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Work reactions

CalebCaleb Raw Newbie

What sort of reactions do you get from people at work for eating raw? I get all sorts of weird looks, people asking me why I do that. A lot of them seem grossed out by it, but some (about two) seem somewhat interested, but themselves couldn’t do it. I gave one woman who has been giving me the most flack a flax seed cracker I made today. I don’t think she liked it at all. She didn’t even finish it in front of me, I think she walked away and threw it away :)

My boss was asking a lot of questions about it today though, so I am getting to spread some raw joy to others. It feels strange doing this because just eight weeks ago somebody was doing the same thing to me.

I think my favorite reaction was when somebody asked if I was eating meat loaf when I had a piece of nut-loaf covered with a marinara sauce I made. :) The freaked when I told them it was all raw.

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Comments

  • troublesjustabubbletroublesjustabubble Raw Newbie

    I mostly get the whole “Really? Do you like it?” kind of reaction. No one really gets it at all. There are a few people who seem to be interested but it’s more of awe type of interest and they always say they couldn’t do it.

    But they see me and how much better I look and act and one person even tried going raw but couldn’t and just includes more raw food in his diet. Another man stopped drinking soda and lost twenty pounds. That’s the kind of thing I enjoy. Even if they don’t go raw just seeing them improve their health is awesome.

  • The people I work with don’t even seem to notice. They are only superficially interested in the lives of their co-workers. Oh well.

  • Annabelle77Annabelle77 Raw Newbie

    I have actually gotten some crazy reactions… about veganism mostly… as if I am judging them in a roundabout way by my food choices. peace!

  • i was coughing and had a fever the other time and a doctor i worked for asked me how i was gonna treat it i told her that i was having raw juices she looked at me kinda weird ,but i do feel sorry that they don`t know this simple thing

  • beanybeeganbeanybeegan Raw Newbie

    When I worked outside the home I would go to my car and eat. They didn’t bother me and I didn’t bother them by what I ate. But you are right None. Most co-workers are exactly that, nothing more.If they were really interested in my lifestlye then I would tell them, but never offer advise if they didnt ask., Nor did I offer my food during coffee break. They really enjoyed there free doughnuts and coffee.

  • I’ve been really fortunate in not having to defend my eating habits to my co-workers. Even before going raw earlier this year, I regularly ate a lot of salads and got the “My you’re eating healthy today!” comments in the lunch room. I’ve recently had three co-workers who were very interested and asked questions and are now quite excited about going raw themselves. I’ve referred them to this site (because it is so fab) and am scheduling a Raw Foodie Night at my place to share recipes, tips and techniques to help take the anxiety out of trying something new. And although I’m excited about the raw foods lifestyle, I’m not evangelical and don’t push my views or make judgements on others choices. Although I couldn’t help myself when someone brought in 3 cases of the latest ‘energy’ drink yesterday. I declined one and raised my glass of hemp seed milk and proclaimed “No thanks, I’ve got my own energy drink right here!” Otherwise, I agree with None that most people are too caught up in themselves to notice!

  • MOTHMOTH Raw Newbie

    Today some lady asked me in the middle of lunch: “is there a REASON why you’re eating so many bananas?”

    ( ate nine for lunch, LOL)

    People seem curious…and if they’re curious I tell them what’s up in the smoothest, friendliest way possible; why I eat this way. If they seem suspicious and defensive, then I just don’t talk about it with them.

    I too have noticed that people act like I’m snubbing them with food just because I don’t want anything cooked. Weird..

  • iknikn

    I invited my co-worker to a raw restaurant happy hour. He enjoyed it very much. Although I know he will never become raw, he already made some changes in his lifestyle. He uit smoking and stopped drinking coffee. He also eats more slads and fruits. I never tried to convince him or anything, but I gues he thought I am a good example… It feels good that I am able to make positive changes in peoples lives. I have some friends too that are interested. Probably they will never be raw, but they too made healthy changes.

    I never say anything to clients or ‘strangers’ about my life style. If I have to go out for business lunch or dinner I just oreder a salad. they almost never notice what I eat.

