Peer pressure to eat unhealthfully. . .

HollisGrant

Just say no thanks. I did it this week at a breakfast with friends. Everybody else had pancakes with syrup and I had coffee.

Say, "I'm on a diet, and I'm on a roll, and I'm totally going to stick with it." Period, end of story, no over-explaining out of guilt. And if your family or friends act funny, tell them to please don't feel guilty -- tell them to go ahead and enjoy the chocolate themselves.

It's hard to stand up for yourself and say no, but it gets easier the more you do it without apology.

wonderiss

I got and still get a lot of peer pressure to eat stuff that I know is no good for me. I just remind myself how hard I worked to get where I am and that makes saying no easier. I also try to explain to those who pressure me that I don't really eat those things or that way any more because I am trying to live a healthier lifestyle so that I can enjoy their company longer.

JJordon

I really don't get the peer pressure with food thing. Maybe it's because I'm not that social? What's the worst that will happen if you said "no"? They fight you? Food isn't meant to be a tool to inflict guilt, it's meant to sustain you. If you want to enjoy whatever social event you're at with a piece of candy, do it. If not, then don't.

*ding, ding, ding* In this corner....Weighin' in at whatever pounds...

atb0821

I live in the South, so I'm surrounded by unhealthy food and unhealthy food pushers. Just had a conversation with a co-worker like 2 minutes ago, defending my greek yogurt chicken salad. People are confused/irritated/intimidated by healthy food choices sometimes. I told my co-worker I had chicken salad made with greek yogurt and everyone's like "but...mayonnaise is better!" Like they were seriously thinking I was going to say "oh really? Gah! I wish I had known about this mayonnaise you speak of when I prepped this last night! Curses!" Then, if I turn down a donut or random candy bar or whatever other crap they push around, I get the "omg you never eat" speech.

Basically, I've just accepted that this is just going to be an ongoing battle in my life. People are easily upset. I've tried saying no thank you, but it didn't always work for me. Some people I need to be more harsh with. I flat out tell one guy I work with to screw off when he comes toward me with a cookie. Don't give in to make them feel better!

gregwhitley

I've been using a very blunt, some what sarcastic approach that has been working "No thanks, I'm not sure if you've noticed but I'm fat and I'd like to change that"

I'm not sure I can imagine a better reply than this. Well done, LillyBoots!

mllst18

You could try saying that food is like an addiction for you, and ask them if they would ask an alcoholic to "have just a little bit of beer." That should work!

I had this same issue at work, eventually my coworkers just stopped asking me...Hope this helps!

fun_b

I am going through the same thing, And I am so confused on the chocolate factor. Sometimes I think it is fine to have a little chocolate everyday as long as it fits into my calories. But other times I feel that I am better off avoiding altogether as this brings on other cravings. I am constantly struggling to figure out which will be better for me long term as I want to be able to enjoy parties and there seems to be chocolate around all the time at the moment.

ParisArkw

You could try saying that food is like an addiction for you, and ask them if they would ask an alcoholic to "have just a little bit of beer." That should work!

I had this same issue at work, eventually my coworkers just stopped asking me...Hope this helps!

I like that analogy, too. I was just talking to a friend earlier today about how sugar *is* an addiction for me. I just need to help people take me more seriously by telling them!

ldrosophila

this is my downfall i use it as an excuse to eat. Well I didnt want so-so to feel bad so I just binged all day and week long. I could easily say No or make up some lie or excuse, but I justified it because my addiction has been out of control lately.

squiggyflop

I do not have much of a weakness for candy, but salty fried things are especially hard for me to say no to. People tend to want to share experiences. When they bite into an amazing piece of fried chicken, its only natural to want others to understand the amazing feeling that they are experiencing.

Anyway, usually I can say no. I say that im on a diet, and I throw in that my doc wanted me to lose weight, then if they still urge me to try it I mention my chronic pain getting worse with each extra pound. That usually shuts them up,,, but if the smell gets too close to me, I cannot always resist.

Querian

Maybe this was already suggested... why don't you start bringing healthy treats with you and try pressuring the others to try some? Look, I brought a bog of oranges! Have one! Oh,come on, I know you want one ad they are good for you, too! It wouldn't hurt if you started paying closer attention to what you ate ... etc.

Honestly I would never do that, but sometimes I wish I could. I do take a healthy dish with me sometimes when I go to someone's house for dinner but I don't tell people it's healthy.

I find the "Not now, I couldn't, I had a huge dinner, I'm stuffed! Maybe later" usually works. Or "Wow that looks so good but I just ate before I came here. Thanks for thinking of me but I couldn't."

mandypizzle

I have a hard time with this a lot! When I go out with friends who eat crappy they act like I have 3 heads when I only get water, ask for no butter ect. I mostly have a hard time at big get togethers where there is just a lot around me. I don't resist it easily lol

liesevanlingen

I live in the South, so I'm surrounded by unhealthy food and unhealthy food pushers. Just had a conversation with a co-worker like 2 minutes ago, defending my greek yogurt chicken salad. People are confused/irritated/intimidated by healthy food choices sometimes. I told my co-worker I had chicken salad made with greek yogurt and everyone's like "but...mayonnaise is better!" Like they were seriously thinking I was going to say "oh really? Gah! I wish I had known about this mayonnaise you speak of when I prepped this last night! Curses!" Then, if I turn down a donut or random candy bar or whatever other crap they push around, I get the "omg you never eat" speech.


Maybe you SHOULD have said that about the mayonnaise...that might have shut them up pretty quickly.

EricMurano

Just say "No, thank you." It's that simple. Remember, this is your life that you are concerned about and if your peers are pressuring you to stray from your goal, then you need to exert some power.

Some people just won't take that answer and you have to go into '*kitten*' territory when faced with persistence.

I once had an auntie insist I stay for dinner after I fixed her PC. I had already had dinner but that didn't matter to her. I ended up eating some salad to make her happy but it was laden with oily and salty dressing.

I knew that to get out of it I'd have to get pretty nasty and raise my voice. She was being completely unreasonable but I knew she wasn't coming from a bad place. It's the Lebanese side of my family. Lebanese folk love to feed you. It's how they show you love.

At the end of the day no matter how well intended the person is, science is still science. If you don't stick to your plan then you're not going to achieve your goals.


And it's not like you don't treat yourself, but you'd rather choose what your treats are, rather than having to settle for what other people offer you.

smantha32

I don't feel the need to announce to everyone that I'm dieting or trying to lose weight, so people don't try to sabotage me.

If someone brings something and pushes it on me,. I typically say no thanks, or I just ate, or I'll have some later, or I take it and throw it away, or I take it and see if it fits in my calories to have some. end of story.