How do you deal with skeptical people?

[cruiser gal]

Since I started Jan 26,2005, I have had to deal with many skeptical people, who don't understand the Atkins way, and so they are very critical, and automatically say "you'll never do it" Why is it that we are always put in a situation like this, to have to justify how we are losing weight!!!

Does anyone have any comments about this, and how they handle these RUDE people? Most of these people are our friends and family, you would think they would want to be more encouraging!

[cleochatra]

They hold you down because they want you to wallow along with them.

Your success removes their excuses to be as they are rather than to strive for something better.

You're a threat to the pejorative status quo.

[spazzyhilo]

A lot of people are set in the "dont eat fat or You'll gain weight" mentality. Including Friends & Family. Because they don't understand how Atkins works, they automatically believe that a high fat diet will cause you to gain, instead of lose, weight. I believe they tell you that its unhealthy because they don't understand it and because they care about you and your health.

I think that every single one of my friends told me not to do atkins because it'll raise my cholesterol and I'll die from a heart attack - or something along those lines.

I always tell them the basics. Our bodies were never designed to be on a carb-burning metabolism and because of which our bodies don't know how to handle both fat and carbs, so it stores the fat to work on the carbs. When you deny your body the carbs - it has no choice but to burn the fat. Burning stored fat = losing weight.

This is essentially what I tell them - I know its not fully accurate, but since they haven't read the book, little hard to explain to them in technical terms.

Just tell them thank you for their concerns and then wow and amaze them when you lose weight and they can watch you shrink!

[not2late]

I agree with the above responses.

Some people are ignorant about this diet and how it works (and how our bodies work).

Some people aren't supportive because they don't want you to succeed (psychological stuff at play with this...)

I usually sit back and smile knowingly, while my health improves.

[Elizellen]

Also many people only 'know' what the press says - Atkins is a meat/cheese/eggs regime with no vegetables or fruit allowed ever :yikes

Little do they know that our vegetable quota (up to 3 cups per day) for induction gives us more than the '5 servings a day' recommended by most nutritionists and that we add more veggies and many fruits back into our menus once we get to the fruit rungs of OWL.

[2big4mysize]

woah, you have been on Atkins since Jan and have not followed Dr Atkins advice about recuiting your freinds and family to be your support net work? :no :no

when you are no rushed nor stressed you need to sit down with them and use some Dr Phil on them. Tell them you'd like it very much if they would become part of your support network and asssit you with staying focused on your new eating and exercise program. Ask them to help support you emotionally andhelp you stay on plan when visiting with them. Explain the things you need to avoid and the stuff you are really weak about and thank them in advance for helping you make this change to your health so you can grow old together.

Now who of those friends, family and coworkers could possible say no?

If somebody else tells you Atkins is unhealthy simply ask them for the name of thestudy they are referring to because you'd really like to see it. If they say they don't know then ask them to get back with you when they do and the conversation should never come up again cause they can't find any.

Soon you will be a walking talking Atkins billboard as you continue to shrink and get healthier. Many of the folk who were telling me Atkins was so dangerous were the folk asking me detailed questions about what I was doing as the loss got more and more visible.

Happy low carbing.

[ttdriver]

Nothing silences skeptics like success.

When I first started this woe, I got all the 'oh that diet will kill you' sermons I could handle.

3 years later and 11 pounds under goal with outstanding medical tests in hand, nobody is saying anything any more.

Ah, sweet success.

Betty

[will7128301]

Hmm maybe we should send bettys photo there to a health magazine with caption. "I did Atkins, NEENER NEENER NEENER!!!"


first I would bring out the history books The Indians what they ate and how they were healthy. Then talk about egyptians how when they discovered how to make grains they also discovered plumpness. Then talk about the cavemen no carb laden stuff yet they survived.

second I would ask if the truth hurts, when they say no. Say Atkins is the truth, if they don't believe you tell them the world is flat. We once believed the world was flat did we not? One person said otherwise and mad a lot of people mad, they all said he was wrong!

