Healthy People Experience Prejudice!

I was at a family picnic today and experienced prejudice because I am at my ideal body weight and healthy! I know you are thinking that I am being ridiculous, and I am here to tell you that it happens to me often. Today the heaviest, most unhealthy person at the picnic verbally ridiculed me on several occasions about being picky about what I eat. Other comments include, that I was taking all the fun away from the food. That I should lighten up and eat anything I want because it was a special occasion. I was eating whatever I wanted! It just happened that what I wanted was tomatoes, salads, veggies, and only one hamburger no bun, because I do not eat processed food. I always bring a whole grain carb, in this case I brought a quinoa salad. I was accused of being obsessive and inconsiderate of what other people wanted to eat because I wanted to make good choices on this special occasion. Later the same person and another friend of hers were making fun of my muscle tone. They said it was not natural to have your muscles showing! No, not if you are 100 pounds over weight.

I am really not picky. I do have particular criteria for what I eat and they are pretty simple. I will eat almost anything except processed foods. Do you want proof of the fact that I am not picky? I have eaten: snake, venison, elk, woodchuck, kangaroo, camel, rhubarb, poke weed, dandelion greens, artichoke, tahini, chick peas, kale, quinoa, amaranth, soy products, tamarind, and any other exotic food that I come across. Does that sound like a picky eater?

Overweight people frequently say they are experiencing prejudice. I can tell you, so do skinny and healthy people. Most of the time it is from the same people complaining of prejudices toward them. This goes the other way too. Often when people are eating poorly they look at me and make an excuse. For some reason they think that I am drawing a judgment on their choices. I do not constantly judge people for the way they live, just because they do not live the way I do. These people are insecure in themselves and therefore they can not allow me to live my life without ridiculing me. They are insecure and feeling guilty about what they are doing, or not doing when it comes to food, exercise and living choices and then they put it back on me or other healthy people.

I live my life to the best of my ability without judging other people. We all have our own challenges and it is certainly not up to me to judge you for your choices. I was not always this way…. Healthy that is! There was a time in my life when I was near death, I was so unhealthy. It has been a process to get where I am today. When I was 33 something happened in my life that changed my direction and now 21 years later I am in the best health of my life! Had you told me then what I would be doing now, I never would have believed it. The changes in my life have been gradual. The point is that I changed only one thing, and a whole new world opened up for me. As I grew and continued to change, more was revealed. Today I am proud of my health and I am certainly not judging others for being who they are. Saying that, I think it would be remiss of me not to share what I have learned over the years with those who are interested.

Yes I could be considered a health nut, or food geek. Does that justify prejudice? I think not. From now on all you unhealthy people out there…. When a food nut, or exercise nut is around, you can ignore them if you want. Or you can enjoy them as friends. You do not have to judge them for being who they are, most likely your feelings of insecurity are all in you, because I doubt if they are judging you. You can choose to be secure in yourself and move on. Or you can learn from their experience, strength and hope. Possibly a new door will open for you too.