Jack,

Several people have given very cogent opinions and advice already.  I'll add
my personal experiences:

I came from a lower-middle class, southern family where food = several
emotional things, like celebrating, solidifying family ties,
welcoming/hosting, showing off, providing entertainment/variety, combating
boredom, pacifying internal stressors, etc.  I found that, as I think it was
Phil who said, people are ready to brand you a "weirdo" and either pester
you to death trying to prove their SAD WOE is right, or find out exactly why
you think yours is--so they can then shoot you down.  I tired of the debate,
so I started telling anyone who asked or commented that I had
"pre-diabetes."  Which I have had.  I found stating a medical condition was
harder for people to argue with.  Those who insisted on further inquires I
met with "I just have to watch my eating (or "...watch my blood sugar.")
 Then I politely ignored/calmly/cheerfully brushed aside further inquires as
to my exact condition/treatment.  Tying a sense being entitled to and
desirous of personal privacy about one's WOE to one's personal medical
health worked like a charm;  no one argued with me, and no one felt their
WOE was too slighted, which lowered their defensive hackles, esp the family
cooks.

Note: you can tell the people who express a sincere interest more about
Paleo in a later, one-on-one setting.  I found that my radical change in
weight, health, and lifestyle at the time pretty much silenced any further
commentary from my family and friends and colleagues, except for
"wow"s, and congratulations and "how did you do it" inquiries.  This way
worked esp well for me as they could 'see' results.  But even someone on
paleo for awhile usually looks and feels better, even if it's just seeming
more "brighter-eyed and busy-tailed", and my grandpa said, so most people
notice something good, who know you.  As far as casual encounters--well, if
don't know them, I really have no reason to even worry what they are
thinking of my 'odd' requests or WOE.

The real challenge is one's immediate family, on the everyday front.
 Spouses can be the hardest, and children.  I have been lucky in that, in
that when I first started, my ex sorta bought it and/or we each did our own
thing mostly anyway.  When I remarried, I got a really supportive spouse.  I
don't have kids, so I'll let others speak to that.  But in the end, no one
can force you to eat how you don't want to, in our society at least.  If you
really want it, you have to be willing to accept that there will be choices
to make and they have consequences.  Fortunately I found those can be
mitigated with your own desire to follow-thru balanced with an awareness of
those around you and their feelings.  How you present yourself is key:  stay
calm, pleasant, yet project strength and quiet confidence in your
convictions, and let it be known you are not without a sense of humor.  Most
of what alarms others about weirdos' is when they come across as evangelic
and/or dead-serious to others, so avoiding those traits helped.  Beware of
trying to preach paleo.  If they truly are interested, they will come to
you.  I found a self-deprecating sense of humor smoothed a lot of feathers
in my family.

Stay strong.  It's worth it.

Ro













>
>> Any advice? :)
>>
>> Jack
>>
>