  • bittbitt Raw Newbie

    well my salad goes over well but my chia bread gets some weird looks. at first i got weird looks for my green smoothies but then now it’s just more curiosity. but then after the summer off everyone notices how much better i look so they are happy for me that it’s working i guess!

    i do eat a lot of fruit in my classroom where no one can see me. luckily we are starting a worm bin so i have somewhere other than the trash to put my peels and apple cores.

    i am going to a work social hour thing tomorrow night and the woman hosting kept bugging me about what i’m bringing. i’m NOT doing a dip because they will all dip their nasty chips and bread in it. so i am making come cucumber wraps. i hope they will at least appreciate their beauty. :-)

  • People here where I work have been very supportive. I’ve only worked here for 4 months, but they all seem interested. We’ve had staff pot lucks and birthday parties and I’ve always brought things to share, and everyone LOVES what I make. They are very intrigued. My boss actually gave me petty cash to make our last birthday party dessert…I did the “pomegranate cheesecake” on here…but I changed it alot. Anyway it turned out to be a Macadamia Nut Vanilla Bean Blackberry Topped Cheesecake. It was amazing and everyone looooooved it.

    But yeah…I agree with many others…most people don’t really care about the way I eat. They think it’s interesting and ask questions. Because of the way that I act in my choices and behaviors they never ask if I’m judging what they eat. It’s nice.

    Oh, one more thing—what’s even more interesting is the fact that most the people in the office I work at come back from lunch with McDonald’s, Taco Bell, or when they’re feeling “Healthy”...some type of deli sandwhich with Lay’s potato chips. Haha the contrast is entertaining.

  • aimeeaimee Raw Newbie

    I get weird looks and comments just saying I'm vegetarien. If I'm caught eating an apple they rave about how healthy I'm eating. I get accused of being "extrem" and I'm only 50% raw. I'm really careful about totaly opening up, because people get all freaked out if you say that even your kids eat vegetarien.

    By the way, I'm a nurse and work in a big hospital in Berlin, Germany. You know, one of those places that supposedly supports health ( sickness?).

  • RawsikiRawsiki Raw Newbie

    This is an interesting topic. Nothing has happened much at work. I bought a bunch of bananas for lunch and offered one to my coworker who accepted and didn't question why I was eating like a gazillion. Our custodian will pass by and offer us cookies and stuff, and I always decline but never get questioned. We talked about salads one day and he asked if I liked chicken salad, and of course I said, "No." They were shocked. I explained, "I'm a vegetarian" and they were just curious and uderstanding. Now if I ventured to the "vegan" realm, they'd all think I'm nuts, and "raw vegan" is just a whole nother dimension where their world just wouldn't make sense anymore.

    I did have a funny reaction grocery shopping though. I bought my usual 24 bananas and as the cashier was ringing them up, she asked, "Making something with all of these?" To which I replied, "Nope! I just like my bananas!" :)

    I seem to enjoy comments of misunderstanding, awe, and curiosity. It makes me feel different, and...special.

  • SuasoriaSuasoria Raw Newbie

    I've been vegetarian/vegan for so long, I'm totally used to people thinking of me as a circus freak.

    My attitude: everyone around us is a mirror, and we

  • blueyzblueyz Raw Newbie

    If anything, lunch at work is the only time I do get off eating raw or all natural(which is more my goal than raw). I do eat a lot healthier than in the past, and getting back on track have had some interesting salads and need to get back into soups.

    I don't bother with telling them it's raw unless they ask about a specific dish, it is enough that I cut out all processed foods and eating naturally. That IS what I am doing and main goal really(not vegan, won't pretend I am although limit dairy or local animal product). Nothing hiding, I simply don't go off talking about food much at school unless I am asked. The kids are more open to the eating natural foods than many of the other teachers are. I get enough looks sometimes just from the 'healthy' foods I eat, however I did have 2 people come back this week and ask the best way to open/deseed a pomegranate :)

  • sv3sv3 Raw Newbie

    When I first moved onto a high raw diet, I was trying lots of new things and people would keep asking what I was eating/drinking. When I told them, they got all curious and kept asked me questions. I have explained that I've moved onto a high raw diet and after initially comments like 'but what will you do in winter?' they are totally fine.

    If anything, it has brought to their attention how badly they all eat. Now, they'll often buy fruit for a snack instead of chocolate! I do get a warm feeling inside from that.

