Paleo haters!

dannyXoxo
dannyXoxo Posts: 60 Member
Grrrr I'm sorry but I can't stand it anymore!!!! The other day I was visiting family and when lunch came around and I didn't dive into the pasta and deep fried chicken everyone looked at me like I was some kind of nut -_- when I explained paleo and the reasons behind choosing this lifestyle it was as if I committed some kind of crime or something! It angers me how nowadays clean eatting and even excersize is seen as just some new fad... As if eatting **** food is the new norm and I'm the crazy one for taking care of my body :mad: even tho I may not have a lot of weight to lose or may not have any severe health issues I don't think watching what I eat and taking care of myself is pointless or any less of a priority! Just because I'm "already fit" does not mean that I can forget about what I believe and eat cheese puffs all day long:grumble: ever thought that the reason I am so fit is because I take care of myself!?!? Anyways I'm sorry and didn't mean to offend anyone but sometimes it frustrates me when people who don't understand the principles behind a decision like becoming paleo, judge as if they were experts -_- thankfully there are some rational people and supportive people who even tho they may not understand or agree still support the individual :smile: okay I feel alot better now ... Honestly sometimes I wonder what would happen without mfp :tongue:

Have a great day you guys!!!

Replies

  • carissar7
    carissar7 Posts: 183 Member
    I know exactly what you mean.....I was at a family dinner once and while they were passing around italian bread, I was asked if I wanted any. When I said no I got looks from the entire table, as if I was some kind of weird specimen! "no bread?!? what do you mean you don't want any bread??" My mom also questions why I don't eat oatmeal anymore for breakfast, or those 'healthy' cereals like the ones Kashi makes for example. When I tell her it's because I simply don't want any grains in my diet and begin tell her WHY, all she has to say is "Oh well, I still think whole grains and oats are good for you and you need them". I ask her why she thinks that but she never has a good answer for me!
  • craudi
    craudi Posts: 126 Member
    I've been through the full gamut of eating styles, from vegan to paleo, and each time have been "well researched" and tried to explain myself to people. It's come to the point for me that I let go and let them believe what they want and I continue to do what is best for me (low-carb/primal/paleo!) Each body is different, and requires different things. Plus, the way my situation is different is I think I was trying too hard to push my eating habits on others to make them "see the light." I think that you just need to keep on keeping on and soon enough they'll see that they're health is deteriorating and yours is flourishing! Go you! And just like for all of us, getting to fully know and understand our bodies has taken a lot of time! Maybe that bit of info will have planted a seed and some of them will be inquiring about how to get their health in order from you later on! :)
  • ChasingKatie
    ChasingKatie Posts: 331 Member
    I totally get it. Everyone is always like What can you eat?? just because you dont eat processed things. There is a world of fresh food out there waiting for you people!
  • flafitnana
    flafitnana Posts: 3 Member
    I love my Paleo way of eating - it's my safe haven. I no longer try to explain it to others - I just let my new body and attitude speak for itself! I no longer have IBS, my skin looks much healthier, and I can do things at 60 that I couldn't do at 40!! Paleo ROCKS!!
  • AshleyPaleo
    AshleyPaleo Posts: 121
    I had this same problem, I wore a "This girl is Paleo" shirt I got as a gift, I will never wear that again. Also I was told multiple times that at my weight (200lbs) working out is bad for me, that it will make me just eat more.:devil:
  • shar140
    shar140 Posts: 1,158 Member
    I usually just leave out the paleo part and tell them I don't eat wheat. I choose not to eat grains, not because of (what they view as) a new "fad diet". And, technically, I eat closer to the Perfect Health Diet, anyways, which most people haven't even heard of (but can fit a primal/paleo WOE). Most people have learned to not question me or what I eat (or don't eat). I don't bring up paleo/primal unless they do first.
  • dannyXoxo
    dannyXoxo Posts: 60 Member
    I guess it comes down too the fact that people are afraid of what they don't know... More or less :p thanks for the support everyone. From now on I won't try and justify my lifestyle but instead let the paleo lifestyle speak for itself with the results myself and all of us have been able to achieve :smile:
  • dannyXoxo
    dannyXoxo Posts: 60 Member
    I usually just leave out the paleo part and tell them I don't eat wheat. I choose not to eat grains, not because of (what they view as) a new "fad diet". And, technically, I eat closer to the Perfect Health Diet, anyways, which most people haven't even heard of (but can fit a primal/paleo WOE). Most people have learned to not question me or what I eat (or don't eat). I don't bring up paleo/primal unless they do first.

