Ask a Health Coach: Social Media Triggers

Hey of us, 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 have got methods, ideas, and backup! Have a query youd wish to ask our well being coaches? Leave it beneath within the feedback or over within the Marks Daily Apple Facebook group.

Annie requested:
I switched to Primal a few months in the past, and its going fairly properly. Before that, I had a lengthy historical past of on-and-off-again weight-reduction plan and calorie counting. FINALLY, Im beginning to really feel like I can simply eat actual meals and let the load watching go (with out gaining weight within the course of). The downside: Part of what helped me go Primal was following hashtags on Instagram like #paleo #primal #keto, and so forth. This truly helped me keep it up and really feel a part of a group of individuals consuming this manner and loving life. BUT recently Ive seen myself getting tremendous triggered by sure posts. Usually these are ladies who’re tremendous skinny (possibly anorexic) utilizing paleo and keto hashtags. While Ive come a good distance, I dont look something like that. It triggers outdated habits round meals and physique picture. How do I take care of this however preserve the nice components of social media inspiration? Sorry for the lengthy query 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 setting is HUGE with regards 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 with regards to social media and your well-being. That consciousness is an missed first step of self-care. In the top, we’re our no 1 caretakers. By recognizing what is useful and what’s not, you possibly can take steps to decide on what actually nourishes you.

Tidy your feed, tidy your thoughts.

As you talked about, social media can be a tremendous support for Primal consuming and residing. In a world the place a lot messaging (on-line and IRL) is NOT well being aware, its good understanding you possibly can go surfing and see and even join with the many individuals embracing wholesome existence and having enjoyable alongside the best way. Good for you for in search of 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 comply with sure hashtags or if the platform feeds you really helpful or prompt posts and adverts primarily based in your earlier exercise.

As has 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 advocate that they take a shut take a look at what content material and messaging theyre consuming on a each day basisincluding on social media. Is it useful? But not a lot?

I discover this myself on Instagram once in a while and take quick, proactive steps to edit out whats triggering or not serving my greatest curiosity. I even have a saying: Tidy up your Instagram feed. Tidy up your mind.

If Instagram is recommending posts that you simply discover triggering and unhelpful, make certain to flag them as Not Interested. You do that on the publish itself, by clicking the three dots within the upper-right nook to see your choices. Of course, if you happen to comply with the triggering account, unfollow! You can achieve this on the individuals profile web page or by merely clicking these dots up prime for the Unfollow possibility. If a specific hashtag appears to carry plenty of triggering posts your approach, unfollow that too. If the publish is sponsored, you may see an choice to cease seeing the advert.

Put merely: Anytime something or anybody makes you’re feeling badly about your self or is derailing your wholesome change efforts, take the facility again and easily make it disappear. Were specializing in instagram, however this is applicable to all social media in addition to different content material youre consuming on-line or in individual. Unfortunately, you’ll have to do it time and again as a result of these things all the time 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 a lengthy solution to go. Numerous social media content material tries to persuade us to be as lean and light-weight as attainable (whether or not via overt messaging or via whats implied in photos and captions).

Since youre already embracing a Primal life-style, you realize that reaching a specific dimension or form will not be what had been about. Yes, many of us attain their supreme physique composition by consuming a nutrient-dense eating regimen comprised of actual, complete, minimally processed meals; high-quality protein; wholesome fat; vegatables and fruits; 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 typically utilized with at the very least 80% consistency, desired modifications in physique composition are likely to occur naturally with out calorie counting or wrestle.

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

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

Rather than blame or disgrace them (or depart unkind feedback), I attempt to ship compassionate ideas, take away them from my feed, and transfer on. Im NOT saying that is simple or that I dont keep triggered and even indignant at instances. Truthfully, it may be so, so laborious 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 wrestle strengthened by widespread eating regimen and sweetness beliefs, the extra we’re actively contributing to altering the present tradition.

But again to you, Annie: Youre your no 1 caretaker and have to in the beginning maintain you. I simply discover contemplating the broader context useful in softening the facility of triggers, taking empowered motion, and transferring on.

Social Media Strategy & Support

To sum up:

• DO comply with accounts and hashtags which can be supportive of your well being, life-style, and meals decisions. They are a nice supply of inspiration, motivation, and group!
• Consider following trusted sources. Marks Daily Apple, par exemple; or the Primal Health Coach Institute!
• DONT comply with accounts or hashtags that make you’re feeling dangerous about your self or in any other case undermine the empowering, wholesome modifications youre making.
• Edit your social media feeds repeatedly, retaining whats useful and eradicating the remainder.
• Remember our shared humanness and proceed from a place of compassion and kindness at any time when attainable. We don’t know what others are going via behind the filtered lens of Instagram and different social media channels.

For anybody needing further backup amidst the eating regimen tradition and unhelpful messaging, think about working with a one-on-one well being coach. Imagine if you happen to may take all the ideas in a publish like this and allllll the knowledge that youve been gathering over the decadesand reliably and constantly implement them. Thats the place coaches assist!

External accountability actually is a recreation changer, and we can assist you keep the course together with your objectives and navigate difficult social conditions on-line and off. Visitmyprimalcoach.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!

If you’d like to add an avatar to all of your comments click here!