    One guy does keep making me laugh by saying things like, 'Milk is healthy isn't it?' I think he has started to re-evaluate what he has always considered 'healthy'. That and he now seems to seek out my opinion on various foods and will ask me what is 'ok' and 'not ok'.

  • I bring juice to work and most people have gotten used to me now, they sit and eat there chocs and biscuits and most of them look ill and moan about their weight!!!

    My family went totally mad at me, sat me down for a good talking to about how I would make myself ill. all the while my Dad was on the 2 bowls of that ceral a day!!! Go figure. My sister joined in with them. Then a few weeks ago my sister asked me to do her a 3 day juice detox and now she wants a juicer for Christmas and sends me text when she has had a raw day!!! People are funny when they don't understand somthing.

    I do make raw choc cakes and my co-workers gobble them right up!!

  • I am the entertainment right now. They all crane their necks to see what new dish I have brought in. sometimes they want a taste. Then the conversation turns to other things.

    One of the girls who is going to be a doctor brought in a sandwich with just sandwich meat. No condiments, no veggies. *I* am the one that laughed at HER sandwich. It was so unappetizing looking with no color. Everyone teased her and made a comment that she had no vegetables. She said she has a serving with her dinner and that is plenty. My boss things the lettuce and tomato in his sandwich at lunch serves as his veggie servies for the whole day.

    I am amazed that people think they are eating healthy when they have one apple and a slice of tomato in a day.

  • Work is kinda fun for me, i've been a vegetarian my whole life so being weird isn't out of the norm, however right now i am working in a very grommet pizzeria and at the end of every night after a few pizza pies are thrown in the back for us all to nibble on, i've always asked for salads and so forth, but since being raw the past three months i get all kind of reactions from home made creations... true some people don't really care what you have to say and they just think you are weird and then dismiss you, but i have always been questioned about what i eat so i don't really mind. Of Coarse there are always the ones who almost get offended because they feel like what they eat isn't good enough for you and so in a sense they aren't. Weird

  • In general, I find it difficult being 100% raw while working in corporate America. Coworkers like to go out to lunch together and there is usually not much raw stuff at most restaurants. If I turn down lunches (which I have many times), then I am seen as not being a 'team player.'

    I like eating a Lara bar wrapped in leaves of collard green. I get the weirdest looks at work for that. People look so freaked out that they don't even ask a question out of curiosity.

    Also, it really amazes me how many health professionals (doctors, dentists) I have encountered have absolutely NO IDEA what good nutrition truly is. They eat poorly themselves and they give skewed nutritional advice to others (such as 'eating a low fat diet is good for you'). I don't think they teach true nutrition in medical schools, instead doctors are taught about illness and how to quickly get rid of its symptoms and keep it in control in the short term. So much of our society knows about good nutrition is driven by the propaganda of the food industry, which benefits no one except their profits.

  • I have a couple of people at work who react to the food that I bring in, but most of my co workers are curious and I always let people try what I bring in if they want. I love to try and get people to eat better. We would have a much better world to live in if more people cared about themselves.

  • Usually I bring some fruits or mixed veggies and salad. Initially when I first switched my diet I would get weird reactions but now after few years they know what I eat and most colleagues respect my choice, if I get some comments they usually are "you eat so healthy all the time" and such. The hardest thing I find is to go for business lunches, sometime I decline the invitation but I can't always do that as people tend the think you are not a team player (as rawflamenca indicated) or simply do not want to be part of the corporate "community"...so in these situations I go and I simply order a salad (most places have at least a common green salads).

  • People come up to me and ask me how I lost all the weight (40lbs, not so much but it's rather obvious) I tell them I quit eating meat and milk and eggs and bread and grains and all cooked and processed foods of all kinds. Most of them can't get away from me fast enough.

    Zing, a**holes and elbows, lolol.

    You exercise more and eat less of more healthy foods? No magic pill? See ya!

  • zinfandelzinfandel Raw Newbie

    zucchini breath, your comment cracks me up. people always want to take the easy way out! The easiest way is not always the best! mad respect for your awesome health successes!