Third ask is it easy for you to admit when your wrong? If they say yes say would it be easy telling the world you were wrong on making diet guidlines that is leading this country into obesity? Would you say your wrong and put some many industries that make products for these guide lines into the ground. True you would give rise to new industries but how many people would have to reeducate themselves. Could you admit if you were wrong if it changed an entire culture and they knew you lied to them out of your own ignorance?
- If they say no, say well the current "health authorities" can't either.

Fourth (if you know the person well) say you have supported me in all my endeavors. You are here to tell me now that you will no longer support me because you don't want to do what I do?

Fifth (use this after number three) they say something like "it won't work" ask who told them atkins don't work. If they say media press or whatever refer to number 3, could it be they are wrong and can't admit it or the fact they will loose a lot of money in the industry since they would have to compete with exsisting companies who have a lot more exerpeice? If they say its not that and continue to argue ask if atkins doesn't work how come history says otherwise.

six when they knock it use don't trash it until you have tried it with reading the book cover to cover. IF they say something like you can't survived on meat. eggs and cheese alone, grab your book and turn to the induction pages and read then to OWL and then Pre-main. and then life maintence reading the tips and review at the back.

seventh and final if they are still hardcore its bad for you, say its my life We all live and die, I have chosen a path nothing you can do or say will change it. If you are so heavy on anti atkins come see me in a year, I shall have my test results and look much thinner, IF I don't you can tell me you told me so. until then lets agree to disagree and leave it at that.

Take it as a challenge to show them and the world you support atkins and it is the way of life. Add it to your goals in life. IF the person is overweight themslef use yourself as an inspiration to them. show them the proof show them it works and then them the world is not flat!

[lowcarbing4ever]

I feel your pain! :hug Dr. A's advice about making your family/friends part of your support group is one way to try but it doesn't always work. It didn't for me. My friends are still convinced I shove down a side of beef, eat a cow's weight in cheese and open my arteries to all the fat I can muster and they refuse to hear different. Until now....because my results are showing. I have lost 35 lbs and my clothes are so loose and baggy, they can hardly believe it. The better my results will be, the more they will see that what they heard in the media (they couldn't be wrong, could they??) has nothing to do with Atkins Nutritional Approach--the lifestyle.

You will run into tons of skeptics about the program and let them be skeptical. Don't be afraid to say, "I am on Atkins and I like it." To be honest, most of it is plain, old fashioned jealousy. As Dr. Phil says, some people are jealous or feel threatened when a loved one or friend changes. That could be lifestyle, location, status in a job, amount of money made and especially weight change. That is probably what is really going on. You just have to be patient, keep your ground and let your results do your talking. Pretty soon, they will be asking (begging) to know how you are doing it and you can really tell them. Hang in there. :hug :hug

[will7128301]

Yeah when your able you leap tall buildings in a single bound, Faster than a speeding bullet more powerful than a locomotive, tell them your just watching your Kryptonite intake, err I mean carbs.

Gotta love skeptics, they make life interesting...but anywho the bottom line is no matter who turns you down and makes fun of you we all are here for ya, been through the same things and we won't ever turn our backs on ya!


ha

[cruiser gal]

Thx to you all for your comments. I have re-read them, and have done what you all suggest. I guess maybe the skepticism is one of the things that keeps me moving even more forward, to prove everyone wrong. And it is true, some people will not listen, they just try to argue the point, to prove they're right! I don't let them bother my progress, its just that I wouldn't try to discourage anyone from trying to better themselves. Maybe as you all say, they will lightened up over time, once they see results.

[AllieCat0817]

How do I deal with skeptical people? I don't deal with em.

They saw me before, they see me now, and all of my physicians are ECSTATIC. Ain't nothin else to say. No need to prove nothin to nobody, since this is a personal private journey- YOUR journey.

I had a really big skeptic-- my sister in law and her mother. And both of them are still struggling to get weight off, and have health issues including diabetes. That's their issue, not mine!! :icondance

[Ragtime Gal]

Here's my reply to all of them:

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

[ttdriver]

Yeah when your able you leap tall buildings in a single bound, Faster than a speeding bullet more powerful than a locomotive, tell them your just watching your Kryptonite intake, err I mean carbs.

Wil, ya kill me!!!! :joy :joy

Betty