Atkins critics pop up everywhere!

[cowgirl_k]

Some nice overweight ladies at my office were complimenting me on my weight loss and asking me about it when an overweight lady sitting nearby popped up and said 'That kind of diet is bad for you! You are ruining your health!'. I just ignored her, but it irritated me that someone who weighs 100 lbs more than me would feel like she could offer advice and be so critical of me and my efforts. I felt like saying 'Well - you certainly have all the answers.' I think maybe next time I might just ask very sweetly 'What weight loss method works best for you?' I certainly have a lot of sympathy for everyone with weight issues - but I don't have a lot of respect for 'the critic' right now. What motivates people to do crap like that?

I am to the point where people are saying 'You should stop dieting now' doesn't bother me much. I think they are just being nice.

[Lessara]

When that happens at my work I typically respond with "I bet I eat more veggies than you" and "So by not eating flour, sugar, and white potatoes I'm eating unhealthy?"

It educates and strengthens my Atkins to the co-workers.

[scthgharpy]

When I get those "its bad for you" I say nope-Ive done a LOT of research-you should check it out.

If given another second I say hey-Ive lost 50 lbs, eating lots of veggies, no hunger, feel great!

its all about the soundbite. Plant the seed of doubt.

If they say I know someone who had X happen cuz of atkins say-nope-everything youve read says they probably had the problem before.

if they continue being argumentative about it ruining your health, respond with: What benefits are there to eating sugar and refined flours?

That...usually covers all the bases for me. But then, I dont have a lot of snippy wimmens where I work. Thank god. The one who is is...sure enough, short and overweight. (go figure)
I did give them hell at the little christmas potluck-if I hadnt brought celery and salad, there would have been precious little for me to eat. Someone commented, oh yah, janets not eating carbs, and I said yah-ive lost 50 pounds since I've bene here-and no one noticed. THANKS, GUYS (teasing, but not). Sure enough, I started getting compliments. ha.

Fight the good fight! Keep your cool, and kill them with success!

[Dibblee]

My biggest critic about this WOL was my father. I just smiled and ignored him.

Guess what? He is now low-carbing, too! :lol:

[raven_1051]

My mother says. Dont take diet advice from fat people. I think it's good advice.

I just went to a work potluck 20 minutes ago andthere was nothing I could have so I didn't eat anything. Everyone was asking me if I was going to eat anything and I said no. This one lady started in on the whole "It ruins your health, butters bad for you, it stops working after a while, your cholesterol and blood pressure will go up, you should eat bread and rice and fruit" blah blah blah. Any ways I set her straight. I told her not only have I lost 59 pounds but my blood pressure cholesterol and blood sugar has gone down and that I probably still eat less butter than she does, also I told her that I have been doing it for 8 months and its still working. Do you know what she said? "But aren't you going to eat the cake?" and I was Like "NO!"

[zorra_1]

It's funny how they chime in now that you're losing weight, but kept completely silent when you ate junk! :lol:

"Thank you for your concern now that I'm commiting to a healthier lifestyle!"

[cowgirl_k]

Thanks guys for the replies. I feel better knowing I'm not alone out there. I guess I was especially irritated with my co-worker because I had just explained that I am a diabetic - so low carb is not really optional for me.

Cowgirl

[Jonahsafta]

<shaking head in disbelief>

Let me get this straight ...a woman 100 lbs heavier than you is telling YOU that YOUR diet is unhealthy????!!!!!

At least when I was obese I had the good sense to refrain from commenting on ANY ONE ELSES eating. Let me get the huge log out of my own eye before I even THINK about looking at anyone else

[manaburrn]

Those who live in big, fat, glass houses...

Should not throw stale wheat bran muffins!

[Bon]

What motivates people to do crap like that?

Two words: Jealousy and Ignorance. Keep up the good work and show them... seeing is believing!

I'm going on my fourth year with the WOL and I haven't dropped dead yet. ;)

[Dodger]

I'm going on my fourth year with the WOL and I haven't dropped dead yet. ;) But are the vultures circling?

