A lot of my friends know I eat healthy, but most of them just go "why?" and after that don't care. Anyways, one of them recently found out.(Just a few hours ago). I thought he wasn't going to care either but he said "Why do you eat like this? Your just depressing your life. Your supposed to relax and enjoy it." Anyways, I told him I love eating like this and actually enjoy it, but after he left , I thought about what he said and it actually affected me. I don't know why...

A lot of people do not realize that all healthy foods do not taste like celery.
(Hey, I like celery, but I who wouldn't go stark, raving mad on an all-celery diet).

My husband and I are true foodies, and that's not going to change - we just have found different ways to be foodies.

I have learned that there's no converting others to your own food lifestyle. People who "don't get it," just don't. I'm a food adventurer, so I'd rather have a bad food experience than a boring one. Hubby is a little less adventurous than I am, but he's willing to participate in my food adventures.

Our families aren't as understanding, and getting them to go out to a restaurant any more exotic than an oriental mega-buffet (with plenty of "standard american" dishes on the buffet). They think we're crazy.

Yes, relaxing and enjoying life is a good thing, until taken to extremes.
Relaxing and enjoying life has it's place, but some amount of responsibility and attention is also required. Relaxing and enjoying life doesn't mean that you stop taking out the garbage, washing your clothes, brushing your teeth, paying bills, taking care of your health....

There are amazingly wonderful healthy foods. I just discovered lychee fruit, and I'd even trade cheesecake for lychee any day. Not because of the calories or "healthiness," but because I think lychee's are my all-time favorite food on the planet.

Now, I do have some very unhealthy favorites too. Barbecued pork ribs (and not-so-lean cuts of pork, in general) are my downfall. I do "sacrifice" a bit in choosing to eat pork less frequently, but it's not like there aren't 10,000 healthier options that taste so good that "not quite as good as barbecued pork," isn't really much of a criticism.

Two oriental restaurants in our area make eggplant dishes that capture what I best love about fatty barbecued pork - a velvety mouthfeel in a slightly smoky-sweet sauce. One is quite low in calorie, the other is a healthy-in-moderation choice (though a lot lower in fat and calories than barbecued country-style ribs).

I think when other people, especially people close to us "feel sorry for us," it can make us question our choices, but when you look at it, often we find the pity is on the other foot (that's a weird mixed metaphor).

my brother used to be like that. he thought all healthy food was disgusting food. he ate off ramen noodles and sausaged cooked in butter.. as well as spam sauteed in butter and oil. the healthiest thing he ate was the sweet onions he'd add to his food. but, then I started cooking for my family, and he discovered.. "hey, this stuff's actually good." I made pasta with whole wheat noodles, it wasn't his favorite, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. he'll now eat brown rice whenever it's available, as well as whole wheat/whole grain bread, multigrain chips, and other healthy alternatives. he refuses to try fruits and veggies, but just the fact that I could SHOW him that healthy food still tastes good is relieving. try letting your friend taste some of your healthy alternatives... even tell him to do it for a couple of days, and you already FEEL better, FEEL healthier. eating a burger smothered in cheese on a white bun, to me, personally, doesn't taste nearly as good or make me feel nearly as well as eating.. say.. a grilled chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread =]

Ugh! I enjoy life a heck of a lot better when my stomach isn't turning from eating junk, or I'm not crashing from a sugar induced high, and when I have more energy! On top of that, overindulging in life ultimately doesn't bring real satisfaction, does it?

Why is it that people believe the only way to relax and enjoy life is to eat junky food that is bad for your health and wellbeing. When I became a vegan years ago my friends acted like I was evil incarnate. Now these same friends have diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.
You just do your own thing and know that you are working towards your own goal. And when you need folks to understand and appreciate what you ae doing, you have us here at 3FC.

I think many people feel like "eating healthy = deprivation". Maybe there is a little piece of your mind that is still thinking that? Yes, junk food is good mometarily but as others have said, eating garbage doesn't really lead to a relaxing, enjoyablelife. Maybe your friend is still able to eat that stuff and not have any ill effects on his health, so he still sees eating healthy stuff as being equal to deprivation?

It's really funny, isn't it, how trying to eat healthfully and responsibly is so odd in our culture that people feel compelled to make remarks and even chastise us for it! I have to continually remind myself to keep my mouth shut about what I'm eating because of this. My mom mentioned tonight that she heard they were building an Olive Garden restaurant in our city. I murmered something like, "That stuff is so high calorie" (because people here in 3FC have been talking about it) and she snapped, "Yes, I KNOW, but we don't go out to eat that often." I realized that she took my comment as a criticism when really I was just thinking out loud. Oooops.

I used to be the loudest defender of "eat what tastes good" and "enjoy the moment". I remember frequently declaring that I would NEVER drink diet soda, and didn't even understand the concept.

Of course, that was the main reason I stayed heavy for so long, and changing it was the first thing on my to-do list when I started this plan. Now, I've grown to love diet soda, and can't imagine drinking regular. Why pour sugar down your throat when the fake stuff is calorie free?

It's strange how time changes your world.

I often wonder the same thing!

I enjoy food very much, but that doesn't mean I base my every happiness on eating things that aren't good for me. I think people by definition associate food with pleasure and often foods that aren't good for us are lumped into that category.

For instance, I stopped at 7-11 on my way home from the grocery store. I passed by the donut case and I really thought it over for a couple of minutes whether or not I wanted a cinnamon twist. To make matters worse, the cashier (who I see all the time when I get my coffee before work) offered me one FOR FREE.

I didn't get it though. See, I bought 2 gorgeous, seedless watermelons and would have much rather had a big bowl of that than a donut. I do find pleasure in food...and I simply found more pleasure in the watermelon.

I truly think people don't consider this when they make snap judgments about what other people eat.

I find it really annoying when people who do not want to (or need to) make the effort themselves try to spoil it for you by saying things like this.

Jason Vale ("Slim for life") has a few wonderful words to say about this. He says that you sacrifice by eating crap (your body, health, gorgeousness, self esteem, clothes) and not by *not* eating crap.

The behavior of wanting to eat things that are not good for them and feeling bad for health eaters is really a sign of emotional immaturity. Emotionally, they want "this" (unhealthy food) AND "that" (healthy, lean body). Emotional maturity is when we realize we can have "this" OR "that" and we make the choice to treat our bodies well.

What an insightful thread! I get really sick of people commenting on what I'm eating, "Oh, Pam's going to be healthy and eat a salad again!" and "Pam never eats a burger because she's always good." It's condesending and rude. I never comment when other people eat stuff I don't choose to eat.

Lustercross, the only advice I have for you is to eat the way you think is right and don't discuss it with people who don't get it and won't be supportive of you. What else can you do, really?

Pam

I knew I made the right choice by posting my concern on here. Thanks guys, and your right, I will just keep it to myself. I will only talk about healthy food to other people only if I'm asked to. Once again thanks!

Ha! Can you imagine if you did? "There goes Sally, eating that 1,000-calorie burger again" or "Look at Joe, he always gets seconds and thirds when they serve that fat-filled lasagne".

Depending on the tone, sometimes people think they can comment because it goes unsaid that what you are doing is a good thing, so it's not meant to put you down...just like you might tease someone light-heartedly for having a crush or being obsessed with...poodles, I dunno. Other times though, yeah, those comments can be snarky and annoying. So I guess just try to take it the first way when you can

How funny Kitten! Those are exactly the things I have fantasized about saying to people who comment about what I order from menus or take from buffets! They are invariably eating super high-calorie items and act like I'm miserable and depriving myself for eating a yummy salad with all kinds of tasty greens and heaven knows what else scattered around. Yum!

Pam