do you ever get frustrated with public perception with your diet?
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Fortunately for me (and tragically for them) I live in a part of the country where the morbidly obese abound. I just hope my husband and I will both be gone when the Florida Panhandle breaks away and falls into the Gulf of Mexico under the weight of its residents. Sitting in the waiting area of a local hospital while my husband got some lab work done, I whiled away the time doing a count: 50 people walked past, ten of them NOT overweight. For some reason, the staffers were among the unhealthiest looking.
But my point: around this neck of the woods, those of us over the age of 15 who look healthy rarely encounter criticisms of our food choices. We are obviously doing something right because we stick out like skinny thumbs.8 -
I do get some side eyes and sceptically raised eyebrows, but among people who know me, a 2.5 stone weight loss over the last 4 months is fairly stark evidence that, whatever I'm doing, it's working!4
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The worst are the people that tell you they "tried it" (admit they didn't read about it), and say how sick it made them and then accuse you of advocating it when you're just discussing it with others that also eat that way, and say you're going to make people sick in the process. Which I guess is why they butted into a conversation others were having in the first place since it was of no interest to them.
All while completely ignoring that you've already stated how much healthier it has made you...
and continue to say that you basically aren't listening to THEM.... LOL
yep. That's frustrating.9 -
When I first began, two years ago, I received a lot of hostility from my family (sisters, nieces mostly). They've shut up about it now because of the results they SEE! I wonder if they now wish they would have jumped with me?!3
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »The worst are the people that tell you they "tried it" (admit they didn't read about it), and say how sick it made them and then accuse you of advocating it when you're just discussing it with others that also eat that way, and say you're going to make people sick in the process. Which I guess is why they butted into a conversation others were having in the first place since it was of no interest to them.
All while completely ignoring that you've already stated how much healthier it has made you...
and continue to say that you basically aren't listening to THEM.... LOL
yep. That's frustrating.
Yeah, I amend my previous comment that no one says squat. At least people IRL don't, because they mostly really don't care, just as I don't care what anyone else eats. People on the internet apparently care. A lot. About THEIR opinions.4 -
Kodekai1988 wrote: »The only time I got a strong response was in Burger King at a train station -the lady practically shouted "NO BUN?!" Three times to the point I rolled my eyes and said, "it's a thing!!" - got my boundless burger though!
Made me think of this old Bloom County comic from 1980:
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What I get frustrated with are my obese friends trying to give me diet advice...they seem to listen to whatever the latest fad is (sprinkle this on your food to lose weight, drink this shake, take this pill, etc.) and are really not interested in a discussion of actual nutrition. Any attempt at talking about nutrition is immediately blown off with comments about how I can't understand because I'm not obese. It's frustrating to watch people I care about, people I know are intelligent human being, act like someone pulled jedi mind trick on them. It continues to baffle my why they think I really need to try their latest weight loss obsession just as it continues to baffle me how they can really truly believe in these obviously scam products. I just don't get it, and watching them ruin their health is heartbreaking, but they won't listen so I don't know what else I can do.5
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Besides some good friends, I am surrounded by "fat will make you fat and give you a heart attack" people. Even my T2D mom is in that camp. I don't talk about it. Meals with them, I limit my carbs as much as possible, the "avoiding gluten" story keeps the questions to a minimum.0
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »The worst are the people that tell you they "tried it" (admit they didn't read about it), and say how sick it made them and then accuse you of advocating it when you're just discussing it with others that also eat that way, and say you're going to make people sick in the process. Which I guess is why they butted into a conversation others were having in the first place since it was of no interest to them.
All while completely ignoring that you've already stated how much healthier it has made you...
and continue to say that you basically aren't listening to THEM.... LOL
yep. That's frustrating.
