Guest-Post From A Friend of Poor Man's Atkins Who is Not On Atkins Himself
"If I eat that, it might make me die."
If you have a non-Atkins-following-person/friend/family member who has just ordered an enormous dessert and is pestering you to partake with him or her merely for the sake of some kind of sugar-communion, this simple statement can be an effective way to get that person to shut up.
Because if I had to guess (and this guess is an educated one, based on observing Mr. Poor Man's Atkins) (and myself, too), I might suggest that the greatest temptation to cheat on Atkins must come when the Atkins-follower is out with friends, and the friends order their food as usual, without regard to the number of carbs contained within that food, and then invite the Atkins-follower to share their disregard. Dinner with friends is a communally enjoyed experience, so when the Atkins friend has limitations upon his diet, and refuses in some way what everyone else is eating, it can seem almost as if that friend is not participating wholly in the friendship itself.
This is, of course, not true, but I can tell you as a friend-of-an-Atkins-follower that the temptation to tempt that person is strong. Even though I know that Tim is on Atkins, and that his experience with Atkins has been a tremendous success, I still try to get him to order this, and this, and this, and then to have waiter bring them all together on one plate with one enormous spoon, just like I do. When Tim does not do this, I almost feel offended that he will not choose to cheat with me. (Cheat on food, duh.) This is where the statement at the top of this post, although a bit hyperbolic, can be very effective. The Atkins-follower can allow his friend to see that his decision to refuse certain foods has everything to do with his health, and nothing to do with his friendship.
Because the Atkins-follower's forbearance causes the non-Atkins-follower to confront his own food choices. We almost always feel a little bit guilty when we order a great big dessert, so we want someone to do what we're doing, because it will make us feel less guilty. But, if you are on Atkins, you ought not to allow your carb-devouring friends tempt you with salvos of guilt with regards to your friendship.
Take a bite of your Cobb salad, look your friend right in the eye, and say to him "Do not you wish me to live long enough to enjoy our friendship?"
Works on me every time.
A friend of Poor Mans Atkins
-Rene J. Scheys
You can read more musing by Rene at his blog: Might As Well Ask For More Consciousness
"If I eat that, it might make me die."
If you have a non-Atkins-following-person/friend/family member who has just ordered an enormous dessert and is pestering you to partake with him or her merely for the sake of some kind of sugar-communion, this simple statement can be an effective way to get that person to shut up.
Because if I had to guess (and this guess is an educated one, based on observing Mr. Poor Man's Atkins) (and myself, too), I might suggest that the greatest temptation to cheat on Atkins must come when the Atkins-follower is out with friends, and the friends order their food as usual, without regard to the number of carbs contained within that food, and then invite the Atkins-follower to share their disregard. Dinner with friends is a communally enjoyed experience, so when the Atkins friend has limitations upon his diet, and refuses in some way what everyone else is eating, it can seem almost as if that friend is not participating wholly in the friendship itself.
This is, of course, not true, but I can tell you as a friend-of-an-Atkins-follower that the temptation to tempt that person is strong. Even though I know that Tim is on Atkins, and that his experience with Atkins has been a tremendous success, I still try to get him to order this, and this, and this, and then to have waiter bring them all together on one plate with one enormous spoon, just like I do. When Tim does not do this, I almost feel offended that he will not choose to cheat with me. (Cheat on food, duh.) This is where the statement at the top of this post, although a bit hyperbolic, can be very effective. The Atkins-follower can allow his friend to see that his decision to refuse certain foods has everything to do with his health, and nothing to do with his friendship.
Because the Atkins-follower's forbearance causes the non-Atkins-follower to confront his own food choices. We almost always feel a little bit guilty when we order a great big dessert, so we want someone to do what we're doing, because it will make us feel less guilty. But, if you are on Atkins, you ought not to allow your carb-devouring friends tempt you with salvos of guilt with regards to your friendship.
Take a bite of your Cobb salad, look your friend right in the eye, and say to him "Do not you wish me to live long enough to enjoy our friendship?"
Works on me every time.
A friend of Poor Mans Atkins
-Rene J. Scheys
You can read more musing by Rene at his blog: Might As Well Ask For More Consciousness
