Reader Advice Day: What To Think When Friends Call You Names

Hello out there! Today I bring us another installment of "Reader Advice Day" where I present a question that was asked of me to you, the readers, to get community input. This is probably one of the most important topics we will ever discuss here on HGK. I believe that most of us have dealt with this exact issue at some point in our journey, or maybe even deal with it regularly.

"Hi Wendy,

I recently had a friend describe my form of eating as 'restrictive' and it kind of hit a chord. I have been mostly plant based for the last 6 months. I went on a road trip with my friend and I packed some of my meals because I knew we would be stopping at some fast food places where I would not have any options. I do have children and do not impose my way of eating on them, I give them choices and often times I will fix them something different. My husband is totally on board and 'gets' why I changed. But I am wondering how to deal with the whole 'restrictive' label I was given. Thanks in advance for any feedback you can give me!"

Does this table of food look restrictive to you? Or abundant?

My thoughts?

I want to say that the word "restrictive" is a loaded word. I myself have never been anorexic, but I have read a little bit about it and I know that anorexia involves severe restriction. Was your friend implying that you are becoming Anorexic? Have you ever been Anorexic? Are you starving yourself to be thin? If so, that is a whole other ball of wax, so to speak, and probably not the subject of this blog posting.

Okay, so let's say that the answer is "no" and we are not dealing with anorexia.

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