I am so hurt and mad!

I was talking to one of my good friends that I haven't talked to in a couple of months and she asked if I was still doing Atkins. I said yes and she totally got on my butt about how that was "sooooooo bad for me; and asked "why do you still do that?!!!"

She really hurt my feelings. I felt my blood start to boil!!! I asked her why Atkins is soooooo bad for me and she said that a couple of girls that work with her came into work saying the they were doing Atkins and they started having all sorts of health problems.
(I was just thinking bull#$~*!!!!!)
I just simply said to her, "Oh really --- how can cutting out sugar, and nasty processed white flour be bad for you???"
I told her how I physically feel soooooo much better now and I stopped having bloating, gas and fatigue all the time.
I think she got tired of argueing with me because she finally just said, "WHATEVER KRISTI!!!"

I just really wanted to say how much it means to me to be able to come here and tell this to you all. You guys are truly the ONLY support I have.

Thank you.

Just smile and thank them for thier opinion, then move on. The best comeback you can give is to simply lose weight and get better health. Maybe whenyour friend comes to you looking for support on the lates cold or flu bug she has, you can casually mention "Gee, with eating healthier I almost never get sick anymore"

The next time she wants to argue, ask her directly "Did you read the book?" She will probably say no. After that promise her you are more then willing to have a debate about it if she gets an informed opinion, not repeating the gossip she heard at work.

Kristi,

we are not the only support you have YOU are your own best support! Losing weight and feeling better is the best evidence that you are right.
Just keep going and come here whenever you need to talk.....sure it would be nice if your friend was more open and understanding but we can't change people.....

So good luck.....you are doing great!

Alina

Ok, I was going to go to sleep but I can't let this go by.
Ladybelle, what a great idea. I never thought of telling someone that I'd debate with them after they get an informed opinion and to tell them to stop repeating all the gossip they hear (usually the ones I hear are bad gossip from the media). That's a great idea! I usually ask, "Did you read the book?" and when they say, "No." then I proceed to give a brief summary of it with emphasis on the fact that it's not anti vegetable. Thanks, now I have a better comeback.
To you..Kris2...
Hang in there! If it helps, just try to understand that she's probably not really trying to be mean. She is suffering from true concern for your well being and doesn't want to see you get hurt. She doesn't understand enough about it to know that it's really safe. She's genuinly worried. The other girls probably didn't read the book either and that's why they had problems. I bet if you were to get a chance to ask those girls just "how" they did Atkins, they would tell you meat, meat and more meat, plus some fat- no water but diet coke (not caffeine free) and to top it off, no veggies. I bet the health problems they had was constipation, big time which can give you headaches, etc. and make you feel like you know what. The caffeine would make them hungry and frustrated. I would just give her the benefit of the doubt that she's trying to be sincere about it and maybe you could ask her to give you sample menu's that her friends had before they got so sick. Then you can smile and say..."Well, this is their problem...This is why they got sick...They should've read the book!" Then you can put in a plug for this forum, to boot. Good luck..Annie

Great information. I haven't had anyone give me their opinon yet but I am sure it will be coming. Now I know what to say. This place is great.

Don't you just love it here?

Kristi,
Your "friend" may be suffering from simple jealousy. I know my "friend" at work, whom I've been close to for 11 years, can't say enough bad about LC, and there's 5 of us in an 8 person office doing it, or some form of it. Maybe it's a threat to her to see you lose. She might feel that you won't want her for a friend when you get thin and gorgeous.

On the other hand, it might truly be concern. My mother is like that. She so wants me to lose weight, but she wants me to do it her way. She's heard so many bad things about LC from her friends and the media, and she doesn't understand diabetes (which I have). Rather than argue, I just assure her that I see my doctor regularly and get my blood tested for various things, and then I don't discuss it any more.
Good Luck!
Susan

I use to be one of the ones who tried to talk people out of doing Atkins... Then I saw the light. I can't speak for everyone, but the people I tried to talk out of it, it was just because I believed the low-fat lie, and I really wanted what was best for them.

When I saw the results people had on the diet, I finially did my homework and found out it wasn't what I thought it was.

--nw

I think it's crappy that she said "whatever"...

Does she have some of her own issues?

M

I'm sure she is genuinely worried about you, whatever else is going on.

I got my hair cut yesterday, and I know she's big on low fat...so I just said, "I've cut out sugar and starch," and she KNEW it was Atkins from the way we discussed it, she just didn't want to say the word!

She hasn't seen me since 25 pounds ago, so my bod speaks louder than words.

I'm glad you have support here. Though if you know you are right, it doesn't matter what other people say.

It makes my blood boil, too! I am sick of seeing all these low carb junk foods in the stores, seeing the commercials, the magazine ads. And the people who think it's a bacon and eggs fest are wrong, dead wrong, but I am afraid that image won't ever go away. People at work tell me eating "all that fat is bad", but when I list what I eat "bread, yogurt, fruit, veggies", they still go off on the low fat tangent. What I think it is, is plain old jealousy. They themselves have struggles with weight and are not able to lose THIER way and they have publicly rediculed Atkins, so there is no way they will eat their words, even if they see how much weight YOU have lost and kept off all while eating YUMMY foods!

Thank you everyone for your replies.

From now own I'll just do my own thing, and try not to let other people's negative comments discourage me. I know I'm right about this (Atkins), and I shouldn't have to prove it to anyone else.

I got talking to a lady at swimming I had'nt seen in a while, she commented on how good I look, I just came right out and told her I'd lost 45 pounds and kept it off since August!
How ? she said

I said Low carb! Oh she says don't you get sick of eggs and bacon for breakfast !
Geez !!

No I said, I rarely eat that.

Well what else can you have ?
So I told her:

Whole grain toast, peanut butter, topped with 1/3 of a banana!
Porridge/fruit yogurt!
Turkey pattie with sour cream/ tomato/avovcado!

She looked stunned! then said well you can't be doing Atkins then!
LOL, She got a "friendly ear full"
Guess who's going out to buy the book!

Kathy

Kathy - you rock, as always!

What makes me mad is when people say you can't have fruit on Atkins.......

Alina

I have a cousin who likes to bad-mouth the diet... one time she said that Dr. Atkins died because his heart exploded. (Actually, I think she just lies for the heck of it.) The important thing is to remember that YOU know the truth. Even if nobody else will believe you, YOU know. And that's what'll keep YOU from dying at forty-something from diabetes. They want to believe the low-fat stuff, that's their problem -- and it could very well change their mind when they see you happy and healthy several years down the road.

(On the subject of fruit: I eat berries every day as part of breakfast... I don't get tired of them, and I don't fall into a rut.)

Just smile and say something like "Gee that must of been messy. Imagine the poor person standing next to him." Then walk off. Some people really aren't worth the energy it takes to argue with them, especially when thier goal is to argue, not to actually help you or listen to a differing opinion.