  • I count going raw a blessing. It has shown me who my real friends are and weeded out the fakes. I know that if an old friend or a new aquaintence accepts my "vegan rawness" they accept me. If they don't and feel weirded out or threatened then I know that they don't accept me and will probably not feel comfortable getting close to me. I still do my best to love and accept them where they are..but I never get that closeness of friendship.

    I usually get reactions anywhere from the eyebrow lift "really? I but meat's good for you. Where do you get your protein?" to "oooh that's so cool! I'm vegetarian! I wish I could do that!"

  • I have to agree with the posters mourning the lack of support in healthcare. I'm a bit more fortunate that I live in California, the land of diversity. But even here you get odd looks from coworkers. It amazes me at all the food provided by both the hospital and the employees - chinese take out, fried meats, fried veggies, and the healthy choice - salad with a creamy dressing ;) And don't get started on the sweets! There are exceptions in some of the bigger organizations (Kaiser even has farmers markets on site now) but it's certainly not the norm.

    When I politely declined to try any of the food in the beginning they were curious. I explained that I ate mostly raw vegan and of course got a lot of questions. One coworker's husband is mostly there (we share a similar green juice breakfast) but the rest are stuck in the 60's. no one's been anything but supportive to me.

    I did find that there is some positive influence. A coworker told me that she was inspired by seeing my beautiful fresh salads in the refrigerator. So she's eating more salads. Even trying raw corn and LOVED it. She also said that she ate "junky" after eating better for awhile and felt terrible afterwards. So maybe....

  • RawKidChefRawKidChef Raw Newbie

    As my mom (a physician) works solo in her own office she doesn't deal with anyone really...except her patients. She has successfully converted multiple people to raw. For example there is this one guy who has cancer and he is fascinated by the Grape Cure which is a raw diet type thing where you fast for 12 hours to starve the cancer cells, and then you eat grapes every two hours the next day and the cancer cells are tricked into devouring the sugars while also being by all sorts of good chemicals in the grapes. My mom also gave him samples of blue green algae, which he is taking a lot of now and he wants to do the Grape Cure.

    Anyway most people she treats aren't perfect but they have lost weight just by eating more fruits and vegetables and laying off on the meat/bread. There are many though that hear a whole lecture about not eating cooked food and go off to the deli and get a huge sandwich....but it's pretty amazing how well some people can do and how resistant others are.

  • PamPam

    What's the blue green algae do for your mom's patients, RawKidChef?

    I'm self-employed so I no longer get the office comments. But when I WAS in an office I generated a fair amount of interest from the people who worked there. The comments were always positive (or maybe if they were negative, I took them to be positive!).

    When I first started stocking the kitchen with fruits and veggies, I was the only one doing it. So I knew if there was an avocado or a head of lettuce in there, it was mine. Before long, every other women in the office was eating healthier in one way or the other! I had to jostle for fridge space. I also had a good influence on others who worked in different locations. One woman said after seeing me at a conference, she was inspired to lose 30 pounds! The men, though, didn't seem to make changes as easily as the women... although many of them looked longingly at my gorgeous salads.

    I believe that people respond to me in a positive manner because I am positive and confident in what I am doing. I'm neither asking their permission, begging their forgiveness, or condemning them for their choices. If they criticize me or say something snide, I chalk it up to "wish-I-could-be-like-you." That might not be what it is, but it's worth no more energy to me than that. It also stops people dead in their tracks when I tell them my age. Of course, some of it is just genetics... but they don't have to know that... LOL.

  • My EFT/Massage practice is located in a Yoga Center, so I am lucky in that more times than not I get the comment: "What sort of smoothie you drinking today?!" A few people asked if they could try what I was drinking! Everyone who knows I've been doing raw and less cooked keep telling me I look great and whatever I've been doing to keep it up! :-)

    Om Shanti

  • Rawflamenca,

    I had a doctor at my work laugh at me for eating cantaloup for breakfast. He said its a waste because there is no nutritional value. I was stunned. I said its packed with vitamins and enzymes!!! He gave me a blank look and walked away.

    It doesn't bother me that doctors don't know about nutrition. It bothers me to no end that they wont' ADMIT they know nothing and dispense inaccurate nutritional advise which their patients take as the final word.

  • RawKidChefRawKidChef Raw Newbie

    yes, the algae is a very powerful cleanser.

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