Justifying why you made a certain food choice

excusesgonowhere
excusesgonowhere Posts: 6
in Motivation and Support
I am currently working on dropping body fat as my primary goal as I am overweight. I follow the IFYM eating style. The other day at work I was eating a yoghurt for morning tea that had a fat gram content of 4.4grams of fat per 150gram serve. I was okay with this. However, a colleague who was beside me eating a brand of yoghurt that 0 grams of fat started questioning my choice of yoghurt.

I tried to explain that I didn't believe losing weight meant I had to eat 0 fat grams, as well as a very brief explanation of my eating style. She just didn't get it and I could almost feel her looking at me with disdain. Ordinarily this wouldn't bother me and I would have gone about my merry way. Yet I couldn't let his go and I kept thinking about it.

I realise it is because I feel like while I am still overweight, my explanations don't have any credibility, therefore I felt embarrassed. I could have been overthinking it but I felt like she was looking at me thinking, 'Yeah, right...you are still fat. Don't think your method is working for you'.

Has anyone else felt like this when someone has questioned there choice of food? I mean, I know that in eight weeks or so I will have the body to prove that the method I'm following works, but in the mean time, while the change is happening and I still appear overweight, I feel like anything I say can't be credited.

I don't know what to tell myself so I don't worry about this. Thoughts? Ideas? Anyone felt anything similar? Thanks heaps. :-)

Replies

  • fitphoenix
    fitphoenix Posts: 9,673 Member
    There are a million different "diets" out there and a million different people who swear by something. Our bodies need fat, carbs, AND protein to survive, but there definitely isn't a consensus about how much of each. You're going to encounter people who disagree about every single thing that you eat, probably; the important thing is to find what works for you and to stick with it. It's really no one else's business what you eat. Don't let someone else's negativity get you down. If you stick with it, you'll see results, and that's all that matters. ^_^
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    I am currently working on dropping body fat as my primary goal as I am overweight. I follow the IFYM eating style. The other day at work I was eating a yoghurt for morning tea that had a fat gram content of 4.4grams of fat per 150gram serve. I was okay with this. However, a colleague who was beside me eating a brand of yoghurt that 0 grams of fat started questioning my choice of yoghurt.

    I tried to explain that I didn't believe losing weight meant I had to eat 0 fat grams, as well as a very brief explanation of my eating style. She just didn't get it and I could almost feel her looking at me with disdain. Ordinarily this wouldn't bother me and I would have gone about my merry way. Yet I couldn't let his go and I kept thinking about it.

    I realise it is because I feel like while I am still overweight, my explanations don't have any credibility, therefore I felt embarrassed. I could have been overthinking it but I felt like she was looking at me thinking, 'Yeah, right...you are still fat. Don't think your method is working for you'.

    Has anyone else felt like this when someone has questioned there choice of food? I mean, I know that in eight weeks or so I will have the body to prove that the method I'm following works, but in the mean time, while the change is happening and I still appear overweight, I feel like anything I say can't be credited.

    I don't know what to tell myself so I don't worry about this. Thoughts? Ideas? Anyone felt anything similar? Thanks heaps. :-)

    I eat too much fat. I go running a lot and while trying to maintain weight, I turn to chocolate and fatty stuff to make up the calories. I do however try and do some fat-burning exercises for abs - videos I found on YouTube. They are pretty good.
  • runningjen74
    runningjen74 Posts: 312 Member
    Option one - because I like this one and I've built it in to my days eating.

    Option two, and the reason I believe it is better, the non fat yoghurt by design has higher sugar / carbs. This negatively impacts on me and is less satiating.

    But.... if someone asked me, who wasn't actually interested, I'd just say because I like it. You don't need to justify anything to anybody - but it is often easier to have an answer that's not too rude - it doesn't need to be the truth ;)
  • Nataliegetfit
    Nataliegetfit Posts: 395 Member
    Most foods that are no or very low fat have something else in place of that missing fat, sugar.
  • Chezzie84
    Chezzie84 Posts: 873 Member
    Dont worry about her.
    Chances are she will get bored with her 0 fat diet before long and put more weight on than she lost!!
    (This has happened to me twice).

    I am always being questioned about my choice... "you can't eat that if you are on a diet" or "why are you eating that? This is much better for you" or I dont think you are dedicated to yor diet becuase you are eating (put food item here)".
    I just tell them the truth. I am not dieting because I don't like the restrictions of a diet, I am on a healthy eating plan. I have 1340 calories a day and I have allocated it into my diet. I can eat what I want.

