my skin has been worse since doing low carb. doesn't mean i'm going to quit doing it, but it is frustrating.

PlayDoh, I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe it is some sort of allergic reaction to something that you added into your diet that you didn't eat before? I know that some seafood can cause sensitive people to have skin problems, and I'd never eaten fish before the way I do now. I've been fortunate that once I stopped poisoning (heh) myself with sugar, my skin has turned into Irish cream. Now if I could just get my hiney to consume itself life would be great.

It's funny to see people's reactions when my kids actually insist on veggies and diet soft drinks. LC'ing has had a huge POSITIVE effect on my kids' health and eating choices, which made this dingbat that much funnier. The same child that this woman was so worried about, will actually ask waiters to bring him broccoli instead of french fries as a side to his meals, because that's what he sees me do.

I probably would have been really harsh with her. I know it's probably bad of me to do this but sometimes I play the diabetic card. I would have said something like, "diabetics aren't supposed to have sugar, would it make you feel better if he drank the regular and fell over in a diabetic coma?" Then I would have looked at her basket and asked her to tell me about all the nutrition benefits of the food she had. Or look at her belly and tell her to go back to school.

She had a lot of nerve. I agree so much with what was already posted.

How many kids does she have, and what do they look like? She was simply rude.

Even if she was a petite size 2, what business is it of hers to comment on anything you do?

Maybe you shouldn't be so hard on people who catch you feeding your kids crap?

When my niece and nephew come over on the weekend my mother (their grandmother) insists on giving them junk. Even though I ask them what they want, they always say broccoli, tuna and peas etc.. Then my mother still gives them chocolate cakes, biscuits, chips.

It makes me sad to see people feeding kids crappy foods - I wish that I grew up on a more healthy diet. I've never gone and said anything to a stranger about what they feed their kids though!, but I have said stuff to my friends and family. They don't take it that bad.

I do think that the majority of parents at the moment don't know how to give their kids proper nutrition or understand what their kids need, a common deficiency is omega 3 for example. How many parents actually knew what that was before all this advertising and studies recently released!

This is an excellent point. What weight she was does not really affect the rudeness of parental butting-in. It was just the cherry on the sundae, if you'll excuse the expression.

I think my resentment of that part of it goes back to many episodes of having unasked-for advice shoved down my throat by those who don't practice what they preach when it comes to nutrition. Eleven years ago when I had my older son, I lost the weight from my pregnancy in about 5 months. Part of it was because I was 22 and my body just dropped it easily, and part of it was because I worked out a lot and pretty much stopped eating altogether. Not the healthiest way to eat, granted, but it did work for me at the time. I worked with a woman who constantly told me that I'd never lose weight eating so little, even while I got smaller and she got bigger.

When I started Atkins last year, all my co-workers steadily informed me that it wouldn't work, that I couldn't do it, and that I was going to have a heart attack. While they ate reese's and drank full sugar soft drinks all day. Uh-huh.

Oh, well. I'm just glad I didn't go nuclear on the woman LOL ... a couple of years ago I would have. I guess I'm mellowing out in my old age.

Nothing like a little support! (Not!)

Geez, why can't people mind their own business?!

Good for you! I don't think I would have been that nice.

Well, I thought about it a lot back when I started, because at first I was very hurt by the reactions I got. I was working in a small law office where there was junk food galore kept around everywhere - candy bowls on every surface, garbage in all the refrigerators. That's why they kept telling me I couldn't do it - because no one could possibly lose weight in that environment. It finally occurred to me that the reason why they said that, is because they believed that THEY couldn't resist the food. If I *could* resist it, then they lost their excuse for not doing so. It's much easier to cling to your bad habits if you have a "plausible" excuse for why you can't beat them.

Also, in the end I was grateful for it, because it made me so mad that I had the extra willpower I needed. After what they had said, I was darned if I was going to let them see me cheat, or fail. And believe me, as I went from a 41" waist to a 34" waist, they shut up in a hurry. And two of them hopped on the bandwagon with me and have now lost a good deal of weight as well.

Also, to be fair to the coworkers LOL - I kind of made my diet everyone's business. When I first started, I told absolutely everyone about it, ad nauseum. My theory was that if I told everyone that I was going to lose weight, I'd be too embarrassed to fail at it, so I'd stick to it better. It worked, too!

However, I do not remember soliciting the opinion of strangers in Wal Mart as to my dietary choices for myself or my kids. I did find myself wondering if that woman's children had ever asked for salads voluntarily in a restaurant.

I buy cookies (or some sweet treat) maybe 3 or 4 times a year. I dont buy soda and my kids dont have regular access to junk. All in all...they eat pretty darn well. Now...If I take them to the grocery store and let them have a cookie from the bakery, does that give someone the right to verbally tackle me about feeding my children crap? People in a store dont know what/how I feed my children and I dont think anyone has the right to verbally attack someone else based on assumptions.

If you know someone...and they feed their children microwaved meals, Mcdonald's, and constant junk...then I actually do think there is a justifiable reason to say something because it's nutritional abuse...seriously.

I cant imagine how I would have reacted under the circumstances...but I would have been pretty angry, I can tell you that.

I think the woman in the store was very rude and presumptuous, and I certainly don't buy into her artificial sweetener panic, but...

it isn't fair to make sweeping judgements about her nutritional knowledge based on her appearance. Even if you believe that a person who claims nutritional knowledge only has credibility if they put it into action on themselves, how do you know she hasn't. I'd hate to see a lot of our TDC 100+ lb losers have their knowledge dismissed out of hand just because someone had no idea that they started out at 300+ or 400+.

That said, she had no business diving in and telling you how to parent your children. That's just rude and you certainly have a right to be annoyed.

Lynda

Hmmm...that's about the point where I would have cut her off and said, "Thanks for sharing, but I'm an experienced mom and what I choose to feed my children is really none of your business. Your concern has been noted and considered but my original decision stands. Have a nice day." at which point you pointedly turn your back and ignore her.

Rude is rude no matter what size you are or what your level of eduction is. Lecturing a total stranger at length regarding their choice of beverage for their child is beyond rude.

You know, it would be akward enough bringing up the whole subject of how to parent to a FRIEND, let alone a total stranger, but I suppose some people find strangers to be easier targets.

Did she honestly think you would react by saying "Oh, thank you SO much! Put that CRAP back, Junior, and get some sugar and HFCS so you can be healthy!" and grovel at her feet in thanksgiving?

Okay, so I actually said something similar to my ex-SIL when she gave me her own special brand of child-rearing advice....but you could FEEL the sarcasm.