Dietitian reveals why you should keep your diet a SECRET – especially from your family
- Michelle Saari is a registered dietitian with EHealth in Ontario, Canada
- She explained the surprising ways people’s comments can derail your progress
- Research has shown that keeping your diet secret can help prevent failure
Many people have vowed to lose weight in the new year, but the key to achieving your goal may be keeping your health journey a secret from everyone, including your family.
Michelle Saari, a registered dietitian at EHealth in Ontario, Canada, has revealed the surprising ways comments about your appearance or a new diet can derail your progress.
‘Losing weight is a very personal journey. Not all families support this decision,” she told Fox News.
When you share your weight-loss goals, it’s common for family members or friends to respond with assurances that “you look great” and “don’t need to lose weight,” Saari explained.
Michelle Saari, a registered dietitian at EHealth in Ontario, Canada, has revealed the surprising reason why you should keep your weight-loss journey a secret
“No matter how well-intentioned these comments are, they can undermine your personal choice.”
The dietitian said another downside to being open about your weight loss plans is that people will comment on the changes in your body.
They may think they are complimenting you, but it could backfire.
“Research shows that such comments can lead to disordered eating,” Saari said.
Saari (pictured) explained that well-meaning family members and friends can undermine your weight loss efforts with their comments
She added that “by keeping your weight-loss journey private, you’re more likely to develop a healthier relationship with food and your body, free from external judgment.”
If you’re looking for someone to hold you accountable, the expert recommends finding a friend with similar goals and “setting clear boundaries” about “what kind of support you find helpful.”
“Your weight-loss plan is about making informed, personal nutritional choices, and not conforming to anyone else’s standards,” Saari told Fox News.
Casually talking about your weight loss goals with family and friends can also be counterproductive because it gives you an unearned sense of achievement.
A New York University study found that keeping your diet secret can help prevent failure.
The findings showed that those who shared details of their regimen with family and friends were less likely to achieve their goals.
The researchers explained that the positive recognition people receive when discussing their diet can be interpreted as achievement.
As a result, dieters are less likely to stick to their plans as strictly as before.
“The danger is that you feel that you have already achieved the goal and that you no longer need to act on it,” explains Dr. Peter Gollwitzer, the psychology professor who led the study.