How to Handle Food Pushers

Have you taken a good look at your calendar lately? Brace yourself because with Halloween NEXT week Thanksgiving and the never ending onslaught of holiday related events are just around the corner. Don't let this time of year derail your goals and send you into a 6 week slump as you meet the new year. There are many strategies to handle the holiday season but I would love to kick off with one of the most challenging: The Food Pusher. 

Its true these Pushers give the likes of Johnny Dakota and other 1990s dealers a run for their money. If you are old enough to remember after school specials and Public Service Announcements to fight the war on drugs you may think you can identify Pushers by their leather jackets or hip blazer-tee shirt combos. Just stay away form abandoned play grounds and you will be safe... Right?   

The truth is the real dealers- The Food Pushers, can shape shift to resemble your friends and family. Those who your less motivated self ordered late night pizza with OR polished off an entire pie without a second thought. Your motivation or desire to better your health is a real threat to the Pushers. To them, this new "health kick" challenges your relationship making the Pushers evaluate their lives and health and maybe they're not quite ready to take that inventory. People will find their own motivation when they are ready but I know how frustrating it is when their "well meaning" interactions with you seem to try to chip away at your drive toward success. Be patient because many people don't understand the the Food Rules or the real purpose for food: nourishment and fuel not companionship, happiness, and certainly not a reward. 

How can you spot a PUSHER? 

Exhibit A: The head tilt

You know what I am talking about. The "Oh you're on a diet" pity gaze your friends and family give you after they mention dinner plans or put out a dessert spread. As you repress the feeling to scream "ITS A  F%#@ING LIFESTYLE!!!" take a DEEP breath and summon a diplomatic response. Here are some strategies to try on in the next few weeks so you are ready to roll this holiday season. Keep in mind that in many families "love" is shown through food but don't let guilt compel you to abandon your goals; just be aware of how you respond. Lifestyle changes require an ENORMOUS amount of dedication, as such there is often an equally ENORMOUS amount of emotion attached. Keep you emotions in check to keep your relationships from suffering. 

1. Just Say No

Thank you, Nancy Reagan for this powerful slogan! Sometimes we think we need to have elaborate reasons why we are not partaking in certain activities when a simple "No, Thank You" would suffice. Pushers are looking to give you an excuse this strategy works because there is not a lot of information for them to argue with.  Sometimes people think they know more than you do as if you didn't realize that one cupcake, in fact won't kill you until they mentioned it. 

2. Allergies/Sensitive Stomach

These days its pretty common to have special dietary needs. Why not jump on the gluten-peanut-lactose-egg-soy-meat free bandwagon. Most people have some sort of sensitivity so don't be afraid to make it work for you. Can't find an ingredient to be your scapegoat? Don't forget about the spices! No one will ask for your medical history. Its often easy enough to say that you have eliminated ______ from your diet lately and your stomach is thanking you for it. 

3. "But its your favorite!"

You know your friends and family well enough to be able to predict what they are going to serve at get together. Of course offer to bring something of the healthy variety and try to fill up on that while only having a few bites of more decadent treats; but if you are like the Pringles add, "Once you pop you just can't stop" and are vowing to abstain try the "OVERDOSE approach". When Pushers pass the brownie tray by you and notices you do not reach for the gooey goodness respond by saying something to the effect of "they look delicious but after my latest brownie binge I think I have hit my limit". 

4. "Oh, you're one of those diet or fitness obsessed people?" 

Some Pushers love to judge. Before you spout off this little ditty come up with an answer that glosses over this passive aggressive statement. 

If you are like me you HATE to let something like this go; deep down we both know that playing into it is only going to cause YOU aggravation. So if you laugh off the "obsessed" comment because A) you  more likely to annoy them and B) have the opportunity to say you have been concerned about your health and leave it at that. Most people will not ask follow up questions and its the truth we should all be watching what we are eating for health reasons. 

5. Take it To Go

Leftovers are almost always a no go for me. If I choose a day to be  my cheat day I will enjoy it BUT leave it at the door. My exception to this rule is when a Pusher will not quit. Respond by saying that you are stuffed but would love to take some home with you- then you can toss it when you are in the safety of your own home or better yet on the way home to avoid temptation. This works great because often when the moment passes even Pushers forget about your objection and you can go on your merry way.

When all else fails: 

Knock the cupcake out of the Pushers hand and unless you are George Costanza no one will expect you to eat something off the floor or out of the trash. So summon the strategies you learned to deal with peer pressure and the ones listed above and you too can survive workplace parades of treats (its always someone's birthday), happy hour, and even holiday get togethers.