When people don't understand...

Having been on Medifast before and now having been back on it for a week, I've noticed something, and I'm struggling to find a balance with it. It is no secret that Medifast is a very restrictive program. All but one meal that you eat in a day is pre-packaged. You prepare one meal, but you are not allowed any starches/breads/etc. there really are no "snacks." Sure, there is a list of "approved snacks" that you could have if you felt you needed them, but by and large, as often as you eat your meals, snacks aren't really needed. It's very limiting, very abnormal compared to the typical American diet (which is carbs, meat, and fat), and rightly so...it works and it works well!

That being said, the social aspect of my life has been (and will continue to be) tricky regarding Medifast. People just DON'T understand why you're on such a strict plan and why "just one little bite" actually WILL hurt. I certainly know that my friends don't mean me harm by any means. They just don't know what it's like to be SO overweight that you really need to take restrictive, drastic measures to lose pounds. They also don't understand what it's like to be in ketosis. You really AREN'T hungry all the time the way that you are on a lot of diets. And, the carbs in just ONE slice of bread or one beer are enough to kick me out of ketosis or "fat burning mode." I know that their "oh come on, one little bite isn't going to kill you" and "oh you can just cheat a little on the weekends, can't you?" comments are not grounded in malicious intent. They just don't understand.

Thus far, I've just kind of said "no thanks, I'm REALLY good with not eating even ONE bite" or "nahhhh I can't cheat! I've got a long way to go!" I'm trying to turn them away as graciously as I can. But, I don't want to become "that guy."

Let me explain what I mean by that. We all have that friend that's an extremely picky water for one reason or another. They're either vegan, or have religious dietary limitations, or they're just picky as hell and weird about what they eat. And they talk about it. Constantly. You can't sit down at a meal with them EVER without hearing about what they don't like, can't have, etc. I know someone like this. This person is SO picky about food, and they make it KNOWN. Lunches, parties, dinners, you name it. Everyone tries to avoid sitting around them because they don't want to sit and listen to "eew I don't like that" and "oh I can't have that" while they watch the person pick through their food. This person is specifically avoided when others are going out to lunch on the basis that "oh God, we don't want to have to pick a approved place" or "if we invite we are just going to have to sit and hear about their food and what they don't like about it".

I don't want to be this person! Medifast is about me losing weight and getting healthy. It's not an attention-getting mechanism. I'm not doing this on the basis that I want everyone to look a me and my restrictive plan and pay all attention to it. In fact, I want quite the opposite. I want to be able to live my life around friends and family while on Medifast in the same way that I did before I was on it, just without the unhealthy eating. That's the only change! And the change really only affects me and my choices.

With lunch outings at work, weekend football parties, and so much more on the horizon, I'm going to have to be focused on staying on plan but not being "that guy" at the same time. I really don't want people to think "don't invite Katie...she won't eat anything because its got carbs..." Don't get me wrong, I WON'T be eating anything carby. But, I'm also going to make it a point to be discreet about my restrictions, so as not to put an unwanted spotlight on myself. This isn't about getting attention from others. This is about losing weight and getting healthy so that I can experience the anxiety-free, healthy life that God has planned for me.

All of that being said...does anyone have any good "comebacks" to the "oh, you can eat just one" or "one bite won't kill you" or "girl you can cheat! It's the weekend. You can get back with it on Monday!" types of comments? I'd love fresh ideas and perspectives! Leave me some comments!