So True!!!3 -
Not much. If they do I'll tell them about the positive effects I've experienced in addition to weight loss, and about Dr. Wahls and her protocol for MS, and/or mention that my primary care dr, cardiologist and MS specialist are all supportive, my blood work is great, etc. I don't really talk much about not really eating fruit or more starch vegetables because then they'd probably give me a harder time ...3
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I have decided not to even talk to my own mother about my weight loss journey/WOE anymore (it will be interesting when she comes to visit for a week next month). She has been very critical any time she happens to call when I'm eating (asks what I'm eating) and then gives me a hard time. Or she will call when I'm exercising and tells me I'm overdoing it. Or she says I'm losing too much weight (that was the latest discussion this morning after I sent some pics of me and the kids). I've tried to encourage her, not to join me but to just cut out some carbs and sugar. She is obese, diabetic(but not on meds yet), and she goes to a nutritionist every week who she doesn't even listen to (but wants to bring up my WOE). Sorry for the rant!! Besides her I have the occasional acquaintance who gives me the look when I have a pile of meat and cheese on my plate, but I also have some very supportive friends. My husband teases me but he can see the difference in me, energy, less pain and weight loss and he's supportive too.4
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I have no frustrations about the "public perception" of the way I eat. I've never experienced any negative feedback from friends, family, medical professionals or restaurant staff. Though to be honest, I couldn't care less about what people think and I have zero interest in explaining myself to anyone. I don't spend time on social media outside of our private little room here and I'm sure people say stupid opinionated things, but I'm not interested in anyone's opinion of my health or the efforts I'm taking to improve my health, so any type of negative commentary out there on the www would have zero impact on me.4
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Part of modern life is having others endeavor to squeeze you into their belief system, whether it involves health, politics, religion, sports, or even Coke v. Pepsi
As general news gives way to highly-individualized compilations of special content, we seem to be getting even more Balkanized ... .5 -
I have been eating carnivote for 23days now, and the only person in my real life who knows is my husband because I don't want to hear anyone else's opinion about it! So far I haven't had any issues at the few restaurants I've gone to, and even navigated a Wendy's with 4 patties ala cart, in a bowl with an add on of cheese and bacon. Though the lady who helped me was a bit confused, we navagated it.macchiatto wrote: »Not much. If they do I'll tell them about the positive effects I've experienced in addition to weight loss, and about Dr. Wahls and her protocol for MS, and/or mention that my primary care dr, cardiologist and MS specialist are all supportive, my blood work is great, etc. I don't really talk much about not really eating fruit or more starch vegetables because then they'd probably give me a harder time ...
You have MS? Could I ask you about your symptoms and what relief you might have found? My sister has MS at 35 years old ... sorry to thread jack!0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »The worst are the people that tell you they "tried it" (admit they didn't read about it), and say how sick it made them and then accuse you of advocating it when you're just discussing it with others that also eat that way, and say you're going to make people sick in the process. Which I guess is why they butted into a conversation others were having in the first place since it was of no interest to them.
All while completely ignoring that you've already stated how much healthier it has made you...
and continue to say that you basically aren't listening to THEM.... LOL
yep. That's frustrating.
I'm with you there.
I find it saddest when biting my tongue around friends I suspect might enjoy an improvement in their quality of life but just aren't interested (particularly a pre-diabetic friend with Stage 4 liver cancer who goes through 5 bottles of Ensure a day at her family doctor's recommendation).2 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »The worst are the people that tell you they "tried it" (admit they didn't read about it), and say how sick it made them and then accuse you of advocating it when you're just discussing it with others that also eat that way, and say you're going to make people sick in the process. Which I guess is why they butted into a conversation others were having in the first place since it was of no interest to them.
All while completely ignoring that you've already stated how much healthier it has made you...
and continue to say that you basically aren't listening to THEM.... LOL
yep. That's frustrating.
I'm with you there.
I find it saddest when biting my tongue around friends I suspect might enjoy an improvement in their quality of life but just aren't interested (particularly a pre-diabetic friend with Stage 4 liver cancer who goes through 5 bottles of Ensure a day at her family doctor's recommendation).
Ugh! I literally begged my Dad to drink at least one ensure a day when he was having chemo because he wouldn't eat anything. Now I realize he would've been better off fasting if that's what he wanted. Well, maybe not for the muscle loss... but ensure wasn't the best choice by far!!!!
At least I also told him to just focus on eating the meat that came with his hospital meals. This was just before and during my early keto days and I didn't understand any of the things I know now.
