I truly respect anyone juggling a side hustle. It’s commendable to earn extra cash, especially when raising kids these days can be quite pricey. However, I have to draw the line at the practice of reaching out to random strangers online to pitch diet products.
There I am, going about my day, when suddenly a message pops up in my inbox, Instagram DMs, or Facebook. And what do I find? A stranger suggesting I need to go on a diet. Just the other day, I received a request to promote a weight-loss product to my blog’s followers. Honestly? It was completely inappropriate.
As a survivor of eating disorders, I can’t in good conscience endorse a diet for an audience that connected with me through my writing about my own battles with anorexia and bulimia. That would not only be irresponsible but also potentially harmful. You see, sending cold pitches like that shows a lack of understanding of the struggles others may be facing.
I’ve dedicated years to supporting those recovering from eating disorders, and I refuse to be a mouthpiece for the diet industry. After five grueling years of illness, which even landed me in the hospital, I’ve come to understand that eating disorders are serious and life-threatening. I’m not the person you want to sell to; you’ve got the wrong audience.
When you promote a product, there’s an underlying implication that it’s something people need. Why else would you sell something to someone if they didn’t need it? I can assure you that, irrespective of your opinions on my body, I don’t need to hear about your diet. Absolutely not.
While I’m in a good place in my recovery, I definitely don’t need any unsolicited reminders suggesting I should diet. It took me years to silence the nagging voice in my head, which first appeared when I was just eleven years old and grew louder until it nearly consumed me by the time I was sixteen.
I have no desire to revisit that darkness, and every time a stranger suggests a diet, it triggers a whirlwind of self-doubt. Maybe I do need one? Why would this kind person be offering me such advice? It’s a burden I can’t afford to carry some days.
As a stable, recovered former anorexic, I’m a success story of a worst-case scenario. Consider for a moment the woman you’re trying to sell your products to—what if she’s quietly battling an eating disorder? You can’t know just by looking at someone. Even those who appear overweight could be engaging in harmful behaviors to conform to an unrealistic ideal. Is your side hustle really worth risking someone else’s recovery? Why hurt someone who’s already struggling?
Your efforts to make a living could inadvertently undermine someone’s healing process. You may be reinforcing dangerous messages that I’ve fought hard to silence: that I don’t deserve space, that I shouldn’t consume as much, that I’m simply too much, and that my body isn’t worthy.
Please understand that your product and the way you promote it may not be suitable for everyone. Cold-call marketing can easily push diet products onto individuals who might already be grappling with restrictive eating habits.
I get it; we all have bills to pay. Just please be cautious when promoting your products. They can be dangerous in the wrong hands and you could unintentionally contribute to someone’s downfall.
When I look in the mirror, I feel proud of my journey supporting those with eating disorders. Reflecting on the messages you might have sent to others, can you say the same?
If you’re looking for more information on home insemination, check out our post on couples’ fertility journeys here. For an authoritative source on the topic, visit here. Additionally, the NHS offers excellent resources for pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, while side hustles are admirable, we must prioritize sensitivity when marketing diet products to strangers. The impact of our words can be profound, and it’s essential we consider the well-being of others.
Keyphrase: selling diet products to strangers
Tags: [“home insemination kit”, “home insemination syringe”, “self insemination”]