    I like that idea too eh... I think imma just do that and make it easier on myself aha
  • Girl_Bomb
    Girl_Bomb Posts: 195
    "oh, everyone's doing that new paleo thing" that was one of the worst comments ever how about we go and look at the past 7 million years and see how humans have developed and how they have eaten, and, "I need carbs for energy, you need carbs" yes, I get carbs from carrots or bananas not bagels and cereal. "have you lost weight since you started" or "why do you have to take it so far, you don't need to lose anymore weight" I don't eat like this to lose weight I eat like this because I understand the health benefits and the dangers behind processed food, wheat and grains and I enjoy taking care of myself.

    Then I just tell everyone to watch, "the perfect human diet" :)
  • strychnine7
    strychnine7 Posts: 210 Member
    If folks get combative with me about it, I tend to get combative back. You should see the look on their face when I call their breads and pastas "nutritional garbage". It's great because it sounds like I'm insulting their cooking but really I'm just making the very in-your-face point that there is nothing of value in grains. I also like to say things like, "Of course it tastes good. You've got six-pounds of sugar in/on the goddamn thing." It works well for items that aren't well known for being sugary but still actually do have a lot of sugar-carbs, like spaghetti and it's sauces, for instance.

    I'm a pretty big *kitten* to talk to most of the time when people bust my chops about things. So maybe in the interest of tact, you shouldn't pay attention to the things I do. ;)
  • Howbouto
    Howbouto Posts: 2,121 Member
    I usually just leave out the paleo part and tell them I don't eat wheat. I choose not to eat grains, not because of (what they view as) a new "fad diet". And, technically, I eat closer to the Perfect Health Diet, anyways, which most people haven't even heard of (but can fit a primal/paleo WOE). Most people have learned to not question me or what I eat (or don't eat). I don't bring up paleo/primal unless they do first.

    ^^ This. I only mention paleo if people are receptive to it first. If going out with friends/co-workers, I state I'm a picky eater can I know what the restaurant is ahead of time. And if someone questions my eating I state "I have found I feel best when eating veggies and meats, and worse when I eat grains and sugar." Usually people are very accepting of this. If you give it a label "they" give you a label.
  • Frankenbarbie01
    Frankenbarbie01 Posts: 432 Member
    I'm a pretty big *kitten* to talk to most of the time when people bust my chops about things. So maybe in the interest of tact, you shouldn't pay attention to the things I do. ;)


    ..... I like you!!
    I do the same, people judge me for what I dont eat, I judge em right back for what they do eat!!
    "you dont eat GRAINS!!!???"
    No they create an inflamitory response in my guts, and they arent good for you....
    "WELL SURE THEY ARE!! The government says you should have 8-12 servings....a DAY!!! They are nutritious!!"
    No they arent...the govt wants you to eat them so they can sell wheat and feed millions of people CHEAP. Oh and BTW...govt doesnt give a hoot about your health...
    "But grains are natural whole grain is good for you!"
    No....its not....10000 yrs ago people would have eaten the GRASS portion of the oat or barly, not the seed...you cant eat it without processing it...it's not food
    "I cant believe you dont eat grains..."
    Keep drinking the govt issued kool-aid =)

    FYI - REAL conversation lol
  • PurpleOctopus
    PurpleOctopus Posts: 17 Member
    I find that there is less pushback if you explain less. Don't JADE - Justify, Argue, Defend, or Explain. Here's a sample conversation:

    "No bread?"
    "No, I don't eat bread."
    "None at all?"
    "Nope."
    "Why ever not?"
    "I just don't."

