Do You Have a Different Diet Than Your Friends and Family?

At a restaurant called The Gin Mill with most of my family. Good beer, bad clams.

When I am told we are going out with the family for whatever reason, my first response is usually not a happy one. Kelley hates my first response. I don’t blame her. It’s selfish to worry so much about where we’re going and what I’ll be able to eat when being with friends and family is the important part.

Playing "Mexican Train" at Grandma's; I think this game makes for the best times!

Nonetheless, I have strict guidelines for the food I’ll eat, and refuse to eat something that I don’t know exactly how it was prepared. This usually leaves me with the option of an overpriced salad (no dressing, cheese, or croutons please) that lacks substance and a stomach that’s as full as a bear cave in the summer. If it’s a clean place, I’ll add lean protein like smoked salmon, grilled shrimp or chicken, etc. that helps fill the void.

I have been getting better about my poor response almost every time there's another “outing”, but I still need improvement. Either way, I refuse to change my diet for these occasions and have become pretty good at Intermittent Fasting as a result. It’s really not so bad once you get past some rough patches.

Last pic before we left back to TX
From Left: Uncle Rob, Aunt Jeanne, Kelley, Mom, Grandma

When I don’t feel like IF’ing, a pb & banana sandwich will do the trick, but results in a lot of stares and comments from everyone else. If you’re reading this and you go through the same thing, please, comment to let me know I’m not alone here.

I was in PA with my mom and Kelley to see my family last week and we stayed with my dear grandma. She’s in her 80’s and moves and looks better than most people do in their 50’s or 60’s! Despite her peppiness, she does have diabetes and suffers from restless leg syndrome. Right when we got there, I found items with unacceptable ingredients for her conditions and nicely (but sternly) got on to her.

Grandma frequently falls victim to the claims made on product labels, so I went to the store with her to help her make better choices. To avoid overwhelming her with information overload, I just gave simple advice to look for certain “bad” ingredients along with some other tidbits I mention in this past post. When we got back to her home, I cleared out many expired and unhealthy foods from her fridge and tossed them in the trash to make room for the healthier food. She made a healthy change before and noted how much better she felt, but she just needs to keep consistent. Wish I could be there everyday to walk with her and help prepare healthy food!

Acting dumb with Mom and Grandma in Baltimore, MD

While I was there, I made overnight oats with pumpkin puree, stevia, sliced almonds, and yogurt using my guidelines here. I made sure she watched me put everything together the night before so (hopefully) she will make them herself!

As far as how to handle the prying questions of what I will eat, I just keep it as simple as possible; mostly foods that aren’t packaged or have hydrogenated oils or sugar. I would love to sit down and explain my reasoning in its entirety, but it’s no good unless someone is determined to change for the better.

So, besides scolding grandma about the foods that are affecting her health, I tried to keep to myself on my food views. Ha, I just realized I’ve been yapping on and on about this. I feel extremely passionate about this topic and would love to get all of my family members on board because I love them and want nothing but the best.

Q: What do you think when it comes to lecturing relatives on healthy habits? Yay or nay?
I think you know my feelings now!