    Nobody should make you feel bad for the choices you make. Getting healthy is a long road and I beleive you are more likely to succeed in the long run if you enjoy the journey. Honestly how long do you think you will stick to eating healthy if you dont enjoy your food?
  • futuresize8
    futuresize8 Posts: 476 Member
    While I'm approachable and friendly, I never give off a vibe that it's OK to question anything I do. It's your yogurt, your food choice, your body and your life. Nobody's business but yours.
  • juicy_cat
    juicy_cat Posts: 145 Member
    I'd seriously tell her to mind her own business....fat is fine and so is sugar...just not tons of either....I eat fat and have lost 17 pounds so far,,,,diet food is usually lacking in something and is full of crap....
  • KristinaB83
    KristinaB83 Posts: 440 Member
    You don't have to justify *kitten* to anyone! And you'll feel better in a few months when you lose weight and she doesn't.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    no one has questioned my choice of food ever.

    lol

    I'm a very cheery happy woman but I'll also cut ya. People realize this soon after meeting me..
  • excusesgonowhere
    excusesgonowhere Posts: 6
    I just tell them the truth. I am not dieting because I don't like the restrictions of a diet, I am on a healthy eating plan. I have 1340 calories a day and I have allocated it into my diet. I can eat what I want.


    Ahh still learning how these boards work and don't think I used the quote thing properly - but what I am trying to say, is what a great response! :-)
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    No one has ever questioned my eating choices. If they did, they would regret it.
  • excusesgonowhere
    excusesgonowhere Posts: 6
    Thanks for the answers everyone. It really is true, my body, my choice, so why should I have to justify it to anyone? Especially when I know when I reach goal, plus to manage to maintain that what I'm doing works.
  • Mother_Superior
    Mother_Superior Posts: 1,624 Member
    I usually go into a long, drawn out explanation of BMR, TDEE, essential micro and macro nutrients, and the importance of balancing these things out in ways that are proportional to individual goals, and usually by the time I finish the first sentence, they back away slowly and never bring it up again. The one time I did have somebody question how I ate a second time, I asked them if they knew their BMR and/or TDEE. They looked at me confused, and then I asked if they don't have a basic grasp of their own caloric/nutrient needs, how can they expect to understand mine.

    At best, you get to educated someone about being healthier, at worst, you annoy someone into not annoying you. win/win
  • brynnsmom
    brynnsmom Posts: 945 Member
    Most foods that are no or very low fat have something else in place of that missing fat, sugar.

    This is very true. And a lot of people do buy into the low fat/no fat approach. I think it's more important to eat a balanced diet- your body needs some fat to function properly!

    I've had others question some of my food choices before and it isn't anything I feel I should have to defend. If I were you I'd just ignore it.
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
    I feel similarly sometimes. There are women in my office who think that they are eating healthy/low calorie because they get a "salad", but the salad contains fried chicken strips, cheddar cheese, almonds, dried cranberries, creamy dressing, etc. When I reviewed the lunch menu from a popular spot in the area, I explained to them that the salads they ordered had upwards of 900 cals, whereas the turkey club sandwich (or even the burger) offered that day were not "evil" like they made them out to be. They probably contained the same amount of calories as the salad.

    I don't order out with them anymore because I try to stick to what I bring from home. I think if I DID order they'd critique what I got because I would pick a reasonable (calorie wise) sounding sandwich but it is on OMG BREAD and therefore fattening. Turkey breast on rye is not the devil.
  • becky10rp
    becky10rp Posts: 573 Member
    My friends - and people who know me - don't question my food choices.

    'Strangers' seem to question my food choices all the time.

    I'm a Vegetarian - I don't eat any meat (haven't for almost 20 years) - but I do eat dairy, eggs, and fish.

    It's not for any political reasons - I just don't like the taste of meat; haven't since I was a kid.

    I've stopped explaining my food choices to people - it's none of their business.

    I don't ask them why they ordered a plate full of bacon.........if they ask me why I ordered the Vegetarian Platter - I just do the 'one eyebrow lift' - and that pretty much says it all..............
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Has anyone else felt like this when someone has questioned there choice of food?

    No, because I have vastly more nutritional knowledge than anyone I personally know. Most people are pretty much ignorant when it comes to proper nutrition and believe silly nonsense like dietary fat must make you fat...because, you know...it has the word fat and fat=fat...duh....they are ignorant. They think they're being healthy by buying items marketed as "healthy"...because they are low fat/no fat...or have the word "lean" or "healthy" somewhere on the package...again...they are just completely ignorant of actual nutrition...if they did, then they would know that dietary fat is an essential macro-nutrient. It is essential to nutrient absorption because there are certain nutrients that are only fat soluble...it is also essential to proper brain function and nervous system function as well as lubrication of joints among other things. 20-30% of dietary intake should be fat for proper nutrition.

    This is why the better part of the population has to do some whacked out fad diet to lose weight and why 95% of them will never keep it off...they neglect to actually learn anything...they neglect to actually learn proper nutrition and proper intake of that nutrition. They prefer to live in ignorance and just shrug their shoulders and say they tried.

    I personally eat fat free greek yogurt...but only because i get plenty of fat elsewhere and i don't want to give up those sources for full fat yogurt

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