Mary Lou Block, RD at Gothenburg Health

Have you ever felt like an imposter?  Like you are a fraud about to be discovered?  I have, and this is how the conversation goes in my head.  “They don’t really know the truth about me, how I fail at this and that.  If they did, they would probably not like me.”

If those thoughts resonate with you, be comforted, because you are not alone.  The phenomenon even has a name, “Imposter Syndrome.”  A recent study reveals it is quite common.

How does this relate to nutrition?   In a world of “nutrition information on steroids,” my perceived nutrition failure makes me feel like an imposter!  The imposter syndrome might cause me to think, “Everyone else eats healthy but me.”  As I perceive myself as a failure, I am tempted to believe that I am not capable of anything else.  This temptation leads me to hide from you, pretend I am doing okay with my health, or simply give up.  I am stuck, without help.

In the imposter study, people who suffered from the syndrome were often quite capable of the challenge they faced.  They just didn’t believe it for themselves.  In addition, the study showed that perceptions of failure diminished if the person reached out for social support.

In the world of nutrition, this reaching out translates into: admitting to a safe person, that I am struggling with healthy food choices and the belief that I can live a life of good choices. 

What was the conclusion of the Imposter Study?   Social support that provides a place to talk about failures and mistakes fosters a culture where a self-perceived imposter “will be more likely to get the help they need.”

How does this relate to our health journey?  Encourage each other with our successes (weight loss, good choices, etc.) but also be the safe person ready to embrace another’s admitted weakness and be honest about our own.  Be the friend who can hear someone else say, “Today I am not making good choices.” 

In the end, a safe place to be ourselves just might be the encouragement we all need to make a better choice and keep on a healthy path.

Your friend and fellow imposter, MLB.

Mary Lou Block is a Registered Dietician at Gothenburg Health. To learn more please reach out to Mary Lou: mblock@gothenburghealth.org or (308)-537-3661.