Still, I can't bring myself to share info with my T2D brother, mostly because I haven't actually kept in contact with him over the years... he was just diagnosed with melanoma and it's spread to pretty much every organ including his brain already. I haven't talked to him about it yet but my sister said he already eats low carb for the T2D, but who knows what that really means...
I want to share info about keto as part of cancer therapy with him but it feels weird since we really have no relationship at all. Not for any bad reason. He's just way older than me and we didn't grow up together. He's always lived across the country from me and I just don't know him.
Anyway, I really don't know if he's the type to think that diet changes can really matter that much you know? Some people completely dismiss that stuff and think anyone that believes it is just nuts.
I got attacked once just by sharing that Keto is being studied in Alzheimer's once. That's all I said. And a lady got crazy saying that I was suggesting her grampa could've been cured and that I was suggesting they didn't do enough for him and that I was saying they should have "tortured him" by not letting my him have his favorite foods in his last days.... a whole bunch of people jumped all over me about it. Telling me I was insensitive and how dare I and stuff like that. No matter how much I said that I was only saying it's being studied and used with other treatments and nobody said "cure"... It was crazy!
So now I'm super careful when I talk about how food can potentially provide benefit outside of this group. So I'm even hesitant to mention it to him because I don't actually know him enough to have any idea what his reaction might be.5 -
It's funny, I haven't told anyone about my WOE because I don't want to have to explain myself..lol. My daughter has celiac disease so it is really easy to avoid a lot of carbs. I also have a lot of tummy issues so if anyone does ask any questions I just say my dr wants me to eat this. This works for me so I don't care what anyone has to say..lol1
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@Sunny_Bunny_,
It really IS odd - I think many of us are more careful with diet talk than religion, politics, and everything else combined.
I had a similar experience with my dad, who had liver and stomach cancer. In addition to starting Ensure , he also took up smoking again, which may have done him less harm.3 -
I kind of bite my tongue a lot when I know it's not worth it to get in an argument. Sometimes you just know the person won't listen. I have a friend who deeply believes the myth that you should eat at least 6 small meals a day. He claims you have to eat before you are hungry or you will overeat. I tried once to tell him if he cut carbs his blood sugar would stabilize and that wouldn't happen but he still persists in the belief so I just let it go aside from throwing in a sly I only eat 2 meals most days and I don't get hungry. lol
I have another friend who is a nurse and goes on about low carb being bad for your kidneys. Then I have a relative who is a pediatric nurse who thinks ketosis and ketoacidosis are the same thing. She tried to tell me I was going to die on this diet. I asked her to explain from her medical perspective how if they are the same then I've lived over a year with a deadly condition? Also I'm not diabetic so I can't get ketoacidosis. Meanwhile she is overweight with a strong family history of diabetes and eats allllllll the carbs.
My old doctor was 100% on board with keto because she knows it's good for inflammatory conditions. My rheumatologist says she isn't 100% sold on it due to no fruit but in general is ok with any diet that makes her patients feel better. My cardiologists said it would be too hard for him to stick to personally but he thought it was great that I was having success with it. I was worried about my new doctor but she seems ok too. She noticed ketones in my urine sample and I told her I was on a low carb diet so that's my normal and she just said she'd make a note of it for next time. So basically when all your doctors are on board and your labs are good no one can really say much that holds water.7 -
I have another friend who is a nurse and goes on about low carb being bad for your kidneys. Then I have a relative who is a pediatric nurse who thinks ketosis and ketoacidosis are the same thing. She tried to tell me I was going to die on this diet. I asked her to explain from her medical perspective how if they are the same then I've lived over a year with a deadly condition? Also I'm not diabetic so I can't get ketoacidosis. Meanwhile she is overweight with a strong family history of diabetes and eats allllllll the carbs.
Eegads some of the health care folks are the least open-minded of all!
When I fantasize of carrying around a satchel of articles, "Keto does not cause *kitten* kidney disease" is in the top 10.
On a brighter note, my 20s nurse stepdaughter asked me the other day, "WTF is with our food?" She gets a daily dose about the SAD from her contemporaries in the hospital where she works.
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