Food Pushers!

lissa0040

Hi Everyone!

Food Pushers are everywhere-- we all have them in our lives. We hear things like "Oh you can't possibly be on a diet during the holidays!" "You can have JUST ONE -- moderation is key" "You can't deprive yourself sweetie ...." "Just one never hurt anyone!" "You should taste it, it is sooo good.... really you should! Seriously, just try it.."

I will never understand why it is so important to some people that I eat a cookie or try a finger food. I have no interest when I offer food to someone to MAKE them take it. It's insane! We struggle with saying no without sounding like an obsessed dieter or feeling like a weirdo for not eating "just one" meatball.

For 20 points -- Name a situation when you were "pushed" into eating something and how you could respond to resist in the future.

lissa0040

Probably my worst food pushing incident happened at my best friend's child's baptism party. Her mom had made homemade macaroni and cheese (my favorite btw) and there was cake and even specialty beer. I had gone to lunch before hand to combat the onslaught of food and so I just wasn't hungry. My friend's mom started the push... we were all sitting in the kitchen it was a quiet conversation between the two of us. Then it turned to dragging my friend into it who promptly informed me that depriving myself would just make me want to rebel later. Then others joined in when I continued to resist. A beer was put in front of me which I pretended to nurse but left full. I didn't end up giving in. I was able to get out of it after much hassle (and to be honest a little embarrassment) by telling them I would most definitely grab a plate later. They let it go after feeling victorious that I finally agreed to try the mac n cheese and I left later in the day without having eaten anything except the water I brought with me. They made me feel small. Like I didn't realize that having that attitude would most likely ruin my entire "diet" effort. That eventually I would crash and burn for being so strict. I have to admit I did fall off eventually but for entirely different reasons (lack of planning etc) but I did learn that "I will grab a plate later-- just not that hungry right now" worked wonders.

alanabanana01

I am lucky to not have too many food pushers in my life....
Without a doubt, the hardest to overcome is my husband. Bless his heart, he knows that food makes me happy and he wants to make things all better sometimes. I once had a horrid week, work issues, car issues, kid issues...so he went shopping and got all the ingredients to make a gourmet grilled cheese/bacon/apple sandwich---and cheesecake! How do you say no when someone puts so much into it just for you??? arrgghh, right?
So now, I have learned to share how happy being healthy makes me. He celebrates loses and NSV's with me. He understands more of what the process of staying healthy means. I used to be more private with my struggles, but sharing them a little really helps him understand how that one treat can send me in tailspin.

GeorgieLove708

I have a friend who is a food pusher. And also makes fun of me for measuring and counting out my servings. The worst thing she's ever said to me was "God, it's just 1 more candy corn. Ooh better run and log that 1 more candy corn". It was ridiculous and hurt my feelings so much I ended up finishing off the bag of candy corn. Crappy friendness I know. What's worse is she's supposed to be losing weight and eating better too. And needs to more than me (weight related health issues)

The situation would probably be going over to her house. I brought healhty food for me to eat and she pushed and pushed and pushed until I caved and ate the junk she had made.
I dislike confrontation, which is why I caved. The way I could respond in the future is to stand up for myself.

I also don't understand why people care so much if you eat whatever they're pushing. I think it has something to do with justifying their own eating habits.

GeorgieLove708

I am lucky to not have too many food pushers in my life....
Without a doubt, the hardest to overcome is my husband. Bless his heart, he knows that food makes me happy and he wants to make things all better sometimes. I once had a horrid week, work issues, car issues, kid issues...so he went shopping and got all the ingredients to make a gourmet grilled cheese/bacon/apple sandwich---and cheesecake! How do you say no when someone puts so much into it just for you??? arrgghh, right?
So now, I have learned to share how happy being healthy makes me. He celebrates loses and NSV's with me. He understands more of what the process of staying healthy means. I used to be more private with my struggles, but sharing them a little really helps him understand how that one treat can send me in tailspin.

My husband is the same way. I don't know if you have sat down and talked to him about it, but it really helped with my husband. I pretty much told him that I know he means well, it's very sweet, and I appreciate that he's trying to make me happy and I love him for it. Then I say, but food shouldn't make me happy and that's something I'm trying to fix.
Maybe the two of you can think of other things that make you happy that he can do, give you, etc to make you happy when he wants to cheer you up?

lissa0040

I also don't understand why people care so much if you eat whatever they're pushing. I think it has something to do with justifying their own eating habits.

EXACTLY That! I think when it's an overweight food pusher it is usually the above mentioned issue and sometimes jealousy that you are making such great progress! (47lbs is amazing and she knows it!) The others are just skinny people who have no idea what it's like to struggle with food. They eat when they're hungry or can over do it without consequence. It just doesn't compute. One of my dearest friends in the world said her mom is 100 pounds overweight (I wanted to say ummm look who you're talking to!!) and she just can't understand why her mom doesn't "get it together already! geeze this issue is ruining her life -- she could die! I just don't understand why she doesn't do something about it!" Now this girl is 120lbs maybe 130 soaking wet holding two babies... lol. They just don't get it. To her it made no sense that her mom can't "get it under control". This is a perfect example of why we have this group; because not everyone understands what it's like to have so much weight to lose.

LilacSnow

no one "pushes" food on me, but they are rather unsupportive. before i started this diet, people would rarely bring me snacks and would sort of hint that i was overweight, and now that they all know i'm trying to eat healthy, they bring over junk galore. the other day, my sister literally brought over 2 kinds of dip, potato chips, cookies, muffins, and homemade granola. like... what? and someone took down my calendar and put one up that has pictures of food for every month.

i don't get it.