Judging vs. Judgement

When it comes to food, eating and weight there seems to be a lot of judging going on. Are people judging you for eating or not eating certain foods? Are you judging others? This type of energy just leaves us feeling badly, which can leave us vulnerable to comforting ourselves with food.

So what is the difference between judging and judgment? When we use our judgment, we do what is best for us or for another. If we are allergic to strawberries, we use our judgment not to eat strawberries. If someone we care about is allergic to nuts, we use our judgment to remind them to be cautious because we care.

It is also using our judgment when we choose not to eat a food that seems to cause cravings in us, so-called “trigger” foods. Likewise, we use our judgment to avoid offering those foods to someone who has told us about their own trigger foods. 

Judging ourselves or another for our weight just leaves us all with negative feelings. However, using our judgment, we might want to lose weight because it has created problems for us. We can use judgment to say to someone we care about, I am worried how your weight is affecting your health. 

I invite you to be aware of this difference between judging and judgment. I hope this small mental shift helps you with your wellness and weight goals.