See, I just never say "I'm on a diet." Because I'm not on a diet, I'm changing my life.
I used to get weird looks from people in class as I ate my cut up, raw vegetables, but after a while (2 years) they're used to it. We were all actually joking about it the other day.
As hard as it is, just ignore it and keep doing as you want to do
I never say that I'm on a diet either I even correct people who say "the diet is working!" Of course that starts arguments as they insist I'm dieting, so I usually just laugh and nod now.
I hope those around me get used to me eating less! I guess it was a bit of a jarring change for them as I used to eat A LOT before I started counting calories.
I think a lot of the time it's guilt about their own unhealthy eating. If someone is eating healthfully, you feel worse for your junk food lunch, but if everyone is eating junk, you don't have to feel so bad about yourself.
I think most people do this subconsciously. Yes, it's annoying and can really make things harder, but I think most people do it out of a self-preservation instinct because they feel threatened and not because they're deliberately trying to sabotage you. If you're in this kind of environment, though, you just need to steel yourself and mentally prepare for the comments/stares and know that you're doing exactly what you should be doing to reach your goals.
I think a lot of the time it's guilt about their own unhealthy eating. If someone is eating healthfully, you feel worse for your junk food lunch, but if everyone is eating junk, you don't have to feel so bad about yourself.
I absolutely agree with this. We are such social creatures and we base so many of our decisions off of what our fellows are doing. If I go out to eat with a friend and she orders something unhealthy, I usually feel more tempted to also get something unhealthy than if she had ordered a healthy food. Good reason to surround yourself with friends that are healthy eaters!
As a life long vegetarian (who has recently slid into pescetarianism), I've always heard a lot of "Ew, what's that?" My parents didn't cook like the other parents in my small town. That scene in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" where the other children make fun of Toula's lunch was pretty much my childhood lunch routine. I still get it a little bit as an adult. Used to bother me, now I just say some variation on "It's red lentils and spinach, with a bit of coconut milk and curry. Super tasty." and then I make a few obnoxious "mmmm" and "So good" comments as I'm eating it.
It's a fruit for crying out loud, not a cyanide capsule.
That is hilarious! I have a coworker that constantly comments on my food, "what is that?!" with a look of disgust, "that looks gross but smells good" (leftover Indian food), and so on. Her lunch is usually spaghetti with butter or a bean burrito. She is in her 40s and never tried a fresh blueberry until I gave her one last year. I have also got her to try butternut squash and edamame. Another coworker commented on how I eat alot of vegetables, I mean really? I don't make a comment about how you go to Wendy's everyday for lunch and the only vegetable I have ever seen you eat is a deep fried potato or some sad little shriveled broccoli in a frozen dinner.
I think it is what tkdtara84 said about feeling good about their own unhealthy choices or, like my coworkers, were never exposed to things like fresh food. It is amazing to me the amount of people that spent their entire lives eating food that only comes in boxes.
A lot of people react very oddly (as in negatively) when someone is dieting, and eating differently is a visible sign that you're dieting, so they focus on it.
I also think that it may be partially that *we're* over sensitive to people commenting on what we eat.
I grew up in a house hold where there was a comment on everything that was put in my mouth, so now I *know* that I'm very very very sensitive to someone commenting about my eating. We just might be so used to the fact that we think people are watching what we eat that we're projecting.
Not saying that people don't make rude comments, there just may be another side to it.
I also agree with you tkdtara84 re: other people feeling guilty about their own choices. A few months ago, a friend of mine asked if I was trying to be healthy by drinking crushed watermelon with rum. It was a cocktail! Are they ever really healthy?? I had seen the recipe online and had a watermelon to use up, haha (and it was DELICIOUS). It doesn't seem to matter how silent you are about your change in food choices, people will notice and comment as if you are shoving it at them.
I, like kaplods, am used to funny looks with food. Growing up we ate a wide array of foods as my mum is a faaabulous cook, and now that I live away from home I still like to eat and cook different stuff for myself. I'm used to the "what IS that" looks from roommates, even for the simplest stuff like straining yogurt or curry paste. As people get used to your habits, the comments and wide-eyes start to lessen. Hang in there!
I think overweight people get screwed in general when it comes to eating in public.
We have all seen a morbidly obese person at some fast food restaurant eating a super-sized McHeartattack with fries and coke and thought "damn. no wonder." But I've also heard people looking at an overweight woman eating a salad with water and say "who is she kidding? she OBVIOUSLY doesn't eat like this normally. just look at her."
The only thing I feel weird having in public is Slim-Fast. I am not even using them to drop weight...my dad used to drink them when I was young and I legitimately just like the flavor of the strawberry shake. I still feel like everyone is looking at me snickering though, thinking how the shakes clearly aren't working.
The problem I have is my chubby friends being like "I made you a cupcake! I bought you some suckers! Here, I was thinking of you, have these twizzlers!" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. lol
We have all seen a morbidly obese person at some fast food restaurant eating a super-sized McHeartattack with fries and coke and thought "damn. no wonder." But I've also heard people looking at an overweight woman eating a salad with water and say "who is she kidding? she OBVIOUSLY doesn't eat like this normally. just look at her."
This! It's really a shame that no matter what an overweight person eat, there's judgment. I think thin people get judged as well if they eat too little, but I don't think it's the same double standard that overweight people face. I know my co-workers can't shut their mouths about what I eat (and it's difficult to reply tactfully in a non-native language)!
I would like to think that people are a little jealous because you are making good choices and they are not. They probably feel a little guilty for the unhealthy foods they are eating. If you are eating similar foods they will feel better.
See, I just never say "I'm on a diet." Because I'm not on a diet, I'm changing my life.
Exactly. People never ask me about dieting because they just know "she eats healthy" and leave it at that. Sometimes when we order food in for meetings, or have cake for birthdays (even mine), someone will comment on the food that I brought from home. I still want to socialize and eat my lunch, even if it's not the same lunch that everyone is having, and I appreciate having cake for my birthday because everyone else can celebrate and feel joyous...then again, I have never liked cake, even as a chubby child, so I'm used to 30 years of it.
The longer you make healthy choices, the less people will comment. It's kind of like getting a new haircut. At first you get many compliments, and even if you keep the same style for a long time, people stop making comments because they're used to it.
Exactly. People never ask me about dieting because they just know "she eats healthy" and leave it at that. Sometimes when we order food in for meetings, or have cake for birthdays (even mine), someone will comment on the food that I brought from home. I still want to socialize and eat my lunch, even if it's not the same lunch that everyone is having, and I appreciate having cake for my birthday because everyone else can celebrate and feel joyous...then again, I have never liked cake, even as a chubby child, so I'm used to 30 years of it.
The longer you make healthy choices, the less people will comment. It's kind of like getting a new haircut. At first you get many compliments, and even if you keep the same style for a long time, people stop making comments because they're used to it.
I really, really loved what you said here!! It's true, people aren't used to change and anything that's different we question.
I would also love for people to get used to me being healthy and eventually just accept it
I even correct people who say "the diet is working!" Of course that starts arguments as they insist I'm dieting, so I usually just laugh and nod now. 
I have a coworker that constantly comments on my food, "what is that?!" with a look of disgust, "that looks gross but smells good" (leftover Indian food), and so on. Her lunch is usually spaghetti with butter or a bean burrito. She is in her 40s and never tried a fresh blueberry until I gave her one last year. I have also got her to try butternut squash and edamame. Another coworker commented on how I eat alot of vegetables, I mean really? I don't make a comment about how you go to Wendy's everyday for lunch and the only vegetable I have ever seen you eat is a deep fried potato or some sad little shriveled broccoli in a frozen dinner. 
