Frustration with healthy eating comments.

Ever since I decided to change my life last year and start eating healthy I have been feeling great, lost over ten pounds, and in general I am happier. When I entered college and began gaining lots of weight I knew that was not how I wanted my life to go and took initiative to change it.

The greatest frustration I have about my new lifestyle is all the naysayers. I often getting comments from friends, family members, and coworkers when I decide to make a healthy decision rather than dine on something else or mention something about healthy foods. Most of the time they are along the lines of:

"Why are you depriving yourself? Don't you want to enjoy your life?" or

"Are you some sort of health nut?" or

"Live a little and eat this cheesecake!" or

"I can eat whatever I want a stay thin anyway. Isn't that great?"

I guess I have gotten really tired of these comments. First, I DO enjoy some "bad" food, usually more often a week than I should, but not constantly. Second, there are other ways to enjoy life other than stuffing your face. Running a marathon for example, or climbing a mountain. Being in shape and healthy really helps you enjoy THOSE kinds of goals. Finally, I just do not know what to say to those skinny people who brag about eating whatever they want and still looking great. Are they taunting me?

Does anyone else have problems with these sorts of comments? How do you deal with them? What about friends and family constantly trying to tempt you with unhealthy food even though they know you are trying to get in shape? Just curious.

I really hate when people are forcing me to eat junk. I much rather have something else.

I just say : ''No thanks, I just took a piece of gum.''

You can say that you're allergic, but that doesn't work with the family. :P

I did a little bit when I started.  Face it, a pretty high percentage of people say they are dieting, making a lifestyle change, going to the gym, and flame out after a few days.  Once they saw I was serious, I have had nothing but support.  This may come that I was 304lbs and not just looking to lose a few pounds.

Tell them the truth.  Answer the questions honestly

"Why are you depriving yourself? Don't you want to enjoy your life?"

I have deprived myself of enjoying life for too long and my lifestyle change will ensure that I enjoy my life for many years to come.

"Are you some sort of health nut?"

Are you some sort of unhealthy nut or what is so nutty about trying to get healthy?

"Live a little and eat this cheesecake!"

Not eating it will help me live a little longer

"I can eat whatever I want a stay thin anyway. Isn't that great?"

It will catch up to you in a year or two

i think the way ppls comments effect you really depends on your relationship with food.  now i see food the same way that i see medication....when i first started ordering salad instead of french fries i would get embarrassed b/c i didn't like looking like i'm on a "diet"....but now that i'm fit and healthy i no longer order french fries b/c i think about what they'll do to my body and how much more energized i'll be after eating a salad.  Food should be enjoyable - BUT your only enjoyment shouldn't be food....like the cheesecake comment...ppl who find solace in food aren't really living at all - i totally agree with all of jigglethehandles comments!!

i know this sounds bad but i also think that a lot of ppl don't like to see others being successful with weight loss....why should they really care if you don't want to eat a piece of cake? after i got to my goal weight i found ppl would bug me a lot with eating junk food like they were trying to plump me up hahahaha. maybe take it as a compliment.

Original Post by jigglethehandle:

I did a little bit when I started.  Face it, a pretty high percentage of people say they are dieting, making a lifestyle change, going to the gym, and flame out after a few days.  Once they saw I was serious, I have had nothing but support.  This may come that I was 304lbs and not just looking to lose a few pounds.

Tell them the truth.  Answer the questions honestly

"Why are you depriving yourself? Don't you want to enjoy your life?"

I have deprived myself of enjoying life for too long and my lifestyle change will ensure that I enjoy my life for many years to come.

"Are you some sort of health nut?"

Are you some sort of unhealthy nut or what is so nutty about trying to get healthy?

"Live a little and eat this cheesecake!"

Not eating it will help me live a little longer

"I can eat whatever I want a stay thin anyway. Isn't that great?"

It will catch up to you in a year or two

Agreed :)

Hah, kinda sounds like how some people from my family have handled how I eat. Actually, the comments you've received are at least not as insensitive as the ones I've previously been given.

"Why don't we call you Ana; that's short for what you are— anorexic!" - a cousin of mine on my small-portioned meals.

