While many people love to talk about being on a diet, maybe you don't want the whole world to know. Some studies have found that communicating your goals to other people can reduce the likelihood of achieving them. The sense of satisfaction you get from informing others about your intentions, such as losing weight through a diet, can actually give you the feeling that you have already achieved the goal. While you can use distraction and denial techniques to hide your diet, or you can focus on healthy and smart eating habits to make your diet discreet and sustainable, you shouldn't hide it out of shame or guilt. If you are concerned about your nutritional habits and want to hide your diet due to an eating disorder, you should see your doctor to address the problem.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Distraction and Avoidance Techniques
Step 1. Change the topic of conversation when it comes to eating and dieting
If you find yourself in a situation where you are discussing food while chatting with friends or colleagues, use the distraction tactic to change the subject. Comment on the latest TV show or movie you watched; focus on the latest gossip in the office or the news from a mutual friend. By shifting the discussion topic, you can avoid talking about your diet or eating habits.
Keep in mind that it may be helpful to let close friends or family members know about your diet so they can act as a support group and encourage you on this journey. Instead of avoiding the issue with the people closest to you, consider confiding yourself instead, so that you don't feel lonely or ashamed
Step 2. Make a vague excuse
Make sure you have a reason for when someone decides to ask you about your diet, especially if the topic has recently come up in front of some people and you've had to awkwardly change the topic. You might say something like, "I'm just paying attention to what I eat" or "I'm avoiding certain food groups."
While it can be helpful to have an excuse ready, you should try not to lie when asked about your weight. For example, you might say, "The doctor told me I am allergic to carbohydrates," when in fact he did not make this diagnosis. Using a lie could indicate that you are ashamed of your eating habits and that you are trying to hide them by lying to people
Step 3. Read the menu in advance when eating in restaurants
To avoid the embarrassing moments of indecision in front of the waiter when in public places, be prepared by checking the menu on the restaurant's online website first. In this way, you can carefully read the list of dishes and evaluate, in accordance with your times, a meal that fully satisfies your dietary needs, rather than having to personally choose on the spot.
If you are eating at someone else's house, you can ask the cook what they plan to prepare; so you can propose some dishes that match its programming, but at the same time are also suitable for your diet. Maybe the cook won't want to cook a special dish for you, but at least you'll be prepared for that dish and know what to expect once you're seated at the table
Step 4. Eat alone or with other dieters
To avoid having to defend yourself or justify your diet, consider eating your meals alone; by doing so, you don't have to hide the fact that you are following a diet and you can eat with peace of mind without feeling judged by others.
Eating alone could be an unhealthy experience and make you feel isolated, especially if you do it regularly with every meal and every day. Alternatively, you can consider sharing these moments with other people who don't ask questions and who don't question your food choices. This could be friends who are also on a diet or people you meet on some weight loss program
Step 5. See your doctor if you think you have an eating disorder
Hiding the diet by using exaggerated excuses, spitting food into a napkin, or not eating in company can all be signs of some eating disorder, such as bulimia or anorexia. These problems are often caused by the association between food and high levels of stress or anxiety, often due to the fear of gaining weight or other traumas, which cause intense emotions and the need to control situations through food. Other symptoms of an eating disorder are:
- Do not eat any type of food;
- Cut the food into small bites or always leave several leftovers;
- Eating very quickly or very slowly and then getting rid of food by going to the bathroom
- Eating without cutlery or with inappropriate tools;
- Doing vigorous physical activity after each meal;
- Counting calories obsessively or monitoring eating habits.
- If you think you are developing an eating problem, you need to reach out to your closest friends and family. You can also consider seeking professional help by contacting your doctor or an eating disorder therapist.
Method 2 of 2: Follow a Healthy and Careful Diet
Step 1. Drink lots of water
Water not only keeps you healthy and hydrated but also acts as a hunger suppressant. Sip plenty of it throughout the day to keep your stomach from completely emptying, which makes you hungry and need to eat. By drinking lots of water then focus on hydration instead of thinking about diet.
You can also drink a glass of water before a meal to make your stomach feel fuller and so you can eat smaller portions; it is a healthy technique for sticking to the diet
Step 2. Always keep small snacks in your bag
Make smart food choices by having snacks available that you can eat discreetly throughout the day. This allows you to stay full without taking in empty calories; It also prevents other people from getting curious about your diet, as you apparently eat snacks all day.
Choose snacks like raw almonds, dark chocolate, and sugar-free granola bars, which help you feel full and provide you with energy between meals. You can also make some sliced fruit, such as apples, pears, or bananas, for healthy snacks that don't cause blood sugar spikes and dips throughout the day
Step 3. Plan your meals in advance
It has been found that an unplanned and disordered diet leads to gaining weight and prevents successful completion of the diet. To prevent this from happening, you should plan meals throughout the week. Go to the grocery store at the beginning of the week or on the weekend if you work the other days, so that you have all the ingredients you need to prepare healthy dishes suitable for your diet at home.
You can organize meals according to a specific daily calorie requirement or weight loss goals. Try to plan them based on the calories to be consumed each day, which vary according to age, weight and level of physical activity. Remember that calorie needs are different for each individual and a single diet cannot meet everyone's dietary needs
Step 4. Practice mindful eating
Another key aspect of following healthy eating habits is to be aware of what you eat and how. Many people tend to eat their meals in front of the TV or get distracted without paying attention to the quantities. Avoid these bad habits and sit down at the table focusing on the food on your plate, taking your time to savor and enjoy it. This allows you to ingest and digest each bite, as well as keep track of how much you are actually eating.
- To eat mindfully, use a stopwatch when you sit down at the table, set it to 20 minutes and try to dedicate all the time available to your meal.
- You can try eating with your non-dominant hand to force yourself to slow down and make an effort to grab and chew each bite. You can also reflect on what was required to produce the dish, for example the butcher who prepared the meat or the farmer who grew the vegetables and grains.
Step 5. Avoid caffeine and alcohol
Although coffee is needed in the morning to get you through the day, getting too much caffeine through coffees, caffeinated teas, or energy drinks can leave you feeling hungry and tired. As a result, you may be tempted to not stick to your diet or eat an unscheduled meal. Alcohol can also leave you feeling hungry and lead to unhealthy eating, especially in the evening when you've been drinking for several hours.
If you tend to drink a lot of coffee or enjoy some occasional drinks, try to drink a glass of water between cups of coffee or after each alcoholic drink; this way you stay well hydrated and can limit hunger pangs
Step 6. If you think you have an eating disorder, talk to your doctor
If you are unable to maintain healthy eating habits and feel that you have lost control over your diet, you can talk to your doctor about the problem. Eating disorders, such as bulimia or anorexia, are often due to the association between food and anxiety or discomfort. Every year many individuals develop eating problems due to the fear of gaining weight or due to intense emotions that lead to the need to be in control through food and nutrition. Other symptoms of eating disorders are:
- Don't eat at all;
- Chopping food into small pieces or stalling and not finishing the meal;
- Eat very quickly or very slowly and then get rid of the food by going to the bathroom
- Eating without cutlery or with inappropriate tools for the meal;
- Do intense physical activity after each meal;
- Obsessively counting calories and controlling eating habits.
- If you think you have an eating disorder, ask for support from close friends or family. You can also benefit from professional help by talking to your doctor or a therapist who specializes in this issue.
