You you you... oughtta know!!!!!

As most of you know JT and I are pretty obsessed with fitness, food and health. We are CONSTANTLY learning, researching etc... We've watched about 10 documentaries, read thousands of articles and research studies, soaked up as much information as possible from experts and friends and many other resources. It is truly amazing how much we've learned and how much we know. Herein lies the problem:

How do you share your knowledge without offending or seeming know-it-ally? How do you guide people in the right direction who truly have no clue what-so-ever? How do you get to the point where you realize what you know, and what is right for you, may not be right for other people? And, if the info is not right for other people, can you still share your information and help them in any way?

It is quite the conundrum. It is really starting to bother me actually. I find it so frustrating when people ask for advice and then don't listen. I think that is the worst. I spend time researching for them and do  my best to guide them and then they still do what they were always doing and asked for help with in the first place. But maybe that isn't actually what is going on... maybe they HEARD me, but are trying to determine what is best for them?

Example: My brother called me a couple of weeks ago and questioned my vegetarianism. He was pretty negative about it actually and I was a bit offended. However, I just told him what I knew - that I felt better than ever, eating vegetarian was cheaper, my blood work showed a marked improvement and in general it just felt right. After we talked for a bit we hung up and thing remained unchanged. But, they actually didn't. A few weeks later my sister in law posted on her blog that Tony WAS listening to me, in fact, he told her that he would try running with her (something that she has been working on getting him to do since she started) if she was willing to try vegetarianism with him. They've been going strong for a week now and are doing great. In fact, he has lost 4 lbs. and they are working to expand their "recipe" horizon.

So, even though it seems like people don't care, or don't agree, sometimes they have to ruminate on the information and make their decisions in time. Other times, they may ruminate and decide your advice or information doesn't work for them. The whole thing, is that all you can do is share what you know and be as supportive and positive as possible and let people decide whats best for them.

What I struggle most with though, is knowing WHEN someone might want to know what I know :) I share it on here, which I think is great because if you want to read you can, iif you don't, you won't. But when I am talking to someone at work and they are making decisions that I think can be made better (like, what type of sweetener is best while trying to change a lifestyle... is it sweet-n-low? HELL NO (unless you want cancer) but maybe agave or stevia would work?) Do I tell them? Or do I let them find out for themselves? Do I say: Well, at least they are changing their other bad habits... who cares if they are using dangerous sweetener? At least they are doing better than they were...? Is that the right attitude? Is it better to let people be or share my knowledge?

Whatever the answer (and please feel free to share your opinion on the subject... I am very interested in knowing) I hope that what I tell you here comes off as genuine and helpful. The last thing I want to do is offend anyone and not be as helpful as I can.

Thank you so much for reading! <3