Julie from San Jose wrote a very well constructed argument for not being
too "excessive" with friends and restaurants about her VLF diet. She
reports that she has no particular (health) need for the VLF diet, except
that she wants to "stay healthy." She eats VLF at home and can do with
the occassional restaurant meal that is too high in fat.
Many VLF readers are in that status. For them, the VLF diet need not
be "absolute" but we all agree that the VLF diet is SO MUCH BETTER than
the SAD diet anyway that Julie is correct. An occassional fatty meal
will do most "normal" people no harm.
But there are some people who should not have a fatty meal. I won't go
into this, because Michelle does not want her discussion group to become
a "health letter" and I respect her wishes.
That leaves the "issue of assertiveness," which in order to obtain our
VLF diet, does seem to be required. VLF people are usually quite demanding
about their diet and possibly about other issues as well. I always felt that
most people want their doctors and dentists to be very "detail oriented"
and fussy. That personality characteristic may make them better professionals.
In my dealings with lawyers, I have learned one very interesting thing from
one of them. He says that in order to function well in society and get what
you need, you must manage your assertiveness. He is always VERY PLEASANT
and friendly when he gets his own way, and can shift in a fraction of
a second to whatever degree of necessary assertiveness to get his way.
As soon as he gets his way, he shifts immediately back to VERY nice, as
though nothing happened, and he was not being assertive a few seconds ago.
But he never is nasty or mean in obtaining his goals for his clients
because that involves burning bridges, which is almost never helpful, in
his opinion.
Maybe attorneys need to have split personalities. Is that necessary for the
rest of us as well? Or are we at risk of becoming like attorneys. Perhaps
that is a fate worse than fat. (just kidding)
You tell me.
Mike Rosenblatt
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