Okay, sorry to complain, but i just hate it when people comment on my food. I guess I will stop eating in the lunch room. How do you eat just fruit and veggies? That's why your so thin. Why do you eat that? That's all I hear all the time and I"m just sick of it. I just got questioned and basically made fun of by a lady in the lunch room who was talking about her diabetes. There is alot I could have said, but decided to talk the quiet route out and just told them I love veggies and fruit which is the truth 100%. It's like they laughed at me when I said I like to be healthy. What is wrong with the world?

THanks for listening.

Lizard

Tell them you eat the way you do so that you can be as healthy as possible. Let them chew on that.

Don't let them get to you. (I know it's hard-- been there myself.) Just smile to yourself and think about all the hassles you'll be avoiding later in life.

Sharrhan:


[www.facebook.com]

I hear you. This kind of vent is VERY common to many raw food eaters....especially in the beginning. How DOES one handle comments from family, friends, loved-ones and co-workers? You DON'T. NEVER field critical, rude, or even slanted discussions....and NEVER in groups. If you do the above, then that is YOUR issue...not theirs.

-Only YOU can facilitate a discussion of YOUR diet. People can (and DO) say whatever the @$@# they want to....about other people's lives. But diet, religion, politics, sex life, etc.,....these are all very personal issues. Others may comment to themselves, but YOU have to make it clear that you will NOT engage in a discussion of them in the workplace. If people are rude, and walk over that barrier, then you just say, "I'm not going to discuss it." or "It's not open for discussion." or "If you're curious about my diet, talk to me after work."

-And say it with a smile! Just my take.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

I finally stopped eating lunch at my workplace after people commented every single time. Most of what they said wasn't bad or offensive, it just got old when I was trying to savor my fruit and people would comment or just chatter away. I now go outside to my truck to dine in peace and quiet.

They would all admit I look much better than they do and that I ate a lot better but this was just mindless chatter as they sat across from me munching on fast food or frozen entrees. People are never going to stop talking, so just find a safe quiet place to enjoy your lunch. ^_^

You are a fore runner, a example of what should be. Of course they are going to observe what you eat, I am sure some also observe your health and taking noats. Some probably are waiting to see if you are going to turn into a boul full of jelly for not drinking cow juice. Some make comments but but you are the shineing light so why not shine? There are some people who need to see to believe and you are the example. We live in a fish bowl for all to see and observe.

Thanks everyone. I knew I could count on you guys for support. It's just so frustrating when I don't comment on their food or bodies sizes, I expect the same respect. Can't we all just live in peace? Thank you all again, you make me feel so much better.

I get tired of it too....the "how can you eat that gross stuff" comments as they are wolfing down their big macs and fries.
Brian

I don't eat with people that are that rude about my eating. I agree. I don't made snide or critical comments about their food so I'm not going to take it.

I do as Nywyn and eat either by myself or with people that don't criticize what I eat. If someone asks me a question about my dietary restrictions, I simply explain that I had to change my diet due to health reasons and I have severe allergic reactions or get very ill eating outside of my diet regimen. It's not allergic reactions per se but they will get the meaning.

Take heart. Not everyone is crass but there are so many that one has to shield oneself from those that are. It's another form of detox -- social detox that one does on Raw.

Take care. Therese

Better to go outside and get some fresh air anyways instead of sitting inside all day even on your break. Dealing with these types of comments is just a waste of time. In a few years you'll find that you aren't even phased by such things and if you spend as much time as possible outdoors instead of in offices and lunchrooms, and continue with your diet, people will be so fascinated by your obviously rare and amazing energy and state of health that it won't even cross their minds to mock you. At a certain point of health and vibrant appearance, it becomes obvious to everyone that what you're doing works so well that they just make themselves look stupid and highlight their own shortcomings in the area when they try to mock you or denigrate you.

i actually enjoy when people take interest in why i'm eating the foods i eat.

i don't get offended by their comments if they are negative, because i view there comment as their stance on the issue,at that time. it has no connection to me or my beliefs.

also when my views are challenged, i take it as an opprotunity to re examine my beliefs and also see how the new information presented affects my beliefs.

conflit and challenges of these types are great in my opnion. an outcome of this situation is growth

furthermore, i would hate to think that my food choices would alienate me from social interactions, only because of how i digest other peoples words.

I like it when co-workers are asking me about what I have for lunch because a lot of times I consider it an opportunity to teach (without being preachy) and hopefully reach out to someone. Today I had an apple, an avocado, and some strawberries for lunch. (It was fabulous!) I think it's strange that people don't look down at their fried chicken/pizza/donut and think, "Wow, this is really unhealthy," but I don't tell them what I think. I let them ask questions about what I'm eating and sometimes I can even see the gears turning as if they're really listening to what I'm saying! Anyway, I have found that if we stay patient and non-judgmental about what others eat, they will be a bit more relaxed and open-minded (or at least curious) to find out about the raw (or just healthier eating) lifestyle. Cheers!

I think a lot of the comments are inspired by jealousy and fear.

I am in a new place and I get them every day.

"You need to eat some meat, girl!"

"Is that all you ever eat, salad?"

"All the vegans I know are SO UNHEALTHY!"

etc. etc.

But a new woman I will be working with is veg, thank the Goddess!

Reading "Living with Meat eaters" by Carol Adams really helped me a lot with these things. She just talks about a vegan diet, but the idea is completely relevant to raw food as well (as well as pretty much every other confrontational issue). There's a whole section on work place relations. I definitely recommend it.

Haha! When I had an office job, I would drink green juice/ smoothies out of mason jars and had no problem smiling gracefully and saying I like my greens (o;

I even had my coworkers sharing with me! Green smoothies are yummy! And if you ask me there aren't enough green foods!

What's wrong with juice, salad, smoothies, fresh fruit, and delectable raw gourmet food? Absolutely nothing. Be happy that you have found the healthiest diet on the planet, and that it makes you feel great, and hope that others will follow your lead! You may be the one to open their minds.

Sunflower
Raw Food Chef and Writer
Comfortably Raw
[www.comfortablyraw.com]

It doesn't make me feel any better to look around the lunch room and think:

Congestive heart failure, alcoholic, obese McD's eater and new mother, fast food marathon runner running on empty clogging his arteries, Prozac addict, Starbucks addict, anorexic hate addict, cigarette smoking depressive...

Yeah, sometimes they comment on my food. But they also greedily, readily accept some too. With a smile, I always offer some of my food those who comment on it. I also sometimes leave a case of oranges or a bowl of grapes for all to consume in our office.

More donuts for them when they bring in donuts. That's fine with me.

One woman eats an entire large bowl of canned-type frosting at every monthly birthday celebration. It's a "tradition" of sorts. Whoever brings the cake in -- we take turns -- brings in extra greasy frosting for her. It's so incredibly sad. But she smiles and shoves it down her gullet.

It's difficult to be consistently happy and friendly when you eat garbage every day.

People comment on my food, but I don't care. They nevere commented when I weight 250 lbs and ate total crap. I'm older and just don't take guff from people like I would have when I was younger. I used to feel the need to explain myself. I wouldn't respond to somebody that made a rude comment. I talk to people that are deserving of my energy.

That being said, I have been there with weight loss when jealous people are just plain rude and it does make one mad and is an irritation. I think you should eat where you can be at peace if that's at all possible.

Blessings.


WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2008 06:49PM by wendysmiling.

Lee_123 Wrote:
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> >
> It's difficult to be consistently happy and
> friendly when you eat garbage every day.


Ha! True. And perhaps makes it even more impossible to be respectful of someone else's space. Is it a fundamental American thing though to think you have the right to question anyone's food choices, health or physical appearance? We are not okay with getting in people's business when it comes to everything else, but when it comes to food anything goes. I think it goes beyond being a raw foodist and there's something deeper, profoundly cultural, going on here. It does get annoying to me too and I have to bite my tongue sometimes. I do want to blurt out well you're not very healthy and you look like crap and eat crap, but I do not say this. One day it's going to come out though if I don't deal with it. I just hope it's not directed at some nice little old lady. haha.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2008 06:53PM by rawangel.

Right! I agree with Wendy. The young are often susceptible (darn these stupid english spellings)....to feeling the need to react, respond and justify their behavior. Get a little older, and this perhaps decreases!

-The fact is: people may express interest or even criticality or insulting behavior towards something you do. In the end, though, this pales in comparison to the non-negotiable fact of life that you are REALLY being judged on your reaction.

-Critique of one's lifestyle may come and go.....but people are ALWAYS going to be up in your business because the judgment of ones reactions are ALWAYS being evaluated.

-If one becomes a master of showing dignified grace and standing up for noble dignity boundaries in themselves and others....then no one can take that away from you.....and EVERYONE'S lives are enriched. Allowing others to provoke a critical or defensive reaction in the raw food person usually defeats the purpose (to try to convince others to live healthier....more conscious lifestyles).

-Just my take.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

If things are really ugly, I resort to, "If you are genuinely interested in hearing more about my diet, I can recommend some great books/websites/etc., but I am not here to debate what I choose to eat and do not."

But, if it's just blah blah blah, mindless, possibly irritating chatter, I shift the focus to, "I LOVE FRUIT."

And then, I talk to them about all the weird and amazing fruits I've tried--durian, mangosteen, rambutan--and be really nice and bring some in for everybody to try sometimes--you can alter the environment in SUCH a positive direction.

Get away from questions, debates, statistics, talk about what you love, talk about what is fun, and interesting.

Sure, people were still focused on what I was eating, but it went from a scrutiny of ME, to, what can they learn from me today. =)

That was at my old job, anyway (STEAKHOUSE...).

Now, with my new job, right off the bat, when people ask me about what I eat, it's just, "I LOVE FRUIT." And talk about exotic treats. ^.~ No words that might make people feel alienated. If they ask if that's ALL I eat, I say, "No, but mostly... have you ever seen a DURIAN?" >8)

Love fruit! Be slightly mysterious! ^.~