Managing Your Life by Eating Right by Leslie Grace - HTML preview

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Chapter 7:

Managing Food, Family and Friends

 

Summary

Sometimes, we feel we are neglecting our family and friends when we are trying to do something for ourselves. This is where the feeling of vanity steps in.

Managing Food, Family and Friends

A lot of people end up paying a lot more than they bargain for when they enter into a healthy eating program. These are the things I have heard:-

“I started a natural eating program for my kids at home, and now they hate me for it.” – A housewife with three kids.

“Did I do something wrong? My husband thinks I am more obsessive about my waistline than I am about him.” – A 20-year old wife.

“I just missed a party invitation because they thought I wouldn't want the temptation to come my way.” – An office-going middle-aged male.

These things are very natural. We enter a dietary program and then such things happen. The first thing to overcome is the mockery of people around us. Yes, there are people who will mock you if you start a diet. But then, we must remember that there are many more people who will mock us if we don't go on a diet and keep piling up those pounds.

The second problem is that the person who is on a healthy eating routine will want other people around them to get into it too. Women will try to influence the other people in their family to eat healthier too, and men will try to do that when they are among their group of friends. Now, you have to realize one thing. Even you weren't onto this healthy eating plan until you got fully convinced about it. You did not start right away, did you? You took your time. It was only when realization dawned upon you that you have to take care of your health did you begin taking things more seriously. But now that you have started your healthy eating program, you should not expect others to get into it right away too. They will take their time, if at all they decide to keep eating health. Do your best in convincing them by explaining the health benefits they would get and all the other benefits they'll have when they start eating healthy. But don't start force-feeding them those sprouts yet.

One more thing is that people who are on a healthy eating program tend to make a much bigger deal of it than it actually is. They will want everyone to know what supreme food sacrifices they are making. They will tell everyone that they are skipping meals and eating only things that are considered healthy, etc. But this might actually put you outside some social circles. Like, your friends may not even call you the next time they are going to Taco Bell. Instead, the best approach would be to let your friends know that you do let your hair loose once in a while, which you must do really to avoid the stress. That way, they won't be much bothered about your eating habits.