Biggest argument you get in with friends about diet

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patentguru
patentguru Posts: 312 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
By far the biggest argument I get into with friends is how the vast majority of people fool themselves about how much they actually eat (total calories). I often hear- "I don't eat that much. I only eat one meal a day, blah, blah, blah." I can't help myself. I take the bait and ask, ok, tell me exactly what you ate today. I then explain that the one dinner meal at Cheesecake factory was over 2000 calories they give me a no way. I then tell them to log their calories for a few days to get some real feedback. I usually get a "I am not into fad diets," "calorie counting does not work in the long run," blah, blah, blah. I then tell them I am accustomed to dieting since I was a wrestler in grade and tried most everything (except steroids- although they are mighty tempting). When I am not calorie counting, my mind plays tricks with me and I think I am eating less calories than I am. Thus, by far the best lifelong method is to go back to calorie counting (carbs, fat, protein) when things are not going in the direction I want- i.e. fat percentage, strength increases, energy, sugar level, whatever. We need feedback. Anyone else deal with this from friends?
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Replies

  • hjy319
    hjy319 Posts: 269 Member
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    I get the no way is there that many calories in .... from most people. The one that really gets me and its not really an argument, just a dumb question, is "well, where can you go out eat" :noway: To which I can respond, anywhere I want.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    The biggest argument I get into is when people try to tell me that I don't "need" to be eating at a calorie deficit because I look "fine" the way that I am.

    I never said that I was "fat." I simply have a goal to reduce my body fat percentage to the level of female athletes, and all of a sudden friends and family think I am "starving" myself. Yeah. Starving. I am 5'5" tall and I average 1621 calories each day. I eat 5 meals a day. I am not "starving." I will not look gaunt or skinny. Why? Because I'm weight training to keep my lean muscle mass. Now if I get to 95 pounds (I'm closer to 140 now) then you have a reason to whine at me. Until then, get your nose out of my business, stop hating, stop being jealous because you are satisfied with 25% body fat and let me get the body that I want.
  • Clemsonmom
    Clemsonmom Posts: 92 Member
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    Exactly! My cardiologist sent me to a nutritionist and she told me she could not help me. I had been trying for 9 months to lose weight and not losing anything. The nutritionist told me I was eating healthy and doing all of the right things except 1 apple a day over my calorie limit could keep me from losing weight. That is when I started using myfitnesspal and have lost about 25 pounds since September. You do not realize how much you eat without weighing, counting and logging all of the food that you eat.
    It doesn't happen over night either. I try to share this information with anyone that I can to help them.
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
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    1. Biggest argument from female friends is that "I don't need to lose weight" "I'm fine the way I am" bullS.... Especially since they're all UK size 4-8 (US size 0-4) and at the time I was 250lbs and wearing tents as clothes. I still get it now
    2. From people that persist (I don't ask) how they don't eat much and are really healthy but "diet and exercise" don't work but then when you outline how many calories they're consuming, say I'm wrong
    3. People on here- losing 2lbs a week is "soooooo unhealthy" . Unless you're slim, underweight or an athlete - that's utter rubbish.
  • grrrlface
    grrrlface Posts: 1,204 Member
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    "It's not what you eat, it's how much exercise you do!"

    That one sets me off on one every time!
    I know I wouldn't continue to lose weight if I had my old eating habits no matter how much exercise I did!
  • NeverGivesUp
    NeverGivesUp Posts: 960 Member
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    That intermittent fasting doesn't mean that you are starving yourself. I actually am a very clean food eater and get completely grossed out by what people choose to consume. I keep that to myself though and am silently disgusted except when it comes to my kids. Most people do not wish to be aware of what they are consuming and how it got to their plate I like to see exactly what I am eating so no sauces and mixed up food for me. It makes it a bummer to go out but I feed my body well and I feel much better consuming this kind of food. The biggest difference is making my own food. I was never a cook before, but I know exactly what I am consuming when eating my own home made food. It is hard to change my hubbys go to foods, it is a slow process but it is changing. I like to feed my kids real clean food too since it will serve them and their future development.
  • hjy319
    hjy319 Posts: 269 Member
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    1. Biggest argument from female friends is that "I don't need to lose weight" "I'm fine the way I am" bullS.... Especially since they're all UK size 4-8 (US size 0-4) and at the time I was 250lbs and wearing tents as clothes. I still get it now

    ^^^^ OHhh I hate this!!!
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
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    Oh another one - "it's easy for you to lose weight and exercise" ......

    ARGH, no it isn't! I wake up at 5 for work and do 12 hour days, do extra project work, still have to try and have a social life and have to monitor every calorie, log and get in a gym session everyday to be "ok". As soon as I don't, I put on weight. Every time. I just drag myself, even when I'm so tired I could sleep standing up!
  • patentguru
    patentguru Posts: 312 Member
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    Oh another one - "it's easy for you to lose weight and exercise" ......