When they see what a good this newfound way of living does for you, they'll be taking those words back. Trust me on that.

Original Post by arlanet:

"Why are you depriving yourself? Don't you want to enjoy your life?"

I have been enjoying myself all too often. (pat stomach),

"Are you some sort of health nut?"

Makes you feel guily doesnt it?

"Live a little and eat this cheesecake!"

There are people in the world who have never tried cheese cake.  I have had more than my fair share.  Let someone else indulge.

"I can eat whatever I want a stay thin anyway. Isn't that great?"

Yeah I used to be that way too.  Until I realized I had gained x lbs.  It's funny how fast that extra weight can creep up on you.

I actually have the complete oposite problem! My fammily and bf always think i'm eating too much despite being on 1400 calories.

This morning my bf said to me 'What am i going to save you from?....A bar of chocolate?' After i jokingly said he should be my hero too after he saved a woman at work from falling down three flights of stairs.

He also started ranting at me for uping my calories to 1400 because he coudnt see how upping calories could make me loose weight.

Derogatory comments from people who just dont understand anything about halthy eating REALLY annoy me, i often wonder if they are as ignorant as they seem or if they are trying to be mean because they ae jealous!

I have EXACTLY the same problem. I lost lots of weight but I have to face my friends/saboteurs every day trying to force me to eat fatty things that I don't even like. They are constantly saying "oh for god's sake it's just a bit of chocolate."

But really - why eat it if I don't want it?!

Also, I'm going on holiday with my friends soon and I just KNOW that they're going to try and make me eat pizza and junk food all the time. Never thought I would dread a holiday so much!

That's awful anguine! You should be able to enjoy yourself on holiday!

Some times you want to share something nice with a friend, but you shouldn't force it on them. I'm lucky that people will not continue to offer me food once I explain about my diet.

Perhaps you can get round them. When going for food have smaller portions or choose the healthy option. At the end of the day, you are the only one who can decide what goes in your mouth.

And when someone says 'it's just a piece of chocolate' answer back with it's ... minutes jogging/ cycling whatever.

Here's the thing I just don't understand - why do any of you give a **** what people think about what you eat anyway? Who cares what they say? It doesn't matter if you don't let it bother you.

People say that stuff to me and it just rolls right off my shoulders. When they see I'm serious or don't really acknowledge their comments they quickly stop

Hi!

This has been an interesting discovery over the last month and a half for me, as well.  I'm trying to change my eating habits, and exercise regularly.  Yet, as I refuse to dip into the candy dish, and opt for cottage cheese and triscuits instead, people stare at me like my hair is on fire.

It's no wonder the world has continually growing health problems.  Apparently obesity is the new fit, and it's sad to me that it's more normal to eat french fries than it is to eat vegetables. 

Just stick to your plan, and know that what you're doing is right! 

I have always hated all of the remarks, and it seems they are pretty common for everyone who trys to be healthy.  I do feel like one poster stated that some of these people are trying to sabotage you to make themselves feel better by making you fail and being as unhealthy as they are.

Now the statement I think I recieved the most was one time won't kill ya.  Let me tell ya on more than one day I recieved this comment from different friends and family for all of the meals that day and snacks.  I then started to tell them they are right and then pointed out to them that everyone was saying that and where do you draw the line.  I told them only special occasions like a holiday should be those one times.

Yup!!

It gets pretty annoying, to me anyways... my friends do it mostly when we go out... try to order me endless amounts of drinks.... they seem to think the only way anyone can have fun is if they are drinking? Certainly not the case for me but whatever!

I also tend to just ignore it nowdays... if they think being healthy is a waste of time, then so be it... we'll just see who looks better in a few years! Haha

i have the same problem when i go home! i feel like they're watching my every move and they get annoyed when i dont eat as much as them. i'm healthy and happy now, and yet they want to offer me everything to eat. i'm sure they would go out and buy me mcdonalds for every meal if i asked. but while i was heavier, my mom would always try to get me to eat healthier. now its opposite! the last thing my dad said to me before i left was to gain some weight (i live 350 miles away for an intern job right now =[ ) i know they dont mean it to be mean, but it really makes me not enjoy visiting even when i only see them maybe once a month!