How to handle uninvited diet advice?

Agree with what everyone else says. There are always those people who want to give input, even if it's unsolicited. I genuinely think most of the time, they are trying to be helpful... but there are always those few who tend to come off as know-it-all people who seem to get off a bit on feeling like they have endless knowledge to share & feel like it's their mission to educate the ignorants.... lol. It can get a little tiresome having to act interested in their input, especially when you're not looking not asking for their insight...

But like everyone else said, you just have to shrug it off. The road to weight loss can be a funny path sometimes....
You have those who are very supportive about it...
You have others who are competitive ("How much weight did you lose? 3 lbs - oh, I lost 4!" - "How many calories did YOU eat yesterday? 1,500? Oh wow - I NEVER go over 1300!" etc.... you know what I'm talking about. The ones who are always asking you about what you're doing, then trying to "one-up" you regardless of what you say, lol)
You have the know-it-alls
And then you have the haters, lol

I think in general, most people who see you making positive changes are supportive. The few that aren't are just misguided or perhaps a little envious that you have the willpower to do what they cannot - or will not.

In any event, it all boils down to you - and how you take things.
Do what you need to do for you, and heed the advice you seek out from people you trust.
To everyone else - and the comments they make - just smile, nod, and then carry on with your day & do what you know is best for YOU.

sometimes when people give me advice like that, i put it in the back of my mind to revisit later. i'll say "thanks, i'll look into it."

something like this, might bear looking at. what exactly is B12? what benefits does it have? i don't know enough about it to immediately dismiss it, so why should i assume it's all broscience and mumbo jumbo?

B12 supplementation is extremely useful FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE B12 DEFICIENT.

Everyone else just pees it out. I supplement it because 20 years of being a vegetarian has made me deficient.

yup, i'm reading about it now.

most people are able to get enough B12 from their food, like fish, meat, poultry, and some breakfast cereals that are fortified with the vitamin.

about 1.5% to 15% of people are B12 deficient.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-QuickFacts/

Ignore it. I wouldn't stress, seriously. I've had my Mum tell me I'm going to die of cancer. Okay Mum! Thanks! C:

Just say "thank you for your concern" and move on.

Alternatively, based on the advice, you can say "thank your for your advice" and "thank you for your opinion"

Id ask if that's what their nutritionist told them to do? Or did they have to have blood work done to find out if they needed it or how did they come that conclusion. And when they say they read it...id say...hmm interesting.

Sometimes, I am guilty of doing this and recieving this myself. Let me explain. 1- doing this- I really am thinking that the person who is logging in their diary that they are eating lots of sweets but complaining about not being able to loose weight, I will say things like you may want to increase your fruits and vegatables and increase water intake. I don't bring up the sweets and throw it in their face.

2- yes, I hate it when people give tell to start taking pills. I don't want pills and to be honest I can only take in certain foods anymore. (stomach issues)

So I am guilty of both. So I guess I could punch myself. (lol)

Smile and nod b/c you never know...one day you may hear something that interests you. I have a coworker who gives me alot of advice. I ignore a lot of it, but yesterday he was telling me about a specific juicer...and we got in this long conversation where he educated me on all things juicer. I got on-line, checked it out and ordered a nice one. I'm so excited! If I had shut him down before, I would have missed out on something interesting!

I know everyone just wants to kinda jump out and say, ignore them! But I dunno, I guess I'm the opposite, I want to hear what EVERYONE has to say.

I'll store it all in my brain, maybe research it later, see if there's sound advice in it. Keep the parts that appeal to me, store away the ones that I'm not quite ready for, and trash the ones that go against some sort of personal stance, like taking pills or something, that I know I will never do or need.

What's that you say?! B12??!!!

Smile and nod b/c you never know...one day you may hear something that interests you. I have a coworker who gives me alot of advice. I ignore a lot of it, but yesterday he was telling me about a specific juicer...and we got in this long conversation where he educated me on all things juicer. I got on-line, checked it out and ordered a nice one. I'm so excited! If I had shut him down before, I would have missed out on something interesting!

This also.

You attract more flies with honey and they might know SOMEthing that could prove useful. Even if it becomes nothing more than the fact that they know you are working out and might help kick your butt to do your workout here and there on a day you might otherwise have skipped it.

Most people really are trying to be helpful, so just take it for what it's worth and keep on doing your thing. Don't stress. :flowerforyou:

I've had family members, whom I really adore, tell me that I need to stop losing weight as it will cause my face to sink in and I will look unhealthy. I just tell them not to worry and that I'm feeling great. I don't really discuss my goals anymore as it seems to make the issue worse. For the record, I'm over 5'6" and currently weigh 155.4 lbs. It has taken me about 16 months to lose nearly 58 lbs (so it's not a quick-fix loss). My goal is 148, which is still at the higher end of the healthy range.

THIS. I have family and friends say the same to me. I've learned that people are used to seeing you in a certain way, so to see you look or do something different (like being on the treadmill) they feel they need to offer advice. Like others have said, just say "thank you" and move on. They really do have your best interest at heart (even though they have no nutritionist license).

At least you have some place you can come and vent.

Smile and nod... smile and nod...

That.


Or fart in their general direction.

Their mother must have been a hamster.

and their father ate elderberries

I just had someone at work tell me that they've noticed I've been using the treadmill during my lunches and that I really need to make sure I'm taking B12 supplements otherwise I won't have the metabolism I need to lose weight. While I'm aware that she thinks she's coming from a good place I'm still annoyed. This wasn't the first time someone has given me unsolicited advice about my workouts or eating habits and I know it won't be the last. This is my journey and I'll share it with who I want. Even if that's thousands of strangers on MFP. Maybe I just needed to vent more than anything but I was wondernig how others handle those types of situations. Do you laugh it off? Do you say thank you? Do you politely nod while daydreaming of punching the other person in the face?

Just say something like "yep, no probs all in hand" and thumbs up.

At least they aren't being spiteful or malicious, they mean well, just be gracious and continue what you are doing.

Hear this constantly, I'd personally ignore it I understand it gets frustrating. I don't see why other people make everything about them or get involved in everything.

If I don't know the person at all or if I know them really well (family, boyfriend, etc) they get a "piss off!"

At work I usually enjoy chatting about health but when I get unsolicited crap they usually just get a "hey- what I'm doing seems to be working!"