    This conversation can only go around in circles around 2 times while you come up with alternatives to "I just don't" when in fact, you're really imitating a broken record. Other good alternatives are "I don't choose to" or "I don't care for any" or "I'll pass, but you enjoy!" said with a huge smile on your face & quickly changing the subject or starting a conversation with someone else.
  • happyheathen927
    happyheathen927 Posts: 167 Member
    I find that there is less pushback if you explain less. Don't JADE - Justify, Argue, Defend, or Explain. Here's a sample conversation:

    "No bread?"
    "No, I don't eat bread."
    "None at all?"
    "Nope."
    "Why ever not?"
    "I just don't."

    This conversation can only go around in circles around 2 times while you come up with alternatives to "I just don't" when in fact, you're really imitating a broken record. Other good alternatives are "I don't choose to" or "I don't care for any" or "I'll pass, but you enjoy!" said with a huge smile on your face & quickly changing the subject or starting a conversation with someone else.

    That's actually an excellent technique for shutting down just about ANY conversation you don't want to have:

    OMG you co-sleep with your kids?!
    Yep! Can you please pass the butter?

    OMG you don't vaccinate your kids?!
    Nope! Have you seen the new Ironman movie?

    OMG why can't your kids eat a sackful of candy like all the other kids at school?
    We don't do that. What are your vacation plans?

    Simple, abbreviated answers followed immediately by a VERY obvious conversation shift. (Can you tell I've had to redirect a lot of conversations about my kids? LOL)
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    The main forum is full of paleo haters... God forbid you didn't chose to eat SOME pizza or icecream every day, because you know - it's not sustainable otherwise. I just keep on keeping on. No one knows my body better than me, so I just do what I want to do.

    It helps that most of my family os overweight so when they tell me how to lose fat, forgive the ironic pun, but it doesn't carry much weight.
  • strychnine7
    strychnine7 Posts: 210 Member
    "WELL SURE THEY ARE!! The government says you should have 8-12 servings....a DAY!!! They are nutritious!!"
    No they arent...the govt wants you to eat them so they can sell wheat and feed millions of people CHEAP. Oh and BTW...govt doesnt give a hoot about your health...
    "But grains are natural whole grain is good for you!"
    No....its not....10000 yrs ago people would have eaten the GRASS portion of the oat or barly, not the seed...you cant eat it without processing it...it's not food
    "I cant believe you dont eat grains..."
    Keep drinking the govt issued kool-aid =)

    Nice! High-five on recognizing government (yeah, any government) sucks. A lot. Worst thing that's ever happened to me (probably to anyone, actually).

    "[T]he State is nothing more nor less than a bandit gang writ large..."
    -Murray Rothbard (http://www.lewrockwell.com/rothbard/rothbard160.html)
    This conversation can only go around in circles around 2 times while you come up with alternatives to "I just don't" when in fact, you're really imitating a broken record. Other good alternatives are "I don't choose to" or "I don't care for any" or "I'll pass, but you enjoy!" said with a huge smile on your face & quickly changing the subject or starting a conversation with someone else.


    See? Now that's tactful. A good thing I'm not seen as a voice of reason. Here, or anywhere else. lol
  • craudi
    craudi Posts: 126 Member
    The main forum is full of paleo haters... God forbid you didn't chose to eat SOME pizza or icecream every day.

    Made my first MEATZA last night. OMG. I could eat it everyday.
  • shar140
    shar140 Posts: 1,158 Member
    God forbid you didn't chose to eat SOME pizza or icecream every day, because you know - it's not sustainable otherwise.

    LOL, actually that's what got me to 260lb in the first place!! SMH.
  • zellagrrl
    zellagrrl Posts: 439
    Why do you even engage? Just walk away from it, or say that you're not discussing what you do or do not eat. If they ask politely, explain what you do eat, and suggest some reading material if they're interested in it further, then leave them to it.
  • MikeFlyMike
    MikeFlyMike Posts: 639 Member
    how about..
    "if I eat bread, it makes me fart uncontrollably within minutes - I suppose I could splurge since I'm in your presence"
  • craudi
    craudi Posts: 126 Member
    how about..
    "if I eat bread, it makes me fart uncontrollably within minutes - I suppose I could splurge since I'm in your presence"

    ^^THIS. I vote yes.