laden crap... including Lucky Charms cereal, "no fat" cookies, etc.... isn't it tempting as heck to tell them how they are screwing up ? My wife thinks I'm crazy for even thinking about it, but wondering if any of you have attempted to spread the low carb word to a perfect stranger and what the reaction was ?

If you have, I'm half expecting answers from, looking at you like you have three heads to downright cussing you out....but still wondering...

I don't think I've tried to soread low carb info to complete strangers unless asked first.

Back in 2002/2003, I was waiting for my truck to be repaired. While sitting in the waiting room, I was eating a Subway sandwich. Another trucker looked over at me and said "that's why you're fat." I didn't appreciate a perfect stranger commenting on my food choice - especially because it was low fat, etc. In hindsight, he was referring to the bread and starting a convo re low carb.

I do talk low carb with friends and people I know. Not with strangers.

Yes, we've all been tempted. But don't.

Even this is kinda iffy. That's why I like this site. At least everybody here is on board with some version of LC. And there are enough disagreements--or differences anyway--to make the conversation interesting and informative without risking hurtful judgments.

But what if he had put it more like "Sorry to intrude, and I realize it's really none of my business, but I used to be overweight and believe it or not, the bread in those subs is very fattening due to the carb content" ? Then you would probably have said "yeah, but the sandwich is low fat and the bread is whole wheat..." and if me I would have explained how low fat is actually a bad thing and whole wheat is no better than Wonder Bread from a fattening aspect.... and then you would have knocked me on the head with your purse

I wouldn't do it...I live in a free country where adults make their own choices... it took me a good long while to come to the realization that I'm a recovering morbidly obese carb addict but I am not going to force my WOE on any one.

I would not go up to complete strangers or EVEN my friends and suggest they change their eating habits. And aren't we getting a little uppity thinking that this is the ONLY way to improve our mental/physical health? It works for US, but not everyone is a carb addict!

Many people have complimented me on my drastic transformation, few have even really asked beyond "how did you do it?" They don't want to try it themselves or they'd be a little more inquisitive.

I would have been mortified if someone (friend or foe) came up to my grocery cart and pointed out the demons lurking there... and who in the hell do they think they are telling me HOW I should eat...

Didn't work very well with the mayor of NYC when he tried to banned sodas over 20 oz... what was to prevent someone from buying two 16 oz sodas? Like NYC's biggest problem (excuse the pun) is the size of their sodas... I think NOT.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Onward, ↓ DOWNWARD & MAINTENANCE 4ever!

Jo

I agree with being tactful and most of the time keeping judgments to yourself.

I've been on the receiving end of judgmentalism too often, and it didn't "wake me up" to anything, it just hurt; I still remember the incidents (like when I was once buying full-fat organic milk and an old guy nearly as big as me pointed at the nonfat milk and said, "That's what YOU should be drinking!"). He believed in the absolute rightness of "nonfat" as much as I believe in the superiority of "low-carb."

I also think no matter what you see or how right you may even be, it's not good form to try to start one of these discussions with someone while they're eating, shopping for food, or ordering at a restaurant. That person is in the process of living their life according to their current preferences, and trying to get them on what you think is a better path just comes off as being a buttinsky.

And as much as we may hate to admit it, there are some people who can tolerate foods with sugar, wheat, or other demon ingredients, no matter what their weight or age. They may even get a lot of enjoyment out of these foods even if they're not good for them.

In my town I'm often the heaviest person in line, there are often many skinny older people buying the hugest loads of carbage you could imagine. I couldn't help noticing a cart full of Triscuits at the market last week being bought by a health-looking little woman in her 70s. I'm sure they think I'm the freak with all the high-fat meat and butter that I buy.

Now if someone you know says you look great, and asks how you lost weight and comments on how you seem so much happier now, then that's an invitation to share about your WOE.

Ok I teach high school and college freshmen at night. When I lose weight it does spark a topic of conversation. The last time I did a LC diet (back in 1998 or so) I lost 80 pounds. The college students were very nice and asked how I had lost weight. The high school students asked also and I shared about the low carb thing. They freaked though and said the science teacher had said it was the most dangerous diet in the world (disrupting the krebs cycle or something). When I countered with some evidence one junior said the science teacher was "the smartest person in the world" smarter than any doctor in the US. I wondered why this genius was teaching in a small rural Missouri school but whatever, conversation over.

This time around I've lost about 55 pounds so far. Nobody has really noticed yet except that I'm wearing different clothes. They did see me eating a little salt once and freaked and said my blood pressure was going to be sky high. I told them my BP had actually decreased but they wouldn't believe it.

