I don't have as much of a problem with this as I used to, but I'm on the Atkins diet and if I hear one more person tell me it's going to kill me, I'm going to scream. This is usually said while they're cramming a big ass donut into their mouths, too.

When I go to friends houses or parties, I try to eat beforehand and don't make a federal case out of it if there's not much for me to eat. All of my close friends know about my diet, though, and 99.9% of the time they fix something for me. I do the same when hosting at my house. I have even gone so far as to stop mixing the M&M's at my annual martini party because one of my friends hates the peanut ones and is too polite to dig through the bowl. And I always serve them lots of carby snacks, because there's no reason I should deprive them, just because I won't eat it. They like it too because I always make them take home the leftovers. :D

Posted by: Ann at September 1, 2010 9:49 PM

I don't have as much of a problem with this as I used to, but I'm on the Atkins diet and if I hear one more person tell me it's going to kill me, I'm going to scream.

Idiots. Quite the reverse is true. I know this from all the studies @DrEades tweets (read him at http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/) and also because I put a friend on a low-carb diet -- a friend with a cardiologist -- and his health stats improved on numerous levels...markedly.

Posted by: Amy Alkon at September 1, 2010 10:09 PM

Actually, thanks to you I've discovered Eades blog, and read Taubes' book as well. I've also stumbled across the Heart Scan Blog http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/ which is a bit more technical but has some good stuff in it.

My doctor put me on Atkins back in '03 and I lost 60 lbs. Then like a moron I went off and gained it all back. Just re-started last week and lost 5 lbs. so far. I forgot how good I feel on this diet.

The thing that cheeses me off is that I don't run up to the donut eaters and scream "OMG YOU'RE KILLING YOURSELF!" so why is it okay for them to get pissy if I say no thanks to their offer of a carby treat? Everyone just needs to MYOB.

Posted by: Ann at September 1, 2010 10:35 PM

I don't eat a lot of sugar or flour. I don't have a strict diet of low low carbs - but I really don't eat a lot of sugar, bread or pastas. I am hypoglycemic.

People who continually shove cookies or sweets under my nose after I say - "no thank you" and continue on and on "come on...why not, its just a little, but I made these!!!". It's the people with bad boundaries who won't take no for an answer... Look, it doesn't "tempt" me. If I am tempted, its because I already was that day (and probably had low blood sugar), its not that I think its their fault or problem - or even that I get angry because I CAN'T have it. It is because it is SO annoying. I get the same thing with drinking. I don't drink. People who continually press the issue, I think are rude.

It's one thing if someone asks "Why don't you eat sweets..." or whatever. It's something entirely different if they start in on the "oh, your gonna die sometime...blah blah blah....it's just one...blah blah blah...but your so skinny...blah blah blah..." I think people who can't take "no" for an answer are extremely rude.

As far as going over other peoples houses to eat. I usually don't make menu requests because I was taught (which may be incorrect)that was rude. I just don't eat any or much of the verboten items. If they are close friends, then they usually know anyway.

For work. 95% of the time they ask you to choose something off a menu for a work meeting. I've never had a problem selecting something I could eat. Buffet type events are relatively easy too. If push comes to shove, we have a cafeteria downstairs and I can always go grab a salad.

Posted by: Feebie at September 3, 2010 5:53 PM

I, too, am amazed when people try to persuade me to eat food that I don't eat (because I don't eat carbs). A friend I don't know well invited me over for dinner and I wrote back to thank him and say, "I should tell you, I don't eat carbs," so I would be perfectly happy to go out somewhere or to bring slabs of lamb or something to cook, in addition to the bottle of wine I'd bring anyway...please just let me know what works for you."

Posted by: Amy Alkon at September 3, 2010 6:51 PM

What infuriates me is that jewellery shops are allowed to state that stainless steel is nickel-free.

I'm a severe case, I know, but even the small amount of nickel (up to 14%) in stainless steel sets me off.

For those who don't know, you get a rash, which can become painful if left long enough.

I'm also frustrated by a lack of information about what tin cans are made of. Drink cans in AU are all aluminium, so no issue there, but tin cans for foods is anyone's guess. And yes, even the trace amounts of nickel in foods give me a reaction.

Posted by: Sonja at September 7, 2010 9:14 PM

I met up with a group of friends at a wine bar. I had recently found out that I was pregnant, so I couldn't partake, but I had no problem in playing designated driver. It was actually a pretty good time.

However, when I asked the bartender what they had that didn't contain alcohol, he listed NA beer, etc. I asked about sodas...non-caffeinated. He just stared at me and asked "What is WRONG with you that you can't have any alcohol or caffeine?". Like it was any of his flippin business!

Posted by: Renee at September 20, 2010 2:23 PM

Look him dead in the eye and say, "I got knocked up."

/

Posted by: Steve Daniels at September 22, 2010 3:45 AM

I'm a vegetarian and I get this all the time: "that's so unhealthy!" "how do you get protein?" "c'mon, just take a little bite." When its good-natured ribbing or just plain curiosity I don't mind at all, but some people seem to take my dietary choices as a personal affront and can get downright nasty.

I try to let people know that I'm a vegetarian as soon as possible (in a non-obnoxious way) so that it doesn't come up awkwardly the night before I'm invited to a dinner party. If I don't have the opportunity to let someone know way in advance then I'd rather just make do with salad or eat beforehand then have anyone feel like they need to go out of their way to make a special dish for me. Plus I'm a picky eater in general-I don't eat much dairy or carbs-so I don't want to feel pressured to eat something I don't really like (like pasta) because you went out of your way to make it for me.

Posted by: Shannon at September 24, 2010 11:48 PM

I used to tell people I dont drink because of a familly history of alcoholism

When their jerks about I'll say something about them being too depresing in real life, I cant image how they'd come off if I were drinking a depressent.

If their a germ a phobe I'll say I dont like drinking dirt filtered urine, even if it is distilled and just the urine of a yeast culture

Posted by: lujlp at September 28, 2010 6:02 AM

This drives my butt up a wall-I like my soda and this lady tells me it's bad for me blah, blah, blah and I simply say "so what" or "mind your own business." I can simply take care of myself.

Posted by: My Business at February 23, 2014 12:33 AM