Need advice on what to tell others
 

Every time I tell someone I am on the Atkins diet, you would think that I just told them that I eat live puppy dogs. It really makes me feel like I am doing the wrong thing, but I know it work. How do I tell someone I don't want bread without explaining the whole diet?

Let's dissect. What have you learned from this WOE so far?

That eating carbs makes you miserable, not to mention fat. That when you eat them, you feel awful, and wake up the next day with a "hangover".

Would you say that this is an intolerance to carbs? How about - After carefully observing the way I react to eating carbohydrates, it's in my best interest not to eat them. In fact, I never realized how sick they made me feel until I stopped eating them and started feeling normal again.

How about - I've looked at what I eat, and I've decided to clean up the way I eat by avoiding any highly processed foods with empty calories. No white flour, sugar or processed foods.

Make sure you use either of these two - or statement of your choice - when the questioner is eating something horrible like a chocolate bar or bag of chips.

Make your meals look really good, big and "healthy".

Then tell them that you've joined a cult who in addition to eating live puppies, eats kittens, bunnies and lettuce! ;)

Karen

How about...
 

You are right...when you mention Atkins there are immediate red flags for people. If you want to educate them expect some conflict. If you want to give them an answer that is truthful yet less indepth, tell them you are following a low-carb program.

I haven't found a great way of discussing this woe yet either. I don't want to invite an argument and basically don't feel like justifying myself to anyone.

My strategy instead has been to just eat what I eat and let them think their evil thoughts that I'm destroying myself. :p They must be beginning to wonder how it is that I've dropped 75 lbs when I consume so much meat and fat; they keep commenting on how great I look but haven't yet asked how it's possible. I'll wait till they do instead of going on evangelistic crusade.

This is not an ideal approach. When someone asks me to their house for a meal I keep suggesting a new restaurant I've read about or tell them they shouldn't go to the trouble of cooking and offer to bring something myself. So far this has worked out, but I can't imagine getting away with it much longer.

I think it might work to explain that you're trying to control a blood sugar problem. I know other people here tell waiters that they have diabetes. Of course, that wouldn't fly with family members (unless you want to tell a really big whopper!).

Whatever happens, don't let them discourage you. The real test is how it works for you. :)

Allison

Why tell them anything?

If they say wow you look great, are you on a diet? Say "thanks!, naw just watching what I eat here lately." (remember this isn't a diet, it *IS* a way of life.) :)

If they question what you are eating, simply say "oh yeah, well I don't feel like eating <insert high carb food name here> today. Just not in the mood sorta thing. Or "Oh yeah I had that last night, I don't want it two days in a row", and leave it at that.

I doubt anyone will get into an argument over you not eating something unless you make an issue of...I am on a low carb diet, I can't have that.

I remember my father-in-laws wife (I refuse to call that woman my mother-in-law) was here during the summer and noticed I had lost a lot of weight. When I told her I was on a low carb diet, she proceeded the 8 days she was here, to tell me how when she was on a diet she lost 25 pounds and could eat ANYTHING SHE WANTED. I tried to be as polite as I could in not mentioning the fact that technically she only lost 5 pounds since she put 20 of it back on. For Christmas this year she bought me a cookie cookbook, not low carb of course.

I tell them that I'm cutting out refined flour and sugar, as well as other prepackaged foods, for the health benefits. If they press, I'll state that there is a long history of diabetes in my family, and breast cancer, and that processed foods and non-organic meats are disease-inducing.

If they press further, I'll tell 'em even WORMS won't eat refined sugar - you can put a pile of refined sugar in a shed and dump any kind of worm in there, and they won't eat the stuff - has no nutritional value.

That usually shuts them up, because I've resorted to grossing them out :D

I don't usually tell them exactly what the plan is unless they ask out of a desire to know so they can try it.

