Saboteurs?

bluefish86

We've all had to deal with them at one point or another.
From well-intention friends and family to those that purposely try to undermine your efforts....
How do you all deal with those people in your life that consciously or unconsciously try to steer you off course?

Akimajuktuq

It gets easier the longer you stick with the lifestyle consistently. Fortunately, it's just me and my daughter and I only visit family twice per year. With all the health problems in my family, while they won't try what I'm doing and choose to wallow in their illnesses, they are very respectful of my choices. Co-workers are only wierd about it if I make the mistake of trying to offer "helpful advice". Most people want to complain and do not respond well to someone providing solutions. So, now if I'm annoyed with all the griping, I just leave the break room and go back to my office. I don't have to listen to it.

However, I'm gradually moving to an almost all animal food lifestyle which my family and friends definitely aren't going to understand, but I expect as long as my child and I are looking fine, they won't really make an issue of it. My child is Inuit so I can always revert to "we are eating like Inuit". lol At some point I will be living closer to my mom, so I will have to accept what she chooses to feed my child, within some parameters of course.

One of the best things to do when encountering saboteurs is to not discuss your choices and don't argue. Just smile and say something like "I feel great eating like this, thanks". Or I'd probably be a little less tactful and say "You do you, and I'll do me." lol

Kimberly_Harper

I don't really have that problem as I usually eat at home and it is just me there. If my mom offers me something at her house that has anything in it that I don't eat, I just say "No thank you" and yes, sometimes I'll just make up an excuse "I'm not hungry" or "I just brushed my teeth" LOL.

My daughter respects the rule of the house and knows that if she comes home from school there won't be anything in the house that isn't Paleo, and if she brings something in and leaves it there it gets thrown away. The only other times I have to face it is if I eat out, and by that time I just abandon being strict. When I eat out I accept that I don't have as much control over what is put in the food, so I just try to make good choices without being conspicuous.

This is off-topic, but Akima just mentioned it and I agree - I too have to restrain myself from giving "helpful advice". I want to try to convince everyone of how great I feel eating this way, but that only raises the red flags in everyone and that is what seems to induce the saboteurs. I think this is the same problem that vegetarians, vegans, etc. have - people tend to want to sabotage you more when they think you are judging how they eat.

bluefish86

Akimajuktuq wrote: »

...I'd probably be a little less tactful and say "You do you, and I'll do me." lol

I like that response!

Mostly, I try not to discuss my dietary preferences when I'm at work. Sometimes it's hard not to talk about it (especially when the same co-worker offers me cake for the hundredth bloody time!)... I feel like I need to justify myself, rather then have them assume whatever they want about me. It's amazing what conclusions some people can come to when you decline a piece of cake.

Akimajuktuq

No need to justify because then you invite arguments. That's especially problematic at work and with strangers. At least with family there is love and respect (usually). Co-workers and strangers, for the most part, do not truly care about what's best for YOU.

Let them ASSume.