A funny observation about my food-pushing coworkers

(Dawn) #61

I have started using the “Ohh, I’m allergic” line when anyone offers me carby gut killing foods. It works like a charm. People are terrified of allergies, but have no problem with sugar. But once I realized that IR is virtually a form of “sugar/carb allergy” I could start using that excuse quite honestly. :grin:

(karen) #62

I think the less certain people are about a food, the more they tend to shut up. “Sugar”, well everyone knows sugar. What has gluten, somewhat less clear. What has “insulogenic properties”? Scary! Run away! “My doctor doesn’t want me to eat foods that are insulogenic.” (Utterly mystifying but it sounds Medical. And for 99% of people, they’ll have no idea which foods are insulogenic so they’ll probably, for fear of looking ignorant, just stop asking you if you can eat x y and z.)

(diane weber) #63

Iv’e been on keto for 2 months. I’m so excited for my results on weight loss, diabetes readings, no more high blood medication! Iv’e learned though, not to talk about it to some family members. The resentment is surely noticeable toward me. I have a very overweight daughter who has a hard time with her weight and she exercises with devotion. Her success has been very slow. I tried to enlighten her about keto diet, however she seems to be resentful toward me saying “Oh, we all know how to do it.”
With such a successful way of living “Keto’s” I want to share this healthy way of life with my daughter. I wonder why this is a taboo conversation? Same as politics, and religion.
dianelee

#64

People are very emotional about both food and their bodies. Some people only have food issues, some people only have body image issues, and very few are free are both. I think people feel very ambivalent when they see someone else succeed with their eating goals. They’re simultaneously reminded of the best and the worst times of their lives, and the conflicting emotions ares unpleasant so they lash out.

It’s this way with other life events, too (getting engaged, buying a new home) but it’s particularly intense for food.

And then there’s the added shame about how we aren’t supposed to care about how we look (vanity being a deadly sin and all), so people often try to downplay the entire issue.

(Lena) #65

I change up what I tell food pushing workers/friends/acquaintances. I have been on keto long enough if I eat bread I throw up. I had a Whopper once, and it went everywhere. I tell people if you’re willing to clean up my explosive vomit I’ll eat it. Nobody has taken me up on that. Sometimes I say I’m allergic because my body acts like that, other times I say "Will you stop. No means no. PERIOD. Can we all just shut up about food period? That works sometimes. I always make it known that nobody has to go out of their way to accommodate me I come prepared. It depends if I care to be nice, want to sidestep the same argument for the 50th time, or am a wee bit pissy about it.

(charlie3) #66

About 200 people work in my shop. I’ve been there longer than most. In a year I went from170 pounds, slightly overweight, to 144, pounds lean and trim. On top of that I’m lifting and doing cardio and walking during lunch and breaks. It’s noticed that I don’t partake in the endless boxes of donuts that seem to be scattered everywhere all the time. I’m an issue sometimes. If things get dicey I make these arguments.

I’m 69, it’s now or never, do or die, literally. I’m doing what ever I can to stay healthy. I ask the younger ones, if you had to choose, would you rather be healty or wealthy? The answer is always healthy. Finally, these days, sometimes a younger woman gives me the once over. I’m not too old for that.

(Kirk) #67

Good points Charlie. I’m 62 and in the best shape of my life. One benefit of being this old is that I don’t give a flying Fuck what anyone thinks about the way I choose to live, or fuel the machine. Speaking of machines, it appears you are a biker? I ride a 750 Honda Shadow as much as possible from April till November here in the frozen north.

(Jane Reed) #68

I love it… another opportunity to say “my doctor told me I can’t eat (fill in the blank).”

Of course, you are talking about Dr. Atkins, Dr. Phinney, Dr. Fung, Dr. Berry, etc.

(Bill Pletke) #69

I’m 69 and ran into someone I hadn’t seen in a few years. Since I last saw them I’ve dropped over 65 lbs. First words out of their mouth was, “You don’t look like the old you.” I felt flattered until I realized they meant it negatively. I explained that this was how I was supposed to look at my age not a well insulated version of me they were used to…

People get used to seeing us in a certain way and change, any change, in our appearance always seems to be resisted.

(charlie3) #70

Ah, you ride a bike, me too. I’m on small ones, a TW200 for tooting up and down the Detroit River water front and a dirt bike on the family ancestral farm. I spend 30% of my moving time on the TW doing balance practice, meaning figure 8’s, braking to a stop every few inches, or the same gooing straight. My favorite surface is dust or pea gravel on cement pavement for easier steering. I find it is magnificent for general balance and if you try, can become a healthy addiction. That kind of practice will help at all speeds on the bike. So balance is part of health and fitness so there is my challenge.

I’m not stronger than I was 30 years ago by a long shot but I’m leaner and if Ican get even 10 more pounds of muscle on my frame and be this lean it will look amazing.

(cat gilliland) #71

I’ve found generally telling people that I can’t have cake/donut/whatever because I am diabetic makes them back down very quickly. But after a couple years of low carb diet, my A1C has been 5.4% at the last two doctor’s appointments, so if I keep this up, I won’t be considered diabetic very much longer :wink:

(Betty) #72

hahahaha!

#73

@charlie3 I do balance practise a lot on mine too due to health problems balance is something i need to keep on too of. Mines a suzuki intruder only 125. But its enough weight for me to handle as i’m tiny and weak :no_mouth:

#74

I recommend baking a keto-friendly recipe (i.e., a dark-choc, whole egg, whole fat, sugar- and flour-free, mud-cake, with homemade mascarpone cheese [or just whipped cream, but the cheese is better], and mixed berries) for your next office party.

There’s no reason you can’t join-in, unless you don’t want to ~ you’ll just do so with your keto mud-cake and BP coffee … and that way, the people who actually care about you can taste for themselves just how well you’re eating!

(Daisy) #75

I haven’t eaten sugar since I started this job 2 years ago, so my coworkers are used to me saying no and they very rarely push things on me. Same with my family. I’ve tried convincing my coworkers, family and friends to try keto, but I’ve gotten to the point that I’m not going to bring it up again. If they want to do it they will and if they want to be miserable, they will. I decided today that I’m going to stop being a keto pusher lol.

(Bob M) #76

I had one of my coworkers rail at me because I was eating salted meats. They got me carbage stuff for my birthday… And then I told them I was only eating one meal that day.

(Avocado a day keeps the doctor away.) #78

I’m lucky. My manager knows I’m trying to manage my diabetes with diet and her brother has diabetes so she point blank asked me if she should offer me treats when she’s making the rounds with a plate full of goodies or if I’d prefer if she didn’t even ask me. I said it wasn’t necessary to ask me, thank you, and now I don’t have to deal with it.

(Katie) #79

I think that a possible strategy is to talk about how it works for you and how it benefits you, instead of recommending it to other people. If they want their own benefits from the ketogenic way of eating, they then know whom to ask.

#80

My boss has a daughter that is type 1 and pushes sugar like crazy. Gets mad if you say no. Every now and then won’t hurt you she says. argh. And this woman diets every day. Thinks low carb is dangerous. yesterday she plopped a package of peeps and a carmel chocolate cadbury egg on my desk. It goes in my drawer, and when kids come into the office I give it away lol.