Suddenly I Bristle at This Comment

thistimeismytime

I bristle too--BIGtime!! This is SOOO much more to me than that--and the word "diet" feels like it trivializes the changes I've made. I'm not on a diet at all, and I totally agree it's irritating. People just truly don't understand though, so I guess we should cut them some slack. I dunno. :ohwell:

faefaith

Maybe if you keep doing what your doing they will get that its a life style change and not a race to the finish kind of a thing. You could even inspire them! :flowerforyou:

jmfraggis

Or, better yet, when I decided to splurge (because it was within my calories for the day) and have an Ice Cream Snickers bar with everyone else, one woman made the comment, "Hey, you're not allowed to eat that! You're dieting!"

I'd have said in a crying voice "OMG, I thought you wouldn't notice and here I was trying to so hard to impress you! That's it - I quit it all - thank you for pointing out to me that I can't control myself so why bother." Then I would have taken hers, thrown it on the floor and then stood there stone faced eating my ice cream while I stared her down

Josette89

It's not really about the word DIET because the original definition is: the food that a person or animal usually consumes.
People nowadays have slaughtered the word to mean something different and forbidden. I don't say, "I'm on a diet", I say, "I've changed my diet". When someone says something to you about your own diet, just inform them of this definition and tell them to worry about themselves.

jdploki70

I've learned over the years that pointing out what someone is depriving themselves of is not the best way to support them. By the same token, when my friends look at what I eat over at their place, they ask if I can eat something not because they are telling me what to do but because they don't want to ruin my efforts with peer pressure. Perhaps something you took as a demand for adherence was simply someone not wanting to be responsible for your downfall. I respond to these things by informing my friends that I am lowering my intake and making better choices, not depriving myself of any and all enjoyment.

holly1283

I simply tell them that I'm not on a diet. I eat what I want to because it is all about portion control. I am eating healthier, also. My close friends don't say it again.

JosieRawr

I'm not really certain why, but for some reason I've become irritated with the term "dieting". My coworkers have noticed my weight dropping over the last couple months and started asking me what "diet" I was on. Or, better yet, when I decided to splurge (because it was within my calories for the day) and have an Ice Cream Snickers bar with everyone else, one woman made the comment, "Hey, you're not allowed to eat that! You're dieting!"

I'd like to think I'm changing my entire lifestyle and, to me at least, "dieting" infers something short term and "fad-ish".

The only thing I've ever said to anyone, other than my wife, is that I'm trying to be healthy. Not sure why I came to hate the terms "diet" and "dieting" so much.

/rant

I'm totally with you on this! I've never followed a diet, I have occasionally lost weight by improving my eating habits and increasing exercise, now I'm just trying to make those healthy choices long term life style changes! I don't appreciate others commenting that I'm dieting or commenting me measuring my portions etc. Just stick with it, ignore the comments(or atleast don't let em get to ya) You know you're doing what's good for you Good luck!

Jules2Be

I bristle when i hear the words JOURNEY and LIFESTYLE CHANGE.

Josette89

people misuse the word diet. its whatever you happen to eat. thats your diet. whether or not you decide to limit yourself to certain foods is your prerogative but its still a diet. so is going to every fast food joint for every meal of the day. diet. but explaining this is too much energy. so id have probably thrown back "hoe, i do what i want!"

hahahahahhahahahhahahhahahahhahaha...lol...^^^THIS^^^

russkievolk

I get that at work also. One co-worker in particular. Once, I mentioned to her that I was really trying to change my lifestyle & eating habits. Now, when she slips up and mentions "dieting" or my "diet", she corrects herself & sarcastically says, "Oh, I'm sorry, I mean your lifestyle change". Mind you, this individual is about as wide as she is tall.

I have found it is best to just ignore it, continue to do what you do & push forward. This is your journey, comments from most people who don't get it are generally meant to break you down. Once they see the results & your confidence, they can either continue to comment and be catty or be inspired to make a change themselves, that choice is theirs alone.

Cheers!

beckajw

I'm not really certain why, but for some reason I've become irritated with the term "dieting". My coworkers have noticed my weight dropping over the last couple months and started asking me what "diet" I was on. Or, better yet, when I decided to splurge (because it was within my calories for the day) and have an Ice Cream Snickers bar with everyone else, one woman made the comment, "Hey, you're not allowed to eat that! You're dieting!"

I'd like to think I'm changing my entire lifestyle and, to me at least, "dieting" infers something short term and "fad-ish".

The only thing I've ever said to anyone, other than my wife, is that I'm trying to be healthy. Not sure why I came to hate the terms "diet" and "dieting" so much.

/rant

You're right. It shouldn't be a diet, because diets end. This is just how you eat. Does it include lots of healthy things? Yes. Does it also include the occassional snack? Yes. Why because that's the right way to live life, be satisfied and be healthy.

Desterknee

I just don't tell people I'm doing anything. If they notice I'm thinner or look healthier I say "thanks." If they ask what I did/do I say "stopped sitting on my *kitten* all day". Works pretty well for me

verptwerp

That's why when I made changes to my eating & exercising a few years ago, I never told a soul, not even my husband .... it's no one's business but my own :drinker:

ChappyEight

Lots of interesting comments. Thanks for chiming in. I wrote the OP about 5 minutes after it happened so it was raw. I typically don't sweat the small stuff, but for some reason it just irritated me.

Just passed my halfway weight mark this weekend so maybe I should eat more ice cream Snickers bars?!

Good luck to you all.