Eating Healthier Requires Being Emotionally Strong

When I changed my diet, in order to lose weight and be healthier ,many of my friends and relatives treated me like I was, plain old, crazy. They thought It was strange that I consistently read labels before eating stuff and they were sure that my giving up red meat and shellfish, was just a fad. Some of them even tried to tempt and test me with delicious smelling homemade dishes.

Instead of getting angry and protesting too much, and letting them know that I thought they were the crazy ones for putting "foods" in their bodies that were hazardous to their health, I kept my cool and calmly passed every test and turned away from every temptation.

I don't judge others by what or how much they eat yet I had to develop a thick skin because I am often judged by what I don't eat. Never the less, many of my family members and friends have started to follow my lead and proudly report to me all the small changes that they make to improve their own diets. I never say "I told you so" or "remember when..." I simply support them to the best of my ability.