disabled), you really should NOT back away. This is the time to use all that unearned privilege to challenge diet culture. For everyone else: protect yourself first. If it doesn’t feel safe for you to speak up or push back, know that you can still stay true to your values without showing up to every fight you’re invited to.”
Meet Laura Adlington, Fashion and body confidence podcaster.
Dealing with the weight of other people’s opinions about your body / what you’re eating can be really tough. Here is an episode of @goloveyourselfpod filled with practical advice on how to deal with criticism or comments about your body.
Meet McKel, MS RDN, a Mindful Eating Dietitian and owner of Nutrition Stripped.
Have you ever felt pressured by someone commenting on your food choices? 👋🏻
McKel explains, “You’re likely to experience this at some point in your journey to balanced eating.”
“why are you eating that?”,
“come on just try a bite of this!”,
“why aren’t you eating this food?”,
“that’s so bad for you, why are you eating that?”,
“you have to try this because I made it!”
…it can feel really uncomfortable when this happens. Especially when you’re working on your balanced eating habits. Check out her IG post for ideas and ways to manage these unwanted food and eating comments!
Meet Shana Minei Spence, MS, RDN, CDN, creator of The Nutrition Tea.
In the words of Salt-N-Pepa:
🎶What's the matter with your life?
Why you gotta mess with mine?
Don't keep sweatin' what I do
'Cause I'm gonna be just fine check it out… It's none of your business.🎶
You don’t have to explain your choices to anyone if you don’t want to. None of these have to be followed with a:
❌ “…oh but I’m going to work out later”
❌ “…I didn’t have much to eat earlier”
❌“…I’m going to be good tomorrow”.
You don’t have to say anything. Nothing. If you’re worried about coming across rude, ask yourself why the person interrogating you, isn’t considered rude. Why is it rude to set boundaries no matter what the relationship is with the person? Just some thoughts to sit with.
Meet the AntiDietRiotClub, a UK non-profit community designed to rock diet culture!
Healthy boundaries can be a form of love. They don’t mean you’re being ‘difficult’ or ‘picky’ or ‘argumentative.’ They’re guidelines or limitations that you set with yourself and others and can actually make times like these, which are sometimes emotional or fraught, easier to navigate. As @prentis.h says: 'Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.'
Meet Brenna O’Malley, RDN, LDN Creator of The Wellful
In this IG post, Brenna answers, HOW TO RESPOND TO DIET TALK begins by asking, “What are you going to do to set yourself up for success this week? That might mean brainstorming some phrases you can use if diet talk comes up for you. Thinking of these ahead of time gives you the chance to have some tools on hand in case a situation feels difficult.”
Meet The Confidence Corner a plus size community for women based in the UK.
It’s ok to set boundaries with how people talk about your body. “And we all know this is 10x worse when it comes to women. Society has an obsession with critiquing people's size/shape/weight, and it’s messed up.” When it comes to fashion, this community has got you covered. Blog posts, fashion tips, inspiration, and plus-sized influences!
I asked Renee, who is your ideal client? “My ideal clients are folks that have a history of dieting, disordered eating, or eating disorders and are ready to try a new approach. I love to break down diet culture and help improve relationships with food and body image. “ You can work one-on-one with Renee at Nourish.