    ARGH, no it isn't! I wake up at 5 for work and do 12 hour days, do extra project work, still have to try and have a social life and have to monitor every calorie, log and get in a gym session everyday to be "ok". As soon as I don't, I put on weight. Every time. I just drag myself, even when I'm so tired I could sleep standing up!

    I can't stand that one either. NO it is not easy. It's called discipline.
  • anoette
    anoette Posts: 29
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    1. Biggest argument from female friends is that "I don't need to lose weight" "I'm fine the way I am" bullS.... Especially since they're all UK size 4-8 (US size 0-4) and at the time I was 250lbs and wearing tents as clothes. I still get it now

    ^^^^ OHhh I hate this!!!

    I have to agree with this too, and i'm short (5'3") and 210lbs! I've already had to tell them several times I'm not in denial. It's like they want me to stay large and unhappy! :grumble:
  • Yolanda_85
    Yolanda_85 Posts: 143 Member
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    "You've lost weight!!! What are you doing that for?!? You looked fine the way you were!" Ok....so I don't look fine the way I am now? I'm doing this the healthy proper way with diet and exercise! I'm losing weight because I want to be healthy-never a good enough answer, "You weren't healthy before?" "Did you have issues? Did a doctor tell you to lose weight?" Now I just smile when someone notices, and shrug and walk away when asked why. It's not worth the argument. I love getting the 'How did you do it?' from from friends who are trying to lose weight too quickly by under eating. They act like they desparately want advice and then just scoff and say their way is better, it's soo much faster. Yup, that's why I'm seeing results and you're not.
  • misssmarita
    misssmarita Posts: 130
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    This might tick some people off, because they might agree with my friends, but: carbs are bad for you, not just the white bread and refined sugar carbs, but ABSOLUTELY ALL carbs.

    I'm not very confrontational, so I would rather back down than to start a big fight over something that's pretty trivial in the long run. But it does tick me off a little because really, not all carbs are created equal. I get that it's smart to limit the amount of white flour and refined sugars in your diet, but some people don't even eat whole grains or fruit! I guess that's fine if it works for them, but carbs are an essential source of energy, and I think those of my friends who won't even look at a carb would be well advised to not paint all carbs with one brush. Just saying.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    I often hear- "I don't eat that much. I only eat one meal a day, blah, blah, blah."
    I often hear the opposite from fairly skinny people "Well, I ate loads today..."
    Ask them what they ate and add it up and it turns out it's 1000 calories or something - usually less than I would eat when I'm trying to lose weight.
  • RunDoozer
    RunDoozer Posts: 1,699 Member
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    That I can't drink 10 - 15 beers with them any more.

    2 is enough.
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
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    I often hear- "I don't eat that much. I only eat one meal a day, blah, blah, blah."
    I often hear the opposite from fairly skinny people "Well, I ate loads today..."
    Ask them what they ate and add it up and it turns out it's 1000 calories or something - usually less than I would eat when I'm trying to lose weight.

    That's also true yet I never see them eat anything .....
  • calisunrise
    calisunrise Posts: 307
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    "You've lost weight!!! What are you doing that for?!? You looked fine the way you were!" Ok....so I don't look fine the way I am now? I'm doing this the healthy proper way with diet and exercise! I'm losing weight because I want to be healthy-never a good enough answer, "You weren't healthy before?" "Did you have issues? Did a doctor tell you to lose weight?" Now I just smile when someone notices, and shrug and walk away when asked why. It's not worth the argument. I love getting the 'How did you do it?' from from friends who are trying to lose weight too quickly by under eating. They act like they desparately want advice and then just scoff and say their way is better, it's soo much faster. Yup, that's why I'm seeing results and you're not.
    this one, so true. when i was losing at 1400+ kcal a day, my friend who ate 800 a day and purged it all anyway, said i was on a high calorie diet. what?
  • patentguru
    patentguru Posts: 312 Member
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    I get the no way is there that many calories in .... from most people. The one that really gets me and its not really an argument, just a dumb question, is "well, where can you go out eat" :noway: To which I can respond, anywhere I want.

    That is my response as well. I eat what I want, just not the quantity I want. If I want to eat more, I burn more calories that day.
  • patentguru
    patentguru Posts: 312 Member
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    That I can't drink 10 - 15 beers with them any more.

    2 is enough.


    Hey not true- 15 miller lites is only 1500 calories! The monks invented beer as a meal replacement and it works quite well. I have had a few Friday or Saturday liquid dinners.
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
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    I sometimes hear, "Oh, you should try [insert fad diet here]! I know someone who's doing that and they've lost weight!"

    I've lost over 120 lbs by eating sensibly and exercising. I think I've found what works for me, and it's not some BS fad diet.
  • xoxerinxox
    xoxerinxox Posts: 27
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    The biggest argument I get into is when my friends decide they want to 'eat healthy' and all they eat are special K bars, weight watchers crisps etc and think that's healthy. I always say it's full of empty carbs and little nutrition what's wrong with eating real food but they just say 'yeah but it's only got 99 calories in' they just don't understand.

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