Holiday Dilemma # 4- The Paleo Break Up Between Friends

Yes, I wrote ‘break up’.  And this doesn’t pertain to an only intimate relationship necessarily, and it certainly doesn’t pertain only to the holidays.

I’ve worked with several clients who’ve found that their friends or families just don’t buy it.   Whether they think Paleo is some odd, fad diet,  and they’re genuinely concerned that you’re not eating properly because they have an inaccurate idea of what it is, or they’re envious of your success after changing your lifestyle for the better, the bottom line is that situations can arise that are really, really uncomfortable.

One friend realized she needed to end a long relationship with someone who used to be her best friend, but once she began losing weight on Paleo while her friend opted to not change her eating and exercise habits and remain unhealthy, the friend became judgmental and actually quite mean.

Another client, after being told (on her wedding day) by a family member that she looked great followed by an underhanded compliment (?) that she clearly must have had to have worked tremendously hard to take off ‘all that weight’ (in actuality, she’d lost about ten pounds, but the comment implied she used to be about fifty pounds over!), decided that simply because someone’s of the same blood line, it doesn’t actually mean you’ve got to like them and spend time together!

I’ve also personally experienced strange behavior from one or two people who used to be friends and no longer are.  It’s hard to figure out people’s behavior sometimes, but no matter how close you used to be to someone, if they’re now providing nothing but negative energy and a unsupportive demeanor to you and all your efforts and success, why spend time with that person?

I’m against spending time with anyone who sours the mood with negative energy.

Bring on the peace and spend time with those who invigorate, not drain!  Easier with friends than family, of course, and even more so at the holidays when many feel compelled to attend family gatherings, but at least keeping in mind that it’s them, not you, should help a little.