Rip's tips for preventing a food fight
Jan 27, 2012
Rip Esselstyn came to town this week for a special showing of Forks Over Knives, hosted by Whole Foods. Rip is the plant-strong (don't say vegan) firefighter from Austin behind The Engine 2 Diet and son of plant-loving cardiologist Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.
During the lively Q&A session after the movie, someone asked Rip:
I love eating like this, but I don't want to be a proselytizer or an evangelist ...
How do I avoid starting food fights?
Rip nodded with the wry look of kid who's father was called Dr. Sprouts by other doctors and of a Texan manly man who doesn't eat what he called the four major food groups of Texas: beef, beef, beef, and beef. He said when people ask you where do you get enough protein or how you can eat all that rabbit food, use as many of these steps as needed to avoid arguments:
- Be super casual and even act a little dumb: Protein? I never really thought about it. It seems to be working for me. I'm just trying this plan from this firefighter (or this heart doctor or ... ). What did you think about that last pass in the big game?
- Say you want More: more fiber, more vitamins, more phytonutrients, more color. Rip says, "Americans love more."
- Say "It's not for everyone." That gives them permission to feel good about their eating style and to stop feeling threatened or challenged by yours.
Rip is a master of friendly phrasing, too. He says his firehouse pals hate the v words: vegan and vegetarian. They use plant-strong instead. Brilliant!
My variation on his first step is to be informed, but casual and brief:
- Mmmm, beans! Tons of protein.
- Calcium? No worries, collards have as much calcium as milk.
Leading by example is one of the most powerful ways we can help improve the health of others and of the planet. Curiosity can lead to fascinating and transformative conversations. Sometimes you just want to shift the spotlight off your eating habits, get a meal unscathed, and not offend anyone. Defusing the conversation can be merciful. The office bully bores everyone by making fun of your lunch every single day.
Watch for the chance to connect in a less-charged environment with anyone in the group who is truly interested. Offer to meet them for lunch at a crazy-good restaurant, send them a link to a website, or lend them a book. Some people will see your example as permission to try something new.
If you get a chance to see Rip's Road Show, by all means take it. Forks Over Knives is a must-see movie, Whole Foods Market served inspiring samples, and Rip was a hoot. You'll get a chance to ask questions and to see how many people in your community are living the plant-strong life.
How do you prevent food fights? Share your tips in the comments below.
Reader Comments (2)
I like the "plant strong" term. I teach foods and nutrition at a high school and think the students will respond more to it than vegetarian and vegan. Thanks for sharing that!
Calcium? Here in Chatham county, there's so much calcium in the water one never need worry about getting enough calcium.
But that doesn't stop me from eating loads of greens. Collards rock!