Shalom,
Sh'ra

I too use Sh'ra's strategy: "I no longer eat sugar or flour" No one ever complains about this, though once someone said, "hmm, that must be hard considering the way everything is served." Rare is the time that someone will bring a pan of brown rice or quinoa into work and you'd have to make up a lie to cover for not eating that. Instead of getting horror, I get "wow, great idea, I should do that!"

But I also like the reponse others have used, "I can't eat that. I break out in fat."

i just simply tell people that i dont eat sugars or starches. not many people say anything about it. my friends tell me im crazy but ive learned not to let it bother me... its still fun to watch them get jealous over my weight loss!!! hehe!

Hah! Karen , I love your response!!

Bailey, I rarely have had the occasion to have to tell people 'what I'm doing'. Inever even told people what I was doing back in my old 'lo-cal, lo-fat' days!

I always got 'guff' for every type of diet I ever went on, until I decided it's MY business. It's been my experience that:

1. People usually have their faces in their own plate and don't notice what I'm eating unless I bring it to their attn.
2. If they DO notice (don't you just hate food police??)-- I pretend not to hear them.
3. If they really push the issue-- wanting to know why I won't eat this or that, I just say it doesn't agree w/ me.
4. I NEVER, ever tell- even my mother- that I'm on any WOE or weight loss plan. It just gets people in your face w/ their 'advice'. :daze:

YB

It gets easier as you loose fat and people start to notice that what you are doing is working for you. In the end that is what is important anyway. Good luck!

I am actually enjoying telling people that I'm on a LC diet/WOE, not that many people in Australia know about it and they are really interested and surprised at how it works. It doesn't take long to explain if you don't go into too much detail and I think that if it sparks their interest then it may be of benefit to them and whoever they spread the good news to.

I do not however tell my mother, when ever I'm on any kind of diet, I am subjected to endless commentary about how it's going and how much good it will do me "you'll feel so much better darling when you finally slim down". I feel constantly under scrutiny! She of course is a perfect size 8 ( I think that's a 6 in American), she never eats anything sweet and still does yoga at 83. Yes I would like to be ike my mother!

People have commented on my weight loss and have asked how I've done it - I tell them I'm on Atkins and the first words out of their mouth having something to do with "oh but that's that diet where all you eat is bacon and eggs!". It gets a bit tiresome explaining that they've heard the bad press that focuses on the induction component and that the OWL is a bit different. Also, when I try to explain the rationale behind the diet, they can't get their heads around eating fat - they think I should be eating all the low fat options (eg light cream cheese, fat free salad dressing) and when I explain it, it all goes pear-shaped. So now I just don't really say anything except that I've lowered my carb intake and avoiding refined sugar! That seems to be something they can deal with!

Rebecca :wave:

In the hospital
 

When I was in the hospital after my stroke. I kept telling that stupid doctor that I could not eat starches and sugars but I was brought the usual low fat/ low calorie foods. I would not eat them I send everything back. After the fourth day, the head dietican came to see me. I explain that when eating low cal / low fat food made me sick. She said I could not leave the hospital until I ate a normal meal. So, I found me a new doctor and he had to write a prescribtion for low carb diet. The dietian was furious because she had no idea what I could have. So I explain, and she had a fit. Your going to kill yourself. But, the last day in the hospital . I had green beans, chicken and a salad with lo carb veggies and oil and vinegar dressing. I had made my point.
I visited the dietican a year later and she was amazed at my weight loss and I showed her my blood report. Well she has been on this WOL since. So, let your example be the quilding light. :wave:

great story, donna!

Though I have to say, I cannot fathom why people think that a meal of a baked chicken breast, broccoli, and a colorful salad with oil and vinegar could possibly be fatal! I just shake my head at such attitudes.

Donna,

Totally agree with your comment about your example being your guiding light:thup: I've found that once people can see that this woe works, they immediately stop castigating it and want to do it themselves. I didn't tell many people about what I was doing when I started, but as my weight has continued to fall, I'm more than happy to let people know exactly how I'm doing it.