Rebe_J

 
I recently heard this from my boss, who is Ivy League educated. "How can you eat eggs if you cut out dairy?"  because... "Eggs are in the dairy case!"

My very overweight, very unhealthy, lives on fast food neighbor last night:
I've learned that as long as you take a multi-vitamin, you can eat anything you want including fast food because the vitamin gives your body the means to deal with the toxins. The problems come when you eat the junk and DON"T take a multi-vitamin.
I was dumbfounded.

I've had people ask questions out of true curiosity and have tried to answer their questions briefly, then refer them to the books for further information.
 
Critics.... I've tried to ignore them. It's been nearly 3 years since my first W30, and I basically do like the others above; ignore them and quietly eat what I eat. And feel really good about it....

Ask them what people did before Heinz started pulverizing & fortifying rice and calling it "cereal" for babies? If someone has to "fortify" a product, perhaps we should just eat the things that come from nature already "fortified"?! Why do people think that pregnant women and their new children are community property? I've never been pregnant nor will I ever be but I always felt like that entitlement to comment would be something that would have me raging A Lot.

 
Being the smart-a$$ that I am, I like to ask these people this question. "Have you priced a heart attack lately? How about a stroke? The daily rate in ICU?"
 
Husband and I have had NO medical bills (other than preventative & exams) since 2008. We take no prescription medicines. I'm 62 and he's 71. A big part is genetic, I know, but IMO, lifestyle often trumps genes.
 
YMMV

I've had people ask questions out of true curiosity and have tried to answer their questions briefly, then refer them to the books for further information.
 
Critics.... I've tried to ignore them. It's been nearly 3 years since my first W30, and I basically do like the others above; ignore them and quietly eat what I eat. And feel really good about it....

I've had people ask questions out of true curiosity and have tried to answer their questions briefly, then refer them to the books for further information.
 
Critics.... I've tried to ignore them. It's been nearly 3 years since my first W30, and I basically do like the others above; ignore them and quietly eat what I eat. And feel really good about it....

I've had people ask questions out of true curiosity and have tried to answer their questions briefly, then refer them to the books for further information.
 
Critics.... I've tried to ignore them. It's been nearly 3 years since my first W30, and I basically do like the others above; ignore them and quietly eat what I eat. And feel really good about it....

I've had people ask questions out of true curiosity and have tried to answer their questions briefly, then refer them to the books for further information.
 
Critics.... I've tried to ignore them. It's been nearly 3 years since my first W30, and I basically do like the others above; ignore them and quietly eat what I eat. And feel really good about it....

"Oh so it's like Atkins" 
 
NO. Just No. It's called I am eating real food.

Delaney, I don't know how this would work with the blogging, but I talk about eating very little unless someone expresses particular interest. When up against conventional wisdom + SAD habits/assumptions, it's just too big a leap for most people. They think you've drunk the Kool-aid (and you begin to see that they're so used to the stuff that they have never even questioned it!). At this point, my family's been curious and open enough about it that almost everyone near me has shifted their eating to Paleo/ancestral since I first did a W30 a few years ago, so it's definitely contagious over time   but for casual acquaintances and colleagues, I just keep my mouth shut most of the time (except to feed myself delicious homemade stew and fresh veggies! or to just pick and choose if I'm at a dinner or restaurant). Most of the time I think I come off as a picky eater, but one who really loves her food.

Smile and nodding helps
 
People pity me a lot. I get a lot of "I feel so bad for you, you can't have X"  My reply is always is: "Don't feel bad for me, I feel the best that I have ever felt in my life!  X makes me feel less than sublime, so why would I want it?"
 
I used argue, discuss, engage, but now I find the best route of action is just to quietly eat the way I eat.  Do I feel judged or judgey at times?  Sure I do.  But it all comes down to something making me more healthy or less healthy.   

Let me elaborate.. a syrup made from dates is not acceptable during a Whole30 and a crappy idea at any time because sweetening your food with such a product erodes health. It does not make anything better. Making a puree with dates in order to sweeten your food is maybe 10 percent more acceptable than using a date syrup. You know where 10 percent better leaves you? Ninety percent away from where you belong if you want to be healthy.
 
The person behind the dessert recipes thinks eating a frozen date helped her during her Whole30. This is not true. Feeding a sugar craving keeps the craving healthy and strong. The Whole30 approach to sugar cravings is to starve them unmercifully until they die. There is no room to negotiate with a sugar craving. They are cunning and powerful. Trying to placate a craving with just a little something has ended many Whole30s prematurely. Don't listen to the soft crowd. Listen to the old timers. Go cold turkey regarding sweetness. 
 
Let me explain where it really is okay to use something to sweeten your food... when you are making pickles. Here is a good recipe for making quick, refrigerator pickles... Submerge your sliced cucumbers in a mixture of half apple cider vinegar and half apple juice plus spices like salt, garlic, peppercorns, etc and let soak for 12-24 hours. Making pickles is an acceptable time to use a sweetener during a Whole30. Seriously. 

