Does anyone ever feel like approaching a stranger who is obviously overweight and broaching Atkins? I see so many people who have difficulty moving around and knowing they're probably eating high carb, low fat diets makes me quite sad. I've only ever done it in a GNC or with a friend but I wish there was a tactful way to at least "plant the seed" of this woe. Any ideas?

Maybe I should start wearing a pin "low carb fanatic". Or get "low carb butt" printed across the rear of my pants like I've seen kids wearing recently with designer names.

No. Not unless specifically asked.

There is no way I would ever consider doing that -- especially to someone who is "obviously overweight" and a stranger. Doing that implies that they are unaware of their current condition and are ignorant to any way to change it. Speaking as someone who is very overweight and has been far moreso in the past (290) I would be insulted beyond belief if a strange walked up and began preaching their latest diet to me. Losing weight is a very personal choice, a choice that is made when the time is right for that person. Unless someone has been living under a rock, they have heard of low-carb/Atkins eating and a myriad other weight loss plans. When their time comes to make a choice for a healthy life, and if they seek out your opinion, then would be the time to share your views about LCing.

JMO...

I also feel for people who have trouble moving around due to their size, but I think any change in a person's way of life has to be something they are totally ready to commit to. It is so hard to make the change, that anything other than total commitment will result in frustration and failure.

There has been so much press about lcing, good and bad, that I find it hard to believe anyone hasn't heard about it. But of course the problem isn't hearing about it, it is acting on what you hear.

You are a good person to want to help the masses, but I am not sure there is anyway to tell someone hey you're fat, try atkins I think it will help!

Good luck and continued success,
Susan

As unlikely that it seems for people not have heard about LCing the fact, I believe is most have not or at least have not seen evidence of its success. Until three months ago I didn't take it seriously until I heard it from a credible source. My own doctor lost weight on Atkins and wouldn't tell me for months and this is in Canada where law suits are not a way of life. I wish he had only told me when I asked him the first time how he had lost weight but instead was told "I Exercised".
I would never dream of telling someone else what they should be doing but I sure as heck won't miss an opportunity to tell anyone who is challenged by excess weight what I have been doing.
It does require extreme care and tact and only by those who can say with confidence that they themselves have lost a large amount of weight. You need to show understanding and support for the people...not give a sermon.

A woman was talking to the clerk at the Walmart pharmacy about Glycerna bars. She said in a shakey voice "I really need to get my diabetiese under control and I'm hoping this will do it." I really wanted to speak up and suggest to her to read Dr. Bernstien's book on controling it with diet. I kept my mouth shut though since she was speaking to the clerk and I was just waiting to ask the clerk soemthing as well. I later looked at the bars she was buying. They had something like 15g of sugar, plus another 15 of sugar alcohols. I thought it was rude to say anything, but now I'm wishing I had.

Going up to a complete stranger though I think would be overly rude. After all maybe they are trying to change. In anycase it would be ahuge insult and none of my business. The times I bite my tounge is when I see children acting extreamly wild in the store, or who are seriously overweight, and look in the parents cart. What I almost always see is a box of sugary cereal, bread, donuts, candy and maybe a banana or two, though usually it's just pop and more junk food. I end up feeling sorry for the children who have to deal with the concequences of being brought up on a strait diet of junk food.

I notice myself seeing overweight people and looking at their food choices, and yeah I kinda wish I could tell them about Atkins and help them lose weight since a lot of overweight people would like to lose weight. But I would never since it's a hurtful subject.

Last night in class the girl beside me is overweight and I notice every class she brings in these little debbies nutty butty chocolate looking things and dr pepper. It kind of makes me think if she knows this food is what has her overweight.

I know it's hard to see people doing what you believe is wrong. But approaching strangers isn't the answer. Eating habits are way too personal a topic unless you already have a relationship with a person and are comfortable discussing personal things. Even then, the best way to evangelize for low-carb is by example, not lecture (IMHO).

Not all overweight people want to lose weight anyway - I watched numerous TV talk shows on the subject and many are happy the way they are, even realizing the health problems have or will have down the road.

Vikki

Thanks for the input. I pretty much figured it was too sensitive a subject to broach.

I just know, kinda like Archie, that if other people were aware of how many people are lc'ing with great success, they'd be trying it too. The only reason I tried Atkins again was because I inadvertently came across an old DANDR book from years ago.

I've never been a "diet" person. I am still amused at the claims of many "diet" proponents because they really don't work like low carbing. And a lot of people have a hard time bucking the great AMA and the food pyramid. So, they continue trying in vain to lose weight and not understanding why they're so addicted to the wrong foods.

Anyway, I definitely step in with my tuppence worth if someone else brings up dieting regardless of whether I know them or not. They're usually very glad to hear someone who sounds like they know what they're talking about. Actually, I generally advise them to buy DANDR and I mention the great support system here, too.

We need T-Shirts that say
"Ask Me About Low Carb Dieting"
and on the back how much weight we've lost. This way it says that yup, it works, and yup, I'll tell ya how I did it...

I too have had the urge to bring up the subject (but haven't). I wish someone would have said something to me a looong time ago. I did have a discussion with a woman at Walmart who was looking at the diet books, we ended up talking for over half an hour about atkins & low carb...she ended up buying the book.

Swoozie you took the words right out of my mouth!!!! We need some good low card T-shirts! I think they should say:
"Thanks Dr A. Low Carbing Changed my life!"
or maybe
"I'm a BIG LOSER! Low Carbing Works!"
Let have some more suggestions!!

I've had the best conversations in the low-carb aisle! The only "intervention" I've done was a poor woman reading the label of the "Hollywood Diet" which gave a friend of mine such bad diahhreah she was nearly hospitalized!(But I guess it WAS weight loss.......) I excused myself for being nosey, and told her what happened to my friend. She thanked me profusely, and we had a great chat about low carbing.

I wouldn't DREAM of going up to a stranger and bringing it up!!! When I was my heaviest, a cowardly "friend" anonymously sent me clippings about a weight loss program. That hurt. I KNEW I was overweight, and suspected others were judging me, and that sure confirmed it.

If the subject comes UP, I'll offer my experiences and opinions gladly. Sometimes, I even suspect myself of making sure the subject DOES come up....lol

I am a terrible know-it-all. I have the answers to everything (or so I seem to think). This is how I feel when I look at how others are eating. I am terribly judgemental too. Whew! I finally admitted it! It has taken tremendous self control not to voice my opinion while strolling through the grocery store. I now try and avoid potential problem areas, like the chips/crackers/cookies aisles. I have permanently banned myself from the candy aisle. It's touch and go with the juice aisle, but I make it quick when I dodge in to get my tea bags and coffee.

T-Shirts

"I survived Induction and all I lost was weight"
"My friend went LC and lost "x" amount of pounds and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt"
"If you don't hand my children sugary candy, I won't hand yours Malitol"
"I can have my steak and eat it to"
"This body was a shrine to fat, now it just eats it"
"Keep your rice cake, I'm having the LC cheesecake!"

On a more serious note, no I don't think strangers should approach about weight. I remember times when I was severly depressed over weight issues, to the point of contimplating hurting myself. Occasionaly I would have comfort food, more often I just didn't feel like eating period. Having a stranger come up to me and start to critisize me in one of those moods, no matter how well meanign they were, would just be as bad as kids yelling insults or people looking disgusted. It means they are focusing on my weight and that is all they see of me. I'm no longer a person, just a member of the overweight population.