Do you experience pushback or judgment from others when you choose healthy behaviors for yourself? It could be any healthy behaviors.... exercising, losing weight, eating well, abstaining from alcohol, meditating, seeing a counselor, adopting a positive outlook... Any or all of the above...

I find that making any healthier choices for myself leads to feeling a bit isolated... It’s getting more that way the older I get.

I have never felt judged but I find when people are doing something unhealthy (like drinking, etc.)--they encourage you to join in. In my case, when I did join in--it was because of my own issues. I now rarely drink and the only reason I am succeeding in this is probably because my husband doesn't drink and I don't keep it in the house.

Though I can think of one college friend with whom the majority of our activities together eventually led to drinking. If I was a nondrinker in college--I would have seen much less of her and there are times in my life where some of the people I hung out with (like when I went to my Air Force specialty training that lasted 8 weeks) were drinking buddies only--not close friends. I would have only seen them in class if I didn't have a drinks with them. I have never thought of myself as socially anxious but now, since reading more about anxiety, I wonder if my past drinking was to make socializing easier for me....

My main "addiction" right now is sugar. I eat more than anyone else in my family. I am trying to cut back.

[IceCreamKid]

Originally Posted by Sisabel

Do you experience pushback or judgment from others when you choose healthy behaviors for yourself? It could be any healthy behaviors.... exercising, losing weight, eating well, abstaining from alcohol, meditating, seeing a counselor, adopting a positive outlook... Any or all of the above...

I find that making any healthier choices for myself leads to feeling a bit isolated... It’s getting more that way the older I get.

Yes. Maybe another healthy behavior to embrace for 2019 is to find and befriend other people who have chosen those same healthy behaviors. That's what I am doing for 2019.

[MickeyCheeky]

I'm sorry you're being judged, Sisabel But I think you're making the right decision. Taking care of yourself and adopting an healthier lifestyle. The people wo love you will accept you for who you are and for what you decide, no matter what. Don't give up! Feel free to PM me anytime. Sending many hugs to you

Originally Posted by IceCreamKid

Yes. Maybe another healthy behavior to embrace for 2019 is to find and befriend other people who have chosen those same healthy behaviors. That's what I am doing for 2019.

Good idea!

Originally Posted by MickeyCheeky

I'm sorry you're being judged, Sisabel But I think you're making the right decision. Taking care of yourself and adopting an healthier lifestyle. The people wo love you will accept you for who you are and for what you decide, no matter what. Don't give up! Feel free to PM me anytime. Sending many hugs to you

Thank you! Same to you. I appreciate all your support. Here’s to “healthier” decisions in the new year

[BreakForTheLight]

When I tried to quit sugar a while ago, one of my coworkers was constantly trying to sabotage me. "You sure you don't want a cookie?", "But I bought these vegetarian candies especially for you!", "How about we share a chocolate croissant?"

I guess some people don't like others succeeding at things they themselves fail at.

[saidso]

People like to include others socially in their good or bad habits. If I take a straight look at myself and I'm cooking healthy, I like people around me to enjoy that healthy food with me. Same as when my friend who is a heavy drinker comes to stay, she wants me to drink with her - but her drinking actually makes me want never to touch the stuff.

I think it's a boundary vs reaching out and belonging issue, and there are ways to connect socially without adopting other people's bad habits. For example, I used to bring a healthy snack = fruit/ dried fruit/ when other people were eating sweets.

Originally Posted by BreakForTheLight

When I tried to quit sugar a while ago, one of my coworkers was constantly trying to sabotage me. "You sure you don't want a cookie?", "But I bought these vegetarian candies especially for you!", "How about we share a chocolate croissant?"

I guess some people don't like others succeeding at things they themselves fail at.

When I started optimistic thinking, someone tried several times to drag me down to her level of negativity. So if it feels like someone is "judging" you for healthy habits as the original post says, it may be envy, competitiveness, or just "misery-loves-company." At the end of the day, we should choose people who are supportive of our healthy habits.

[sarahsweets]

here is something slightly different. I have found that family members that have stopped a bad habit for whatever reason(even if they claim health) and still know I engage in said habit manage to say something to me about how they stopped, if they can do it anyone can and how they feel so amazing now. But I always end up having the last laugh. My cousin was a heavy smoker forever and saw me smoking this summer and was like" you're still smoking? I had to give that up it was terrible for me. Your lungs are an important organ"
I looked at him and saw the beer in his hand and smelled the beer on his breath and said:
"oh yea? I was drinking too much, getting drunk, fighting with my family and nearly drove a car under the influence. I had to give that up, it was terrible for me. Your liver is an important organ" Oh and I snidely said" If I can quit you can quit". He hasnt said a word since.

[G lady]

It's also possible that by embracing healthier choices, you will inspire those around you to make better choices in their own lives. Of course, this may take a while.

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

here is something slightly different. I have found that family members that have stopped a bad habit for whatever reason(even if they claim health) and still know I engage in said habit manage to say something to me about how they stopped, if they can do it anyone can and how they feel so amazing now. But I always end up having the last laugh. My cousin was a heavy smoker forever and saw me smoking this summer and was like" you're still smoking? I had to give that up it was terrible for me. Your lungs are an important organ"

I looked at him and saw the beer in his hand and smelled the beer on his breath and said:

"oh yea? I was drinking too much, getting drunk, fighting with my family and nearly drove a car under the influence. I had to give that up, it was terrible for me. Your liver is an important organ" Oh and I snidely said" If I can quit you can quit". He hasnt said a word since.

I definitely understand this can go both ways. It’s extremely annoying to be preached at by others and I don’t accept that either. I definitely don’t do that. I have too many issues of my own to worry about.

[saidso]

I'm not sure that we can ? expect others to applaud. Yes, if it's a partner in life I suppose that I would like to be encouraged by them to do well.

But if people don't want to encourage me, then what good is going through the motions? If they are constantly bringing me down, then I need to see how to create something different.

As Sisabel says, being preached at don't cut it: human relations are too darn complicated.

[Blogwriter]

Hi Sisabel and others,

I have tried quitting sugar to lose weight. I used to work in an office where people would bring sweets to share. I was urged to eat those sweets because that was the "politically correct" thing to do. I sometimes stuck to my guns, but after a while, I decided to eat sweets in the office, because I did not want to offend anyone.

Originally Posted by Blogwriter

Hi Sisabel and others,

I have tried quitting sugar to lose weight. I used to work in an office where people would bring sweets to share. I was urged to eat those sweets because that was the "politically correct" thing to do. I sometimes stuck to my guns, but after a while, I decided to eat sweets in the office, because I did not want to offend anyone.

Well that’s unfortunate. I understand it though. Going against the grain usually makes you an outsider. I just accept that I am an outsider. One time someone dumped a bunch of junk food on my desk and insisted I eat it. I let it sit and then later threw it all out. I definitely don’t win popularity contests and it feels hurtful at times.

Originally Posted by saidso

I'm not sure that we can ? expect others to applaud. Yes, if it's a partner in life I suppose that I would like to be encouraged by them to do well.

But if people don't want to encourage me, then what good is going through the motions? If they are constantly bringing me down, then I need to see how to create something different.

As Sisabel says, being preached at don't cut it: human relations are too darn complicated.

I certainly don’t expect anybody to applaud me. But I can literally “feel” the judging and resentment and it just doesn’t feel good. Yes you’re right. Human relations are too complicated.