"Why didn't you eat any _____? Are you on a diet??"

I usually try to tell people that I have had all I want.

I agree. It definitely gets worse when I'm traveling overseas because all of a sudden my eating habits aren't representing just me - they're representing AMERICAN eating habits. And everything I do leads to a comment or discussion about how Americans eat. No surprise - our eating habits have a bad reputation!

Just tell people you get full easily. That way you can avoid the "diet talk."

I do. I'm pretty much at goal/ very close, but I will always count and log my calories because it gives me that feeling of control over food that I need. There's quite a few people (family is the worst) that always make comments that I shouldn't be on a diet, shouldn't be counting calories, I need to eat a cheeseburger, etc. This is a lifestyle for me, and no matter how many times I tell people I'm not on a diet, it doesn't stick. It bothers me, but I don't make a big deal out of it though.

I was at the Pinewood Derby for my son in boy scouts and I didn't feel like eating the sandwiches they were serving because they were dripping in mayonnaise and I hate mayonnaise. So I got a plate full of vegtables and all the other moms started talking about me like I wasn't there and how, "she's so skinny she doesn't need to diet at the Pinewood Derby," and "you should really eat something sustainable, you won't gain weight from one little sandwich".

I hate those women with a passion.

There's a lady who comes by my work to bribe us for bananas with goodies. I'm good with the grape HiChew candies she used to bring. I can deal with that. Lately, though, she's been coming around with Häagen-Dazs ice cream bars, and I have to fight her off with a stick every time.

nebulasprout wrote: »

Note to self: find out how to say "explosive diarrhea" in Korean.

I just caught myself trying to find the Like button.

I usually say- no, I just didn't want any. If they continue to badger-what part of I didn't want any wasn't clear? If they continue, repeat the second part, this time with an expletive.

regardless of what the food is, i tell people it has too much gluten in it and i've reached my gluten limit for the day. That gets them to walk away puzzled.

I turned down cheesecake at work. Coworker said, lighten up on your diet! I replied I had already eaten a donut and ice cream that day, how much more should I lighten up? Plus side I had room for leftover cheesecake the next day.

SonyaCele wrote: »

regardless of what the food is, i tell people it has too much gluten in it and i've reached my gluten limit for the day. That gets them to walk away puzzled.

And this would be why people are so misinformed about what foods contain gluten and which don't.

I never liked people commenting on my diet, that's why I hardly tell anyone I'm working to lose weight. But I'd do my best to brush off any comments like that and realize it's mostly a cultural thing. Even here, when people comment, I just try to brush it off.

nebulasprout wrote: »

YES this! The other day there was salad with honey mustard dressing, and as I've never been a fan of mustard, I didn't take any. Cue two of my Korean coworkers asking "Oh, Americans don't eat mustard??"

Amazing.

lol yep. I've had so many interactions like that. Oh, Americans don't put sugar in their coffee? Yes, we do, I just don't feel like some right now.

Back to the OP, though - I realize I may be more sensitive than I should be given that people really do study what I eat because I'm obese. The comment I get the most is "that's really healthy" with a tone of surprise, and sometimes suspicion as if because I'm obese I'm sitting around eating fries all the time. I think a lot of people don't realize that many obese people are just eating more food and that we don't necessarily eat *kitten*. Since I've started this journey the only thing I'm changing is portions.

I hope to create a supportive environment around food, and sometimes I wonder how to cultivate it. Once I took one of my employees out to dinner, and we spent the evening talking about the project we were working on. As we were leaving, he was like "oooh, I'm sooo full!" and I laughed and said I wasn't full - I felt great. Then he said "that makes sense - you only ate like 550 calories. You didn't have any of that dipping sauce." My mouth literally dropped open; never in a million years would it EVER occur to me to count someone else's calories and track their food. Big surprise, a month later during a conversation I learned that he has an anorexic sister who's had to be hospitalized on several occasions. I wonder if living in a family environment like that could have contributed or made things harder.

So, when people ask me that question, I just firmly (even abruptly, even rudely if necessary) just say I don't want any. The fact is the reasons don't matter. It could be because I'm counting calories, because I don't like the food, or because I like the food but don't think it's worth the calories (for me, pretty much always the case with sweets, cake, etc). I'm not going into a whole spiel about my thought process around eating it and open it up for discussion, because that sets the precedent you have input on my food choices.

nebulasprout wrote: »

augustremulous wrote: »

I agree. It definitely gets worse when I'm traveling overseas because all of a sudden my eating habits aren't representing just me - they're representing AMERICAN eating habits. And everything I do leads to a comment or discussion about how Americans eat. No surprise - our eating habits have a bad reputation!

YES this! The other day there was salad with honey mustard dressing, and as I've never been a fan of mustard, I didn't take any. Cue two of my Korean coworkers asking "Oh, Americans don't eat mustard??"

Amazing.

Ha. I've gotten critiqued on not what I was eating but how I was eating. I apparently really annoy my German FIL because I switch hands while eating with a fork and knife. He says it is extremely inefficient and why do you Americans eat like that. This is a man that can eat an entire Dr. Oetker frozen pizza in less than 5 minutes. I'm like 'Did you even taste that before it got sucked into your black hole?". Also since when is eating food a race and test of efficencies?