
"People are very open-minded about new things
as long as they're exactly like the old ones."
Charles F. Kettering
Susan walks through the aisles of her local grocery store smiling as she selects her full fat dairy
products, meat, eggs, and veggies. Occasionally, she notices a sidelong skeptical glance, but all in
all, shes not bothered. Susan weighs 115 pounds and wears a size 4 skirt.
For Mary, shopping is a totally different experience. While Mary purchases the same items as Susan, she
is the victim of disgusted looks, raised eyebrows, and sad headshakes. In fact, these reactions are so
common that Mary has resorted to shopping at 2:00 A.M. at her local Super Wal-Mart. By doing so, she is
mostly able to avoid the judgmental looks and comments from strangers. Mary weighs 260 pounds and wears
a size 22.
Mary and Susan have a lot in common; they have both lost nearly 100 pounds following a low carb plan.
Both women are healthier and happier than they have been in years. Both have managed to get off a number
of medications for various health problems. Yet, Mary is still a victim of grocery bigotry. Strangers
see her purchases, and because she is still overweight, assume that her excess weight is a result of
eating meat, cheese, and cream. Amazingly, when Mary was nearly 400 pounds, she rarely experienced odd
looks as she filled her cart with pasta, bread, trans-fat filled margarine, and sugar-laden Snack Wells.
I suppose if everything you buy is low fat, people assume you are trying to lose the weight, therefore;
that being fat is somehow less offensive.
I completely understand why Mary shops in the middle of the night. I have certainly experienced enough
embarrassment at the grocery store to know what it feels like. I remember one time when I was at my
highest weight ever buying a congratulations card along with some ice cream. I had no use for the card;
it was merely a cover up so that I could loudly announce to the check out clerk that we were having a
celebration at work. I didnt want anyone to know that I was going to eat the ice cream (in my car in
the parking garage at work.) I simply could not bear people looking at me with that no wonder youre
fat look. The difference now is that Frankly Scarlett, I dont give a d***! Maybe its because I am
at a normal size now. Then again, maybe my self-confidence has improved. Or, maybe it is because Ive
turned the tables and have become a grocery bigot myself. Honestly, it isnt just at the grocery store.
Im a carb bigot. I find myself giving the same disgusted looks to friends, family, and complete
strangers.
I cringe when my sister-in-law shows up at family cookouts carrying in macaroni salad, potato salad, and
baked ziti. I know what that stuff is doing to my familys waistlines and blood sugar. They do too, but
sadly, they dont care. They think Im silly for worrying so much about my weight. They figure life is
short, we should enjoy it. The way I see it, I am enjoying life. Id be willing to bet that Ill be
enjoying it a lot longer than they will too!
Yes, I even shake my head when I see people stocking their carts with Snack Wells. I take great (if
sick) delight in reaching past someone getting margarine to grab a pound of real butter. I buy heavy
cream every time I go to the store, whether I need it or not, just hoping someone will look at me funny.
Ive learned to smile brightly at these people because I know a secret they dont; fat does not make you
fat! Dont get me wrong, Id love to spread the Atkins gospel, but die-hard Ornish types do not want to
hear the truth. I am contemplating having a special shirt made just to wear to the grocery store. It
will say something like Pass the butter, please on the front and Atkins follower and PROUD OF IT! on
the back. My days of hiding and being embarrassed about food are over. Ive been there, done that, and
dont care to go again.
Recently, Josh Mankiewicz did a story on Dateline about his success with the Atkins plan. He too felt
the effects of food bigots. Following his story, he received tons of hate mail about how disgusting it
was seeing him eating all that steak. His response was Whats everyone so angry about? Were talking
food here, folks. That was brilliant! It IS just food; so why do we allow it to become a moral issue?
That includes me. I am becoming as morally indignant about my low carb lifestyle as the low fat
believers are about their eating habits.
I know from the forums that many of us have issues with food. Im neither the only one that suffered
from closet eating, nor am I the only one who gained weight eating a low fat diet. I am an educated
adult capable of making healthy decisions about what foods with which to fuel my body. There is no
reason to feel embarrassed about my purchases or to have to secretly shop at strange hours as I did in my
pre-teens buying feminine hygiene products. This is real life, and low carb is a legitimate and healthy
way of life. I know it, you know it, and we have every right to be proud of what we are doing for
ourselves. Nonetheless, Im going to work on being a little less self-righteous about my low carb way of
life. Shop and let shop. Well, unless someone looks at me funny, in which case I may put on that
specially made T-shirt!
Jo Cordi Sica
SPHR Organizational Development
and Training
[email protected]


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