Ask a Health Coach: Social Media Triggers

Hey people, Board-Certified Health Coach Erin Power is right here to speak about social media triggers and tidying up your feed. If you discover social media hurting your well-being, we’ve acquired methods, ideas, and backup! Have a query you’d wish to ask our well being coaches? Leave it under within the feedback or over within the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group.

Annie requested:
“I switched to Primal a few months ago, and it’s going pretty well. Before that, I had a long history of on-and-off-again dieting and calorie counting. FINALLY, I’m starting to feel like I can just eat real food and let the weight watching go (without gaining weight in the process). The problem: Part of what helped me go Primal was following hashtags on Instagram like #paleo #primal #keto, etc. This actually helped me stick with it and feel part of a community of people eating this way and loving life. BUT lately I’ve noticed myself getting super triggered by certain posts. Usually these are women who are super thin (maybe anorexic) using paleo and keto hashtags. While I’ve come a long way, I don’t look anything like that. It triggers old habits around food and body image. How do I deal with this but keep the good parts of social media inspiration? Sorry for the long question lol.”

First, welcome to the Primal consuming crew, and congratulations in your aware efforts to encompass your self with supportive messaging and group. Creating a supportive atmosphere is HUGE relating to implementing and sticking with behavior shifts and wholesome change efforts.

I’d wish to acknowledge you, as properly, for noticing what’s NOT working relating to social media and your well-being. That consciousness is an ignored first step of self-care. In the tip, we’re our number one caretakers. By recognizing what is useful and what’s not, you’ll be able to take steps to decide on what really nourishes you.

Tidy your feed, tidy your thoughts.

As you talked about, social media generally is a great assist for Primal consuming and residing. In a world the place a lot messaging (on-line and IRL) is NOT well being aware, it’s good realizing you’ll be able to go surfing and see and even join with the many individuals embracing wholesome existence and having enjoyable alongside the way in which. Good for you for searching for out group as you make supportive shifts.

That mentioned, social media is a combined blessing. You by no means know who or what would possibly enter your feed. This is the case whether or not you observe sure hashtags or if the platform feeds you “recommended” or “suggested” posts and advertisements based mostly in your earlier exercise.

As a Primal Health Coach, I work with many consumers who’ve a historical past of consuming problems or different unhelpful patterns associated to meals, consuming, and weight reduction tradition. One of the primary issues I do is suggest that they take a detailed have a look at what content material and messaging they’re consuming each day—together with on social media. Is it useful? Or not a lot?

I discover this myself on Instagram now and again and take speedy, proactive steps to edit out what’s triggering or not serving my greatest curiosity. I also have a saying: Tidy up your Instagram feed. Tidy up your thoughts.

If Instagram is recommending posts that you simply discover triggering and unhelpful, be sure to flag them as “Not Interested.” You do that on the submit itself, by clicking the three dots within the upper-right nook to see your choices. Of course, for those who observe the triggering account, unfollow! You can achieve this on the particular person’s profile web page or by merely clicking these dots up prime for the “Unfollow” possibility. If a specific hashtag appears to convey numerous triggering posts your manner, unfollow that too. If the submit is “sponsored,” you’ll see an choice to cease seeing the advert.

Put merely: Anytime something or anybody makes you are feeling badly about your self or is derailing your wholesome change efforts, take the ability again and easily make it disappear. We’re specializing in Instagram, however this is applicable to all social media in addition to different content material you’re consuming on-line or in particular person. Unfortunately, you’ll have to do it many times as a result of these things at all times appears to creep again in. But there’s something intentional and empowering about this train! If you do that typically sufficient your feed DOES change.

Say no thanks, with care.

Current magnificence beliefs have come far however nonetheless have an extended strategy to go. Numerous social media content material tries to persuade us to be as lean and light-weight as attainable (whether or not by means of overt messaging or by means of what’s implied in photos and captions).

Since you’re already embracing a Primal way of life, you already know that attaining a specific dimension or form is just not what we’re about. Yes, many of us attain their perfect physique composition by consuming a nutrient-dense food plan comprised of actual, complete, minimally processed meals; high-quality protein; wholesome fat; fruits and veggies; and high-fat dairy. But the larger image is enhanced well being, longevity, and vitality inside, no matter how we glance on the surface.

This is true, AND, as long as there usually are not underlying well being situations and as long as the ten Primal Blueprint Rules are usually utilized with at the very least 80% consistency, desired modifications in physique composition are inclined to occur naturally—with out calorie counting or battle.

As a Primal Health Coach, I see this because the norm with my purchasers, quite than the exception. I additionally see it as one thing that helps many step out of previous, unhelpful patterns round meals: At lengthy final, they will eat scrumptious, wholesome meals in abundance and never fear about undesirable weight achieve or making an attempt to battle their physique and biology. For most, that is the definition of meals freedom.

I need to point out this, partially, as a result of we will by no means know what folks posting on social media are literally going by means of. I think many who submit “triggering” content material round weight and weight-reduction plan are literally caught in their very own locations of struggling and battle. They haven’t discovered the type of “accidental food freedom” that comes together with the Primal strategy to consuming, transferring, and residing.

Rather than blame or disgrace them (or go away unkind feedback), I attempt to ship compassionate ideas, take away them from my feed, and transfer on. I’m NOT saying that is straightforward or that I don’t keep triggered and even offended at occasions. Truthfully, it may be so, so onerous to let a triggering picture, caption, or remark go.

But the extra we handle to do not forget that these are people too, with their very own vulnerabilities and locations of battle strengthened by widespread food plan and sweetness beliefs, the extra we’re actively contributing to altering the present tradition.

But again to you, Annie: You’re your number one caretaker and must at first handle you. I simply discover contemplating the broader context useful in softening the ability of triggers, taking empowered motion, and transferring on.

Social Media Strategy & Support

To sum up:

• DO observe accounts and hashtags which are supportive of your well being, way of life, and meals selections. They are an important supply of inspiration, motivation, and group!
• Consider following trusted sources. Mark’s Daily Apple, as an example; or the Primal Health Coach Institute!
• DON’T observe accounts or hashtags that make you are feeling unhealthy about your self or in any other case undermine the empowering, wholesome modifications you’re making.
• Edit your social media feeds repeatedly, conserving what’s useful and eradicating the remaining.
• Remember our shared humanness and proceed from a spot of compassion and kindness each time attainable. We don’t know what others are going by means of behind the filtered lens of Instagram and different social media channels.

For anybody needing additional backup amidst the food plan tradition and unhelpful messaging, take into account working with a well being coach one-on-one. Imagine for those who might take all the guidelines in a submit like this and allllll the data that you simply’ve been gathering over the many years…and reliably and constantly implement them. That’s the place coaches assist!

External accountability really is a sport changer, and we can assist you keep the course together with your targets and navigate difficult social conditions on-line and off. Visit myprimalcoach.com to study extra and get began!

Do you discover social media useful or dangerous in your wellness journey? Have any tricks to share? Let us know and drop your favourite, most supportive Instagram accounts within the feedback!

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