[Duparc]

While I have never encountered criticism like this I have read on two threads others like yourself who coincidentally were female.

Whenever I encountered anyone who tries to embarrass me and especially by the 'I know better attitude', I usually counter it by saying, "Now, are you speaking from experience or are you just guessing"? It puts the ball back into their court!

You could, of course, reflect back to them what they have said by saying something like, 'So you have had a bad experience, tell me about it?" They will then probably tell you about a friend of a friend who had one which, of course, could be fictitious and surely inaccurate.

If the other person was not feeling threatened (in some way) they would probably have complimented you. In a manner of speaking she gave you a back-handed compliment; that was the best she could do harbouring feelings of inadequacy. Interesting how we all leak like sieves.

[potatofree]

At least when I was obese I had the good sense to refrain from commenting on ANY ONE ELSES eating. Let me get the huge log out of my own eye before I even THINK about looking at anyone else

My mother says. Dont take diet advice from fat people. I think it's good advice.



Rude is rude, regardless of size. I've gotten worse advice from skinny people trying to be "helpful" than from people even a hundred lbs or more bigger than I am, who actually knew what they were talking about.

It's just as stupid for someone at 110 lbs their whole life who's never had to diet, like an acquaintance of mine, to feel qualified criticise my food choices and tell me Atkins will shoot my kidneys out as it would be for a 400-pounder. Little Buddy has been such a PITA about it, I finally told her off.

I should have just sat on her. :lol:

[pinkclouds]

Those who live in big, fat, glass houses...

Should not throw stale wheat bran muffins!


hee hee hee! :lol:

[pinkclouds]

I felt like saying 'Well - you certainly have all the answers.' I think maybe next time I might just ask very sweetly 'What weight loss method works best for you?' I certainly have a lot of sympathy for everyone with weight issues - but I don't have a lot of respect for 'the critic' right now. What motivates people to do crap like that?



You are too nice! I would have probably looked at her plate and said "Let's compare!"

I was once told the Atkins diet is a terrible diet by someone who was eating a plate of scrambled eggs with bacon, hashbrowns and toast (with butter & jelly). What was on my plate? A 2 egg omelette with a ton of veggies in it like spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes. WTF? :confused:

I am lucky I don't get too many lectures about my diet. No one really comments, but I don't make it that obvious either. When they ask me about it I tell them that I carefully choose all my foods now to make sure I am getting the proper balance of nutrients to keep me anemia-free and that I avoid flour and sugar which aggravate my asthma and since eating this way I haven't had to use my inhaler once. Then I boast about the fact that I am 100% medication-free, and my cholesterol dropped 47 points. So there! :p

[Kimberwolf]

its all about the soundbite. Plant the seed of doubt.

That's good advice there! And I can speak from experience, since I came to this WOL that works so well for me through a similar soundbite. I was sitting in the airport with some colleagues when a little old man came to stand beside us. I offered him my seat and he bounced on his toes and grinned at us. "No, thank you. I feel too good to sit down all the time. I've lost <ungodly amt of weight> lbs on the Atkins lifestyle!"

I was surprised, having heard how "bad" the diet was for you but didn't say anything and he moved on down the concourse. I did comment to my science-scholar buddy that I'd heard the diet was actually quite bad for you. She shrugged. "Actually, it's not..." and proceeded to tell me about how in affected insulin. "I actually worked on a study once that gave evidence that it was both effective and healthy."

I was hooked. To this day, I refer to that little old man as "my guardian angel." Without his brief and happy testimony, I never would have found low-carbing. :)

That said, the woman who owns the Curves in our area (which I rejoined recently and am enjoying) also gave me the lecture about how Atkins and low-carb in general was hard on the kidneys. I just responded with a "I realize it may not be for everyone, but it's proven perfect for my particular case." And I intend to SHOW her just what it can do! ;)

I should have just sat on her.

ROTFL!!! :lol: