So Annoying

[ccrider]

How when friends - who only see me every few weeks if not months - look at me strangely because i'm eating things like nuts or fruit/veggies - FOOD!

I've told a few about a raw cafe I like - not to be preachy but because some are trying to be vegan and I genuinely thought that they would enjoy the food/deserts.

It's just annoying b/c for the 1st time today I started to feel alone - and what's worst is that a friend followed me to a raw deli and we both tried something new and it was aweful

- - -he was nice abt it and said it was ok - but I didn't like it and that coupled with the wierd response from others in the group made me almost go eat something cooked - i've been abt 95-100% for over 2 months.

It's just frustrating b/c if I was eating a bag of chips and a soda - none of them would think anything of it - - infact when I was 200 lbs and eating that way, noone said a thing, but me eating avocado is apearantly crazy and unhealthy - I've actually been asked "what are you doing to yourself"

The whole ordeal today really brought my energy down and my life is actually amazing right now - I left the group cuz I was done with them and to redeem my faith in raw food after that aweful meal I bought some Kombucha, larabars and mac&cheese biscuits from living foods (so amazing) - - it totally restored my faith.

Don't know how much longer I'll be 100% but I will def stay at least 80% - the point is I was really annoyed today about the cynical eye people cast on trying new things, especially where health is concerned. It's as if my eating well makes them feel judged - that's too bad. i'm not preaching to anyone, I just don't want to be judged of have "friends" roll their eyes at me for eating cashews.

I weight 150Lbs now and I look great and feel great

[Riiiya]

that's ridiculous >:(

sorry, don't want to be mean toward your friends and all that, but what happened to people's perception of food???? I hate having people say "oooooh you're eating HEALTHY food" when i'm simply eating some nuts or fruit. it shouldn't be called Healthy, it's NORMAL..
grr, sorry i just had something like that happen recently. I've been in the US for a year now and i view the whole nutritional side of life here very differently- the internationals i know here would never think my eating habits are Healthy, they wouldn't even pay attention. To my american friends, it's as if i am DEFINITELY ON SOME DIET. uuh sorry again, long day ;) do not get frustrated. YOU know you're doing the right thing :)

[barose]

Congrats on your weight loss!

I know what you mean though. People look at me like I have two heads when I tell them I eat coconut and put coconut oil in my smoothies every now and then and about my raw diet in general. Despite my increasing health and shrinking waist line, they think I'm crazy.

At the same time, they think nothing of eating bread ("but its organic and whole wheat!!"), hormone and thyroid disrupting tofu and other so-called "healthy" vegan or vegetarian foods. I dont know many people who eat a typical SAD, so least its not too bad.

I think for them its more about willpower than health. I mean, not many people can resist local cooked dark chocolate, or sour dough bread.


I hang out at farmers markets where I see a much high percentage of like minded people, so thats refershing.


You're doing the right thing, keep up the good work and don't let them get you down!

[ccrider]

Yes riiiya - that is exactly what it's like "I'm on Some Diet" - or "Oh are you still doing the raw THING" - - I had to respond to that "yes I am eating alot of raw foods and it's not really a THING"

sorry you had to go thru that too

[lavendarJ]

Hey I hear ya, I hear ya, I hear ya on this one...Still going through that. I'm at 150 at the moment also:D Last January, I was 242. You're right, no one says a word when your scarfing down family sized bags of lays or two or three packages of twinkies just because your bored, your depressed, your whatever the excuse is.

But lo and behold, dare to love yourself, dare to care about what's in your best interest, dare to be different and it will become crystal clear exacty what quality of friendships you have. Eat those cashews and continue to celebrate you. You know what's best for you!:)

[ccrider]

Thanks guys - I really appreciate it.

Lavenderj - that was really beautifu what you said about choosing to love yourself - - it seems to make others feel threatened and I'm not interested in that behaviour.

I have a friend who just asks questions and listens, and even if he does find it wierd he keeps it to himself - I prefer that than someone who knows nothing but still has a comment for everything

[Riiiya]

Yes riiiya - that is exactly what it's like "I'm on Some Diet" - or "Oh are you still doing the raw THING" - - I had to respond to that "yes I am eating alot of raw foods and it's not really a THING"

sorry you had to go thru that too

uuh it's like THIS kind of eating is OUT OF THE ORDINARY, seriously... well with the fast food culture it might be.
yea.... that can get a big annoying (oh my- since i decided to try raw- i don't get mad as easity though :) !!

actually- i have been noticing to myself how much more medical problems people seem to have in this country..overall... which is sad. AND i always tended to think that Nutrition had to play a huge part.... ahhhhhhh then the RAW made me realize i was quite right :O

[Sweet lips]

CCrider if you smile as it is your secret, your joy, your peace and breathe breaths of love for them, while not making any response, they will be okay. Typically if our body reflects our annoyance, it keeps people at it. Ask me how I know:rolleyes: - so now, I smile at them, breathe well, and keep doing what I am doing.

