What do you say to the naysayers?

#1

How do you all deal with the naysayers? DH & I are doing keto for 5 weeks now and it’s going really well for us. DH is doing keto for health benefits so he can better manage his type 2 diabetes. DH’s mom also has type 2 diabetes…she’s had it for almost 25 years and has a whole host of health problems as a result. DH really wants to convince MIL to try eating keto. But she has many “yeah, but’s.” For example:

  • “I’ll have to talk to my doctor about it and see if it’s ok.”
  • “You don’t understand. I HAVE to eat carbs.”
  • “If I don’t eat carbs, my blood sugar will get too low.”
  • “I’m not allowed by my doctor to adjust my insulin. I need an appointment with him. I HAVE to eat carbs.”

I’ve told DH that he needs to consider just staying quiet about it and show his mom over time & through his blood work changes that we know will happen.

#2

I think you have the right approach. 5 months is a short amount of time. Let her become more open to it through curiosity and be prepared with videos, articles and the ability to explain the concepts and science as it comes up organically. If she balks at any of it, back off and let her come around in her own time and her own way. Pushing her will likely create negative associations

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #3

MIL could have hypoglycemic events is she continues to inject insulin but doesn’t eat carbs. I think she certainly could benefit from lowering her carbs but it’s understandable she would want to include her endocrinologist in her attempts.

Good for you and DH. Does he also take and adjust injectable insulin or is he on oral T2 meds? Wishing all three of you success!

#4

Yeah, I think that my DH needs to back off and let his mom figure it out on her own instead of pushing it. He does not use insulin…just on Metformin (1000 mg 2x/day). He also takes a statin drug & baby aspirin.

(Purcilla) #5

I’m just starting Keto, as in day 2. I’ve struggled with being overweight for far too long. I’ve managed to lose 50lbs before my Keto journey, and I’m hoping to lose about 60 more and keep it off for good.

Perhaps try preparing a Keto friendly meal and serve it without saying that it’s keto. Most of the time when you say “diet” people tend to panic. If you cook and serve a delicious meal and then explain that it is keto after it might be an eye opener. I would obviously make sure that it is something they could consume before serving it to them first, wouldn’t want to cause them any discomfort. Good luck!

(Tom Seest) #6

I wish them the best…Hopefully, they’ll find their own way…

(Brian) #7

The longer I’m keto the less I’m inclined to argue. If someone is truly interested, I’m glad to have a conversation. If they just want to preach carbs or argue, I have no desire to continue the conversation.

I eat how I eat and don’t apologize for it. I won’t preach to anyone else about their choices either.

It’s basically “you do you and I’ll do me” and when that isn’t possible, it’s time for that conversation to end.

It’s seldom any issue with a respectful person.

Just my take…

:slight_smile:

(John) #8

:+1:

(Heather Meyer) #9

There is many Psychology studies out there that suggest that you mirror the behaviours of those closest you. Therefore the old adage “lead by example” would have great merit.

I tested this on my own parents as an N=1. At Christmas, i did not bake any carb laden deserts or treats. Instead, i brought down a whole bunch of Keto treats i baked up. While there, i put out meat and cheese and veggie trays for appys and I always put out a plate of Keto goodies i made. Well guess what? My non-Keto parents started indulging in the Keto treats. They seemed skeptical at first but once they saw how good it tasted, they kept eating. Every time i brought out a Keto plate and began snacking, they did too.
They were mirroring my food choices and eating pattern timing. In fact, they got into it so much, they ate half my box of Keto PB fudge. I also managed to convert them from their boring, tasteless veggie salad to an array of salad toppings like sliced almonds, bacon bits, full fat dressing, sunflower seeds. It went from drab to fab.

Point is… i have learned that my Parents generation do not learn by listening. They learn by example. You could talk their flipping ears off about health benefits, but as they say…

            "Birds of a feather flock together"
#10

I totally agree! That’s why my gut says that DH should just keep his trap shut and let his results speak for themselves! :smiley:

(Empress of the Unexpected) #11

Salmon, broccoli, - who could argue with that? Keto is SOOOO dangerous.

(Jill F.) #12

That is what happened with my hubby and I. We watched our brother and sister in law start keto before Thanksgiving and they are literally shrinking! We got interested and started asking questions and decided to try it too.

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #13

Your husband needs to accept that people get better on their own and not by being nagged. If she wants help, she’ll ask, and be ready. The best he can do is have good results that will motivate her.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #14

“Each to their own”, quite simply.

(Carl Keller) #15

MIL will always be a slave to pills and addicted to carbs as long as her doctor continues to only treat her symptoms. Fixing her insulin resistance is the only way to escape this. She ate her way into this dilemma so it only makes sense to eat her way out.

If she likes to place her faith in doctors, maybe she will heed the advice of Stephen Phinney and Jeff Volek. They conducted a study that looked at 262 people with type 2 diabetes who were also overweight.

Phinney and Volek’s study may be the start of further examination into the positive impact of low-carb, high fat diets for people with diabetes. Perhaps the tide is turning and in the near future, we will see another change in medical advice from practitioners regarding diet for people with diabetes. Rather than recommending ample carbohydrates and avoiding fat, doctors may start prescribing a “reversal diet” to people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

https://asweetlife.org/study-shows-ketogenic-diet-may-reverse-type-2-diabetes/

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #16

One of the things we are up against with our parents is what Dr. Berry calls “powdered-butt syndrome.” Basically, anyone who ever knew you as a baby and put powder on your butt is never going to be able to see you as an independent adult who might actually know something. Time to step back and hope someone else can get through.

#17

Yeah that’s where I’m at.

My family as a whole have been very supportive, the only one who is a little suspicious of keto is my younger brother. He’s a trained chef and has studied the basics of nutrition so I’ve had a few heated discussions with him regarding saturated fats, heart disease, the role of carbs etc. He even jokingly claims I have a cult mentality when it comes to keto (and yes I was passionate about it early on and admittedly wouldn’t shut up about it), but I just laugh it off now and just let the results speak for itself.

On Twitter, there was a time where I would go out of my way to try and engage and correct negative scaremongering of the keto diet, but it’s an uphill battle as there is just too much vitriol and stupidity on there and it’s not worth the time and effort (or the cortisol spike).

Now I just Keep Calm…etc etc

(Cindy) #18

^That. I also tell people that I’m “avoiding carbs.” The name “keto” has gotten a bit of a bad reputation, so I just tell people I’m avoiding sugars, processed carbs, etc. They don’t need to know that I’m intentionally eating more fat or that fruit is considered too high in sugar (except for berries). They don’t want to hear that the fruit we eat today has been genetically modified to be very sweet and very big. So I keep it very simple and hope that at some point, my results will speak for themselves.

#19

I honestly just don’t care what naysayers think. I tell them I’m Keto/Carnivore and they can believe what they want. If they approach me in good faith, I’ll explain it to them; most who are curious are pretty open minded. Those who approach me in bad faith, I just troll. But my family and coworkers have seen the changes on me, I don’t get many negative comments towards Keto anymore.

(Running from stupidity) #20

:+1::+1::+1::+1::+1: