I guess its obvious that we who are trying to follow a raw food diet are often put in situations where we have to say no to offers of food from other people.

For example at work from co-workers or when hanging out with friends.

My question is are you ever asked "why don't you ever want to eat that" or something similar? and whats your reply?

When friends/co-workers realize that you don't eat what they do and if they ask you why you don't want that piece of cake or go to get some fast food, do you straight out reply that you are raw vegan? or do you simply say you are a vegetarian/vegan because it's socially acceptable? or what do you say?

Maybe all your friends are raw so you don't really have that problem at all?

Seriously how do you deal with old friends and family who aren't raw or even close to?

I don't have any friends, acquaintances or family members who are raw, but I don't hesitate to tell people I eat a raw food diet. So far it hasn't been an issue; people seem to think it's a pretty neat thing, and they are curious and interested.

Sharrhan:


[www.facebook.com]

just ration out whatever you think it appropriate , assuming you are not out to impress or improve anyone else.

"I'm vegetarian"
" oh, well actually I am also vegan, so no thanks"
"I'm trying to stay away from processed foods"
"I'm on a special diet"
"I'm eating mostly fresh fruit and veggies these days"
"a pickle? no I'm not hungry right now"
"no, that is an unripe banana"
" I eat mostly raw food"
" I'm not currently eating any cooked food these days."
" really? Well, so far I'm enjoying my experience"

anaken Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> just ration out whatever you think it appropriate
> , assuming you are not out to impress or improve
> anyone else.
>

I don't really have this problem. Diet just doesn't come up when I'm around people. But yeah, you have to watch out how you word things. You can't go calling yourself a "Raw foodist" and labeling everyone else as an "SAD"er" or "Standard American Diet" because obviously that won't come across good.

I asked the lady that runs the health food store if she ever tried a certain flavor of Synergy Kombocha. Instead of just saying no, she made it a point to say something dumb like "I don't drink things in bottles". Needless to say she came across as a stuck up snob to me. Like a celeb who wouldn't be caught dead wearing something from a "regular store" because she's too good for it. So, you don't want to come across like that.

I usually break it to people gently, and give as much information as is necessary in the situation.

I'm a vegetarian, or I don't eat meat
I'm vegan, or I don't eat animal products
I eat a lot of fruit!
I like juice!
I actually just eat fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, super foods, sea vegetables, cold pressed oils, etc...

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

You play it by ear....with the appropriate response. The key is to NOT make things like your diet, politics, sex life, or religious beliefs an object of contention. Simply DO NOT discuss such things in public. One on one in private is YOUR choice.

The standard response is to simply say: "I'm not hungry," and perhaps follow it up with, "but I'm here to spend time with YOU - is that ok?"

-I eat out with friends and family all the time. If it's a non-issue for me, it becomes a non-issue for them....and 99% of the other folks I meet. If a person has a big issue, I might just take off....heh..heh. The good general never fights on the ground of an enemies choosing! Heh..heh.

-Sometimes I use the following strategy with new friends or family: I bring a couple of apples to the whatever and if asked say, "I'm on a special diet." After THAT, I DON'T discuss it (I'm munching away on my apple after all!).

-Remember NOT to let folks step over YOUR dignity boundaries. Simply say you're not discussing it. It is the people that love you the most that feel they can transparently cross dignity boundaries. So it's up to YOU to not go there! Heh..heh.

Note: Doing it with a smile and sense of humor will go a LONG way!

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

today my neighbor offered me a doughnut

i just smiled, reached in my backpack
and brought out a bag of fresh figs
and a bag of fuyu persimmons

and said
how about THESE!!!!

she put those doughnuts away
right quick
and we had a great feast

You could say I have to watch what I eat for health reasons or due to health issues.

Wishing you vibrant health

I try to avoid the topic and just eat to please myself.
I think a lot of the sensitivity is because if eating fresh raw foods is correct then the SAD is incorrect and that represents potential change.

i dont bother telling anyone anymore about what i eat ., i dont feel the need to open myself up to other peoples critisisms anymore...its not productive to me and its nobodys business what i choose to eat

if i go out with friends all of them already know all about me ... if im with someone else (rare) i order a salad ..suckup the rabbit food comments with a smile and change the topic


i also to try to go to the half dozen or so restaurants that know me and what i eat and all the cooks love to whip me up something unique ...i managed this after talking to owners and chefs of the places i like to go to

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/04/2008 07:49AM by Jgunn.

I simply say " No,I will pass on that pizza,or Big Mac,or whatever...cause it clogs me ,makes me moody,and leads to degenerative diseases.
This solves the problem of eating with anyone because by the time I give my speech,they have left and I just pull out my apple and eat alone.
Bwahahah.

Brian

I say a lot of different things, too. When I can, I try to emphasize how wonderful my food is, because then I don't need to justify my choices, which would only make me seem defensive and make my choices seem less attractive.

"This morning I blended a coconut with a quart of blueberries. What a great breakfast!"
"I think that a meal built on vegetables is both tastier and more nutritious than one built on grains. Whole grains are okay, but they can't compare nutritionally with veggies!"
"Fresh-squeezed orange juice tastes worlds better than pasteurized or from-concentrate! I'm willing to have OJ less frequently if it can be this yummy!"

In the summer, I use variations on this one a lot:

"This time of year I can get such great fresh local produce, but if I cook it then it doesn't taste much better than it would if I bought it in cans. This way the freshness of the season is in every bite!"

It even serves to explain my green smoothies,

"Did you know that green leaves are mood enhancing? Eat enough of them and it's hard not to be in a good mood, and with all the fruit in there it tastes like desert. Would you like to try it?"

(That question gets more nos than yeses, but some do try it.) When these aren't enough, I do fall back on explaining what I don't eat,

"I don't enjoy foods that are that high in sodium." (works for nearly all packaged foods)
"I'm trying to eat mostly fruits and vegetables these days."
"The more I learn about the health effects of dairy, the more I think I should avoid it."
"I don't really eat meat."

I do eventually tell people that I'm vegan and 95% raw if it becomes relevant, but I think people find it more off-putting if I make a big deal about it early on.

from my experience
people simply SENSE your vibration level
if you are confident in your food choices
so are they

and they gravitate towards doing things that attracts what they feel is an attractive vibrational level

so if you are exuding radiance and confidence
they will be curious and admirous

if you are exuding a defensive posture
they will be in the offensive stance

this really is a matter of mirror reflection
they are an enantiomer of you

that's all

haha I think my funniest response telling one of my friends when they asked what I did over summer was "Well I pretty much am just eating like, fruit and stuff now."
i suppose raw vegan is sufficient or just say "nah, i don't eat that" ? a noo thanks; a, well, right now fruits and vegetables are pretty much all i want; whatever floats the boat of the crowd

Immediately. I tell anyone who will listen that I judge anyone who eats otherwise with disgust & pity.

i planted out 400 asparagus plants this year on my hubbys dads farm and his friend said how come so many ..

i told him asparagus is an aphrodisiac ..

he said ..oh .. OHHHHH ... bow chika wow wow !

i laughed so hard

dang jaygunn

that's a good one LOL

i think i'll just start telling people that fruits and veggies are an aphrodisiac

umm.. raw vegan is aphrodisiacal

maybe that will get their attention

He he. The aphrodisiac line might earn me some odd looks if I pulled it in the office, which is one of the primary places I get questions about my food. :-)

u know what
i am thinking that rather than worrying about what other people think about your food

be GRATEFUL that you HAVE ACCESS TO these fresh foods to begin with

some people are on the streets
and the only grub they get is incredibly SAD junk ladled out from soup kitchens

i am so DANG LUCKY , its unbelievable

just the OPPORTUNITY to be able to nourish and respect my body with these jewels of the earth is incredible

why would i shirk or be embarrassed by the fact that i am getting the BEST?

i am emboldened by it

I see the issue as not how fast you tell someone what your diet is but rather how fast do you reach for fresh raw foods and how fast do you reject SAD food ?

IF YOU ARE DATING 3 months

Whenever it comes up. Usually pretty fast (within a week), unless the dealings are continuously superficial.

suvine says:

<<IF YOU ARE DATING 3 months>>

more like the question comes up within 3 days LOL

3 months?

that's funny
maybe if u never go and have a meal with your date

The trick is all of your friends and family thinking you are nuts anyway. I am always doing unexpected things, so they barely notice! haha

Immediately! It's a huge part of who I am and my life. So anyone talking to me will know this within a very short time frame-most likely within the first 30-60 minutes.

If you're confident in who you are and what you are doing, what others think really shouldn't matter. Even if it may bother you some, if you act confident, it won't bother others as much. Pretty much everyone I've talked to is intrigued by raw. It's all about the energy you put out.

I don't think I'd be able to date someone who isn't somewhat healthy and also would consider being at least partially raw. A big part of having a good relationship is wanting the same type of lifestyle.

Simple Raw Recipes & Health Tips

Today I went out with an ex co worker and she puts pieces of wiener schnitzel on my plate.

This is after year of her knowing what I eat. She egged me on to try it. Instead of explaining and all over again, The freak type behavior...

I chewed it, said yum, talked, secretly spat it out and threw it under the table.

You can always do that.

La Veronique you can always see movies or walks in nature dates. Noone needs to know anything personal while casual.





Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2008 07:48PM by suvine.

suvine Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Today I went out with an ex co worker and she puts
> pieces of wiener schnitzel on my plate.
>
> This is after year of her knowing what I eat. She
> egged me on to try it. Instead of explaining and
> all over again, The freak type behavior...
>
> I chewed it, said yum, talked, secretly spat it
> out and threw it under the table.
>
> You can always do that.
>


haha!!!!! some of us aren't willing to eat that @#$%&. we are vegans.

I am a member of a group of weight losers called "take off pounds sensably" They all know about what I eat and they all watch me closly. I am sure there are judgments made and some are probably waiting for my bones to turn to gell. But after time they are slowly accepting the different way I eat. I did a little presentation on how to make a green smoothie and they all thought it to be very tasty. I have found that people see us as an example. It is not difficult to see the health benifitts in eating healthy uncooked foods. We are trailblazers and that makes us a target for judgments.

When I meet strangers I just keep my mouth shut about what I eat but sometimes when I eat with other people they seem to appologize if I don't eat that much or just want some fruit. Its kind of odd to me to hear them appologize to me because I am not eating all the food they eat and I feel I have to explaine that I am o.k. with what I have, Thats when I have to be careful and not overwhelm them with to much detail. Sometimes I feel so good eating this way I have to bite my tongue though and not overwhelm people to much.

Ewww, gross!

Suvine, cute pic. You look so much like Eve (with the paw tattoos)

suvine Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Today I went out with an ex co worker and she puts
> pieces of wiener schnitzel on my plate.
>
> This is after year of her knowing what I eat. She
> egged me on to try it. Instead of explaining and
> all over again, The freak type behavior...
>
> I chewed it, said yum, talked, secretly spat it
> out and threw it under the table.
>
> You can always do that.
>
> La Veronique you can always see movies or walks in
> nature dates. Noone needs to know anything
> personal while casual.

Daniela Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The trick is all of your friends and family
> thinking you are nuts anyway. I am always doing
> unexpected things, so they barely notice! haha

Yep.

Simple Raw Recipes & Health Tips



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/2008 03:29PM by GilmoreGirl.