I have had more people then show an interest. About the food not being well today - tell the management - they may not know, but again if it is gentle, it will be received.

Have you thought of preparing something for them?

[ccrider]

sweet lips I really love that! - next time i will smile and make no response. I love your idea of just radiatiing positivity. That reminds me to be a reflection of what I believe instead of showing my frustation. I think I'm just not going to talk to people about it

[EZ rider]

ccrider -- I have heard that professional crabbers have a big open topped container where they put the live crabs after they are caught. the sides are just high enough that they can't get out unless they climb up on another crab and then they can reach the edge and pull themselves out and head for freedom. The crabbers don't even watch them to make sure they don't escape. Why ? because if one of the crabs starts to get out the other crabs will reach out and pull the escaping crab back. Happens every time. Unfortunately some people are like those crabs. If they see someone about to escape their addiction they will offer the person whatever the person is trying to escape from. Cigs, booze, drugs, cooked food, SAD, whatever will temp the addict from getting free of their addiction. Possibly they can pull the escaping person down with some annoying words. Maybe it makes them feel OK about sticking with their habbit and they just don't want to see someone get free ? Maybe its something else ? Moral of the story is if your trying to get free from an addiction and someone reaches out and tries to pull you back into it just realize it for what it is and pull all the harder to get free.

[ccrider]

ez rider - Wow - I didn't know that about the crabs

That is as really great example of how others can try to bring you down especially when you are trying to do something good for yourself.

Sad thing is that they may nolt realize that they're doing it - It's sad but true.

[tisha]

When I first started changing the way I eat and also my opinions about doctors and medicine, I found myself having to defend my choices. It was pretty frustrating and sometimes really lonely. I have had to accept that there are certain things that I can talk about with certain people and to the rest, I have to avoid certain subjects.

New ideas are hard to adjust to for some people. They are just not ready to do it or even consider it. That's okay. We are all at different places on our own journey. What I have tried to do is find like-minded people either on the internet or IRL. My friends are few, but that's the way it is. I know that I am healthier doing what I am doing. As you live your life, you will be an example to others. Some day someone will come to you and ask you why you look and feel so great. :)

[OneBite@aTime]

I've learned to keep my answers short and sweet and truthful, like "I just feel better when I eat simple, fresh meals" or "I'm giving it 100% for a year to see if I can heal myself with raw food". Unless someone is really interested and asking questions I keep my ideas and comments to myself. I also pay attention to my words and body language to make sure I do not "judge" anyone else for the way they are eating...I once ate like that too!

[EZ rider]

"I just feel better when I eat simple, fresh meals"
That kind of answer fits right in with what I have learned about asertiveness. Asertiveness training is based on exactly what you said about keeping your answers short, simple, and direct and is based on the premise that you have a right to your ideas and beliefs.

[beckyb]

I just tell everybody that I have "high cholesterol" and my Dr wanted me
to take medicine that cost $80 a month, but this is cheaper for me to
just eat healthy food.


I work with a group of women that eat Fried Chicken, Hamburgers, Bisquits
and Gravy (for breakfast).. You name it, they eat it. They are all on
"a diet".. but you would never know it. So instead of everybody hating
me for my way of eating, I volunteered last week to start making everybody
smoothies for breakfast!!

Everybody gave me $10 each and I made fruit smoothies and raw choc
smoothies, with raw cashews. They loved them!!

I am bringing the "superfoods" this week (for my smoothies) and told them
this was just an option for them, but they would have to pay more...

So, I am making their batch of smoothies, then my superfood smoothies!!

They are full and happy and I hope they appreciate my efforts, but I'm
not doing it for that, I just love to see smiles!!;)

[honeycat]

Becky,

I think what you are doing is awesome. Not only are you showing them that "your way" isn't crazy/hard/whatever other things we hear - by offering to make the smoothies for them, your inviting them to share something that they would never have done on their own. I have co-workers who eat the same as yours and i always hear, "Oh, I need to lose weight" and lunch is usually burger, fries and a coke. And yes, they do think I'm off my rocker!

[RAWk Angel]

I think it is so sad to see people talk about how they want to lose weight while they stuff thier bodies with all that processed junk, but then they question you and your health when you are eating the raw and natural way. The gen. public is so conditioned to think that all that processed and and unhealthy foods are what a typical diet should consist of. :confused: