My grandparents and aunt are visiting my mother (they are from FL), so I went down there to visit and play with my nephew (nephew and sister live with my parents)....we were all having a good time, but then the food-pushing began....

For some background info, my mom had WLS a few years ago, b/c she was almost 500 lbs and in terrible health. It probably saved her life, although she spent the next year in and out of the hospital with various issues and complications. She lost 200+ lbs, but is still overweight b/c she refuses to eat right. She thinks she can eat whatever doesn't make her sick, b/c she can only eat small amounts. Argh.

Anycrap, more background, my grands and my aunt are also severely overweight (350-400 lbs) and diabetic, and we just generally like to eat a lot as a family, LOL. But I knew that visiting would be trouble...., so, now for my NSVs...


I packed a small, soft-sided cooler with healthy, "Beach Watchers" foods for myself for the day (was babysitting my nephew while they went out for sightseeing)....I brought fruit, boiled egg whites, low-fat cheese cubes, etc. My mother, when I arrived, was serving my grands/aunt a big delicious coffee cake, and Banana Bread....she offered me these delicious things as well, but I politely refused even the coffee, as she only had full-fat H&H on hand. My grandparents said "good for you", but then told me not to starve myself, LOL.

They then left, and my nephew and I enjoyed our day. He was also digging into my healthy snacks (the kid LOVES hard-boiled eggs!), LOL. It was nice. I even took him to lunch at Chipotle, but I got salad instead of a killer death burrito.

I was SO proud of myself! When my family returned, my mom again tried to tempt me with her amazing potato salad, chips and dips, and other stuff. I again politely refused.

Can't give in to Family Food-Pushers!

I'm originally from the south. One of the things I learned as a child was that food was a way of life! If company came, we ate. If it was a meal time, we ate. If it was a celebration, we ate. If it was a funeral, we ate. I'm surprised my mom didn't hook up feeding tubes for overnight!

She now has 3 kids with weight problems. She's skinny as a rail and has been all her life. She thinks we have no will power and no self control.

However, it didn't stop her from pushing food at me everytime I went back to visit. I finally had to tell her that I will eat when I'm hungry and if I don't like what is served, I will do without or fix my own food. She was a bit insulted until my brother started doing the same thing when he went back to visit.

Unfortunately, she has osteoporosis now and can't do much. However, I pointed out on my last visit that I was losing weight while I was visiting because I could eat when and what I wanted.

I wish people would realize that pushing food is doing a dis-service to people who are trying to alter their eating styles.

I'm sorry your mom thinks she can eat anything she wants. She still has a tremendous amount of weight to lose and will not do it if she continues on the same path.

However, you deserve a big round of applause for sticking to your goal!

Congratultions. You inspire me to say no to my own family. I have a similar problem whenever I visit my parents or grandmother.

That's GREAT!! I understand the family food pushers, I too was raised with a lot of them! Way to stick to your plan and do what's best for YOU!

WTG for sticking to your plan even though they were tempting you with other things!! You should be proud!!

Hi my name is angelbiare and I am a 33 year old female that has a very bab weight porblem. I was not always big and overweight, when I was younger i was real thin , but bad things happened in my life when I was growing up , I turned to for to eat my prombles away. and that is when I started puting all the weight on. and now I have people picking on me about my weight wich don't help. and I feel that there is no kind of suport for me to lose weight and I have found it very hard to stay on it.

Angelbiare, you need to do what's best for you, and that would be to get yourself healthy! This is the best site for support. Many of us have families or friends who just don't "get it" and we come here. Stick it out, and soon you'll be over that hump!