 
Being the smart-a$$ that I am, I like to ask these people this question. "Have you priced a heart attack lately? How about a stroke? The daily rate in ICU?"
 
Husband and I have had NO medical bills (other than preventative & exams) since 2008. We take no prescription medicines. I'm 62 and he's 71. A big part is genetic, I know, but IMO, lifestyle often trumps genes.
 
YMMV

 
Being the smart-a$$ that I am, I like to ask these people this question. "Have you priced a heart attack lately? How about a stroke? The daily rate in ICU?"
 
Husband and I have had NO medical bills (other than preventative & exams) since 2008. We take no prescription medicines. I'm 62 and he's 71. A big part is genetic, I know, but IMO, lifestyle often trumps genes.
 
YMMV

 
Being the smart-a$$ that I am, I like to ask these people this question. "Have you priced a heart attack lately? How about a stroke? The daily rate in ICU?"
 
Husband and I have had NO medical bills (other than preventative & exams) since 2008. We take no prescription medicines. I'm 62 and he's 71. A big part is genetic, I know, but IMO, lifestyle often trumps genes.
 
YMMV

 
Being the smart-a$$ that I am, I like to ask these people this question. "Have you priced a heart attack lately? How about a stroke? The daily rate in ICU?"
 
Husband and I have had NO medical bills (other than preventative & exams) since 2008. We take no prescription medicines. I'm 62 and he's 71. A big part is genetic, I know, but IMO, lifestyle often trumps genes.
 
YMMV

 
Being the smart-a$$ that I am, I like to ask these people this question. "Have you priced a heart attack lately? How about a stroke? The daily rate in ICU?"
 
Husband and I have had NO medical bills (other than preventative & exams) since 2008. We take no prescription medicines. I'm 62 and he's 71. A big part is genetic, I know, but IMO, lifestyle often trumps genes.
 
YMMV

 
Being the smart-a$$ that I am, I like to ask these people this question. "Have you priced a heart attack lately? How about a stroke? The daily rate in ICU?"
 
Husband and I have had NO medical bills (other than preventative & exams) since 2008. We take no prescription medicines. I'm 62 and he's 71. A big part is genetic, I know, but IMO, lifestyle often trumps genes.
 
YMMV

 
Being the smart-a$$ that I am, I like to ask these people this question. "Have you priced a heart attack lately? How about a stroke? The daily rate in ICU?"
 
Husband and I have had NO medical bills (other than preventative & exams) since 2008. We take no prescription medicines. I'm 62 and he's 71. A big part is genetic, I know, but IMO, lifestyle often trumps genes.
 
YMMV

On a much less ranty note, my favorite reaction when people ask about my "diet" is: "Oh, I could never do that."  I usually just smile a pained smile and think, "Oh, you definitely could...you just don't want to."  I want to tell them not to sell themselves short; they're certainly capable!
 
Another thing I thought was funny was how surprised people were at how much I spend on groceries every week.  I got the eyebrow raise, and "What??!! You spend $165 for 2 people??? I spend just over $100 for a family of four..." We tried explaining how we fill our cart with fresh veggies and good proteins.  Also when you do the math, it's just under $25 a day, which I really don't think is horrible, especially since we're eating three huge delicious meals every single day.  Just priorotize your budget!
 
I also didn't bother mentioning that $165 is actually a cheap week for us...

They also paint all humans with the same brush (cut carbs, lose weight) and they forget to mention "Cut carbs, lose your mother effing mind for 2 weeks a month, nearly get divorced, have high anxiety, lose focus, wicked headache, oh we're sorry, women actually need carbs but screw your physical needs, LOSE WEIGHT."

LOL Biba--we tried cereal with our little guy when he was that age, and all he did was push it right back out (we even did delayed feeding) and so we said okie dokie, and off to avocado and zucchini for him and never looked back. He doesn't even KNOW what cold cereal is! or hot for that matter--he has never had it and we have never had an issue with him not having enough iron. Stick to your guns mama! 

On Galentine's day (Feb 13), all my coworkers treated each other with cheesecake, fried chicken biscuits, and donuts. They all know about my W30 and never offered me any -- and they never make fun/say dumb stuff either (they're all impressed with my resolve, actually). So you can imagine my surprise when I returned to my desk after a meeting to find...
 
A bite-sized frosted brownie.
 
Me: "Who even put this here? Is this a joke??"
Coworker: "It's from _________. She left one for everyone and we just didn't know what to do with it so we just left it there! I'm so sorry we tempted you!"
 
LOL. Please. I watched them all eat chocolate-dipped cheesecake. A walmart brownie with crusty frosting would not be my undoing.

I went to buy some lard from the deli I get it at and they've been out for a while... I asked the manager if he knew when it was coming back in and he said no... and then the following conversation ensued:
 
Him: you know, I actually feel better when I don't have Lard to sell
Me: WHY?
Him: because I'm adding YEARS to your life by preventing you from being able to eat it!
Me: Lard is miles better for you than canola oil!
Him: No... it isn't...
 
Me:  Okay.