Actually if they ask this time I expect the reaction will be different -- first the genius science teacher no longer works here. But I do believe low carb solutions have gotten much better press in the last few years so I wouldn't be hesitant about sharing this time.

I do agree that we live in a free society and so it would be kind of an intrusion to approach a stranger about this. Also I have been a poor example for most of my life so who am I to preach about healthy lifestyles.

On the other hand there are plenty of venues to share your sucsesses nowadays. My school has a health and fitness report every month and they spotlight a person who has achieved healthy lving. They've asked me to share my weight loss and blood sugar reduction but I want to wait to make sure I keep on course. However sharing like this would do more the spread the LC lifestyle that approaching strangers in my opinion.

(By the way they sent out a "healthy" low fat cupcake recipie which had refined flour and sugar as main ingrediants but it sure was low fat.)

All good points. I keep to myself. Given the years of misinformation spawned by health groups, the medical community, and the government piggybacked by the food industry developing Frankenfoods designed to keep people coming back for more, many, who don't take the time to research current thinking and options for good nutrition, are victims of these faulty, pervasive messages.

It's become kind of a curiosity for me to look at peoples' hauls at the supermarket, mainly out of boredom, but I agree with a previous post that people have the right to choose health or not. Unfortunately, when I see a bunch of kids involved with a cart filled with garbage, I'm concerned and inspired to support the necessary studies to develop a better message on nutrition that can be shared with all. People are still hearing faulty advice and flawed messages of nutritional health, and that must stop.

That's what the internet is for. You can put the information out there without imposing it on people.

If someone walked up to me at a grocery store and made comments about weight, healthy eating, etc., no matter how good intentioned, my retort would likely be highly sarcastic and quite possibly unpleasant. Considering oneself to be a mobile intervention unit is a both disrespectful and in my opinion pointless. Until a person is ready to make a change, willing to receive the info and undergo the process, passing on what will clearly be perceived as judgement will likely result in the exact opposite result. The person might feel horrible and eat even more unhealthy food. Guilt, shame and condemnation (even when presented in the most positive of lights) will never yield positive results. I do not know a single obese person who is somehow completely unaware of their size and proportion. Quite the opposite. I also do not know a single obese person who does not realize that their food choices are contributing in large part (pun intended) to their obesity.

And as others have said or implied; this (America) is a free country. If someone wants to double fist twinkies while riding the electric cart in Walmart with a basked full of Coca Cola and Hot Pockets, then more power to them.

I see what is in others carts, it could easily have been mine.

with my change to low carb, I do not care what is in others carts. Adults are on their own.
They choose how they want to live. There are many ways to not be obese and adults need to decide how they want to live.

now seeing fat kids. carts full of junk. breaks my heart to no end. would I say anything to the parents, NO. again it is their family, their choices.

no one can police the world on how people eat. Many do know what they are buying is junk, but they choose to buy it.

I'm surprised that a lot of you seem obscessed with the "imposition" and "food police" aspects of this, whereas I specifically mentioned *young person* so was thinking more in terms of gentle education. I know it would be probably hopeless on someone beyond their twenties but it is tempting to try and *help* someone in this regard that simply doesn't know any better.

Not sure obsessed is the correct description here. My view, and it's just mine, is that 1) people must have freedom of choice, 2) I have certain beliefs about nutrition that many in our society would vehemently argue, as they have different beliefs (vegans, etc.) than I, and 3) until there is sound information backing the benefits of one or more of the many "healthy diet" hypotheses debated today, becoming a "savior" to the perceived unwise or unhealthy is not a role that can be played effectively. Particularly in a grocery store.

I think I know what works for me. I'm still researching and learning whether the WOE I've chosen works for others and how it may apply to certain "metabolic types" that enables it to be effective. To be less sure is to reprise Ancel Keys' dogmatic approach with potentially similarly flawed information.

MYOB!! The height of arrogance. It doesn't matter what age the person is. Totally rude.

Nobody asked you!!!!

Oh boy! You are walking into a mine field with this topic.
You're not really an overweight person according to your stats. I'm going to throw out this as a basic assumption that you have no idea what its like to live in a truly overweight body.
You are being judgmental. You have no idea what this young person knows about what to eat or not eat.

People need to want to make big changes to be able to hear what you are preaching. And you are preaching.

I've been at this now for 11 years. When I first lost my weight, I wanted to convert the world. I am happy to share with people but find a way into the topic through conversation. This has happened to me countless times.

If I saw a young overweight kid with a cart full of crap, I would not approach them to discuss their cart's crap. I may, however, mention to them that my cart used to look like theirs too. If they then ask me a question, it could further a conversation. If they don't ask, I move on.
People have to want to hear this. They need to be mentally ready and most aren't.