What should i do about nondieting friends..

Sometimes i feel uncomfortable when i eat lunch with my nondieting friends..

If i eat too little or bring a salad or sth healthy, i am afraid they might say something like,"why are u eating a salad, are you on a diet or something.."

I really hate it when these words come up..

i tend to get obsessive about these things.. and keep thinking about how i should respond if someone talks to me in this kind of way..

i know its my body.. and i can do whatever i want with it.. but i feel embarassed and uncomfortable..

 how can i fix this?!!

i normally tell the truth. " yes i am on a diet, trying to loss a bit of weight" then change the subject..lol. most tell me that i dont need to be and im perfect the way i am. i just thank them for saying that. if the press for more i just tell i am trying to get healthy and stay that way, list a few reason why, etc. normally people dont ask more then once and then they let it drop. a few actully let me chose where to eat now cause they know i am trying to loss so they want to go where i can eat too. its kind of cool. even my husband lets me chose where we eat cause he doesnt know the first thing about dieting and doesnt want to mess mine up cause he knows it important to me.

plus you cant keep it sercet forever and sometimes having people know makes it easyer to eat right. cause if you try to hide it is harder to stay on the wagon when eatting with other people.

hope that helps.

I had this problem... especially weird because I was dieting and weighed less than they did.  Basically, if I ate what they did, I would not lose weight.  I don't enjoy eating out anyway, too much money for too much food... if I eat something low cal (iceberg lettuce salad) it seems a stupid waste of money.  My friends would want to do an outing that also included a restaurant meal.  I was perfectly happy to go on the outing, and sit in the eat eating my better cheaper lunch... but even that didn't make them happy. After a while, they just left me home, and I was okay about that.

There was a recent study that showed that the greatest predictor of obesity was having obese friends. It makes more sense then to find new friendships with people who are make healthier choices.  The way I see it, if I'm not part of the solution, then I am part of the problem.  If I don't stand my ground (go along and pretend I'm not limiting calories) then I am contributing to the culture of obesity.  I don't preach to anyone, just don't hide or apologize for eating the calories I need to do to maintain my target weight.  As a result, one of the above friends was inspired and lost 50 pounds.

So, I don't know if there is any good answer.  It is socially awkward, and unfortunately that's one of the hurdles.  You deal with it, or find new friends. But the more you are there setting a good example, the easier it becomes for others to also do the same.

quick and simple and honest answer:  I'm trying to eat healthier. 

if you feel uncomfortable with the idea of a diet, then just say that.  which is what you are doing anyway.

Just give them a big smile and say "I looove salad".

i am afraid they might say something like,"why are u eating a salad, are you on a diet or something.."

Are you afraid they'll say something or have they said something?

They may not even care what you eat?

But as mentioned by many above, saying that you are trying to eat healthier foods is sufficient no need to give them your whole history.

I haven't told many people that I was trying to loose weight but my friends know and I think they should because they are your support network outside of this forum along with your family.

Let them in on It.

ya, don't use the word diet.

ask them why they are eating so much fat and sugar~

I keep granola bars handy in my car for the times when I can't eat like I would prefer to...either fiber one or kashi.

If I do go out to eat with my friends and choose to socialize, I just order tea or ask that we go out to sushi.

I find that the less is said about it, the better.  When everyone else is ordering, just order a salad (or other healthy entree) as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if you had planned to order that all along because that is what YOU want.  Then immediately start talking about something else, steering the focus away from your food choice.  If they STILL have something to say about it, just say you feel like something light today, or you want something healthy.  It shouldn't be a bigger issue than that.  Unfortunately, I know from experience that it can be, though.

I get asked this a lot now, but usually because someone has noticed my weight loss. My standard answer for "are you on a diet?" is "No." Because I don't think of it as a diet since this is how I'm going to have to eat for the rest of my life. Saying "no" followed with a look of confusion that says, "why would you ask me something like that?" usually shuts people up. If the questions persist you can always say that you've already eaten or had a big lunch or something like that...

That being said, if these are close friends that you eat out with often just be honest with them, tell them you're working on eating healthier food and maybe you'll be surprised by how your true friends step up and offer support. And if you get negative responses from them you'll know not to bother eating out with them in the future.

It's definitely awkward when someone points out what you're eating.  I eat small meals every 3 hours and today one girl was like "PLEASE tell me that's NOT your lunch."  I usually shrug it off and do what I want.

What's more important to you; what they'll say or how healthy and good you'll feel??  Look at it that way.