"Southern Culture" and Dieting

I live in Tennessee. There are some people that love healthy eating, but for the most part not so much.

Everyone is different but my idea of healthy eating is not a salad for every meal. Healthy eating is eating what you want just not overdoing it. Thinking that certain foods are the "devil" is "unhealthy" in my opinion. And when I say unhealthy I mean mentally unhealthy. Look at it this way, the majority of "food" is not unhealthy, overeating ANY food is what's unhealthy...

I understand the feeling! I'm from south east Kentucky and when my girlfriend's grandma cooks her hot browns it's hard to deny it. I think people that say it shouldn't be hard doesn't understand that in the south we fry everything and use tons of butter. I also notice that in Appalachia we're a culture of emotional eaters and can always find a reason to cook a feast with our loved ones. What has helped me the most is having a partner that is very supportive so that when her grandma offers us food we'll split it. That way we don't feel deprived, lose weight and don't insult granny!

I am a sweet southern girl, born and raised in northwest FL (Southern Alabama...lol). When faced with this situation, I usually choose one food that is "bad" but make the rest of the meal up with veggies. And for sweet tea...diabetics are everywhere. Just tell them you are watching your sugar intake so your "sugars" won't be bad when you get older. The elderly generation understand this very well.

I am a pharmacy tech in a small pharmacy and trust me, the older people are a lot more understanding when you make it into a health thing instead of a preference thing. I do wish my grandma was still alive, I crave her fried catfish like crazy!!

because the rest of the country is full of disgusting food?

Moderation is a beautiful thing. Learn it. I don't eliminate anything from my diet that I enjoy, I just know how to pick and choose my battles. If I'm going out later in the week, I'll make sure that my macros and deficit is spot on the rest of the week and let myself enjoy whatever it is that people are making out to be such a diet wrecker, like biscuits and pie. But even then, I still eat bacon and eggs on a regular basis, homemade biscuits or cupcakes almost weekly, ice cream a few times a week. I still manage to stay at a deficit and meet all my macronutritional needs. It takes some planning but this has been way more sustainable than the all or none approach I was taking when I first got to MFP.

Like Elliott said, enjoy your easy access to local produce and meat. I really took it for granted until I was in a location that only had a WalMart. Now I at least can go to a farmers' market and get locally grown and raised food, much closer to when I was living back home and everything came out of our garden or a neighbor's farm. I totally agree, locality is not an excuse, learn portion control and how to politely say no.

Only you can be accountable for yourself. It's their issue if they take offense or find it "rude" if you turn down their food offerings.

Maybe its just my awful northern manners, but I don't care if someone is offended by my refusal to eat their food. The problem is theirs, not mine.

Nope. Not awful Northern manners (which, btw, some of my closest and best BFFs are from Massachusetts) going on. I've lived in TN *most* of my life, and for a few years in Alabama, and am Southern to the core. HOWEVER, worrying about offending someone by not eating their food is more co-dependent, people-pleasing behavior than it is "culture" (no offense to the OP).

This type of mentality is bred into people here (women especially - be nice, reserved and lady-like, make everyone happy, be a demure, Southern 'belle' typecast) even still, and most of my friends (thank Jeebus I'm anonymous here :happy: ) see refusing to try food (or bringing a dish) at any social or family function as "impolite" or "rude". A year or so ago, I said "screw that mess" and started eating beforehand so I wouldn't be tempted. If asked, I just said that "I'd already eaten" and that sort of nipped things in the bud.

Honestly, you have to get in your head that they're not taking care of you, YOU are, and YOU need to do what you have to do to take care of yourself, even at the expense of what they may think about you.

because the rest of the country is full of disgusting food?

No, but have you ever had real southern food? It's about as close to heaven on a plate as it gets.

Bit off topic but it's so easy to make delicious food when it's deep fried and loaded with cream and butter. I have an Auntie who cooks like that and her food is delicious but she's also suffering from weight-related health complications.

It's way more of a challange to cook healthy nutritious food that is also delicious.

One of the blessings (and curses, lol!) of being in the south is the food and those who can cook it well! You can enjoy your favorites and still eat healthier. Make sure you get good exercise, watch your portion sizes, and learn to make salads and water your friend. I'm a sucker for fried food, especially if it's corn bread, but seeing the calories and fat and sodium don't make me too happy. I've learned to limit those things.
When being with those good cooks, sample a bit, but learn to smile graciously and say thank you, but I'm full. Focus on the company, not so much the food. If you're with family or friends and you over indulge a bit, suggest a walk or some other activity that others may enjoy. And if you're like me and enjoy sweet tea, learn to limit it. A glass or two doesn't hurt, but those glasses or 5 add up quickly.