How to Explain the Bulletproof Diet to Your Family and Friends

New habits, like diets, are easier to adopt when you’re in the comfort of your own home. When you’re around other people, things can get difficult — especially if their eating style doesn’t mesh with your new one. It’s nearly impossible to cram everything you’ve been learning into a short little answer to, “why aren’t you eating all your favorite things?”

To make it easier to explain the Bulletproof lifestyle to your family and friends, here are some canned answers to the more common questions you’ll get at the holiday table, birthday party, or family dinner.

First things first, though. Know who you’re talking to, so you can be ready for their response. Some people truly want to know what you’re doing to feel so great. Others want to debate you. Then some people don’t really care. Here are the four types you’ll run into.

The Indifferent

The majority of the people you’ll encounter when you let people in on your new ways of eating will be Indifferent. The Indifferent’s attitude is, you do you. Indifferents are either satisfied with what they’re doing themselves or not particularly concerned with self-improvement at all. Either way, they take a laissez-faire attitude towards your new habits.

Phrases to use:

You don’t need any special phrases with an Indifferent. They couldn’t care less about what you’re up to and may not even notice you turned down your favorite pie.

The Combative

You’ll know you’ve encountered a Combative when you’re suddenly labeled “wrong.” It probably doesn’t matter if you’re reaching for the butter, the salad, the sun, or the moon. You’re just wrong. There’s nothing you can do.

The Combative may ask you to explain things, but isn’t actually interested in learning about what you’re doing. Combatives just want to argue and ultimately be right.

You might think this is the most difficult personality type, but truth is, the Combative is the easiest to deal with. You simply don’t engage this person.

Don’t justify your choices. Don’t explain a thing. Just keep doing what you’re doing with a smile.

Phrases to use:

I’m good with it.

Thank you for your thoughts.

I’m happy with the way things are going.

The calm smile is the most important part. If the Combative isn’t ruffling your feathers, they’ll get bored and pick a fight with someone else.

The Defensive

At first, you may think you’re dealing with a Combative, but a little digging reveals that you’re dealing with a second argumentative type, the Defensive.

The Defensive is insecure about their own decisions and deals with it by poo-poohing others’ decisions. It doesn’t make them feel any better, but they think it does.

You can deal with the Defensive in one of two ways. If they’re the hot-under-the-collar type, you can choose not to engage them.

If you’re sensing that they need some reassurance, throw around language that lets them know you’re not perfect, and that you struggle with your choices. And it’s okay.

Phrases to use

I would have never jumped into all of this if I hadn’t found ________.

It took me a while before I decided to go for it.

I mess up, for sure. Heck, I indulge on purpose. But I feel it when I do.

The Truly Curious

The Truly Curious person noticed your boundless energy, your radiant complexion, and how happy you seem, and genuinely wants to know more about what’s working for you. They either want to be helpful and accommodate you, or they want to explore things to incorporate themselves.

Phrases to use:

I’ll tell you everything I know about ________, and you can get more info at this great resource I found.

Now, if your friend or family member is truly curious, here are some answers you can offer about the Bulletproof Diet.

Hey, I noticed you didn’t touch the cheese plate. Are you on a diet or something?

I’ve been learning how to fuel my brain and body and I’m making small changes here and there along the way. I’m keeping low-level toxins to a minimum, because they add up throughout the day and I find that they slow me down. I didn’t notice the effects that my bad habits had until I stopped doing them and started paying attention. What a difference!

Why are you on a diet? You don’t need to lose weight.

You’re too kind!

Being Bulletproof changed my whole life. Looking better is such a small part of it. I think more clearly, which has made going to work better because I can do what I need to do more efficiently.

I keep my cool in stressful situations, and I don’t snap at my kids like I used to. When I sleep, I wake up fresh and ready for whatever’s coming my way. My skin is clear, I’m not puffy in the mornings, and I don’t have the [stomach cramps, rashes, mood swings…etc.] that I used to.

My jeans fit better, which is nice, but I’m after the big picture.

What can  you eat?

In a nutshell, I eat a high-fat, low-carb diet. And honestly, I eat everything I want. It’s just that what I want has changed. My body craves nourishing foods now.

Just yesterday I had a pumpkin pie parfait after dinner. I brought some cauliflower bacon mash to share, with extra bacon. On the weekends I make the most beautiful Buddha Bowls that you’ve ever laid your eyes on. I eat at restaurants, I have decadent desserts, and I have fancy coffee drinks almost every morning. I even started making my own ice cream that’s better than anything you get at the creamery. It’s all easy and totally satisfying.

Oh, so you’re doing Atkins?

The Bulletproof Diet is not like Atkins, which includes too much protein and doesn’t focus on food quality. It’s not sustainable and doesn’t make you feel good. Bulletproof is closer to Paleo, with some key differences. It’s also a mostly ketogenic diet, which means your body burns fat as its main fuel source. With the Bulletproof Diet, I don’t have to count carbs or calories, or anything at all, really.

Sometimes I measure ketones, and sometimes I don’t. Usually, I can feel that I’m in ketosis and my blood sugar is in check because I don’t have food on the brain all the time like I used to.

Depending on your personal makeup, you may not want to give up all carbs all the time. The Bulletproof Diet really encourages you to experiment to find what works best for your body.

So, what’s the Bulletproof Diet all about?

The Bulletproof Diet centers around fat loss and muscle maintenance, all while lowering inflammation. It’s also designed to increase energy and cognitive function, and balance your blood sugar and hormones so you’re not hungry all the time.

Here’s what I’ve done so far:

• I’ve cut sugar and replaced it with medium-chain, undamaged fats like butter, ghee, and coconut oil. Even fruit is an occasional treat since it’s on the sugary side.
• For the most part, I’ve switched to grass-fed meat, wild caught seafood, and organic vegetables. The quality matters so you keep toxins to a minimum, and so you get the right fat structure from your meats. Grass-fed beef, for instance, has way more omega-3s than standard beef.
• The toughest part was removing grains and gluten — they can cause inflammation. Without having corn, oats, barley, and bread, I had to really re-think the way I cook and eat. I know you won’t believe me until you try it, but after a short adjustment period, you don’t miss it.
• Synthetic foods are out too – artificial sweeteners, dyes, anything that isn’t really food.
• Most dairy products contain casein and lactose, and those cause inflammation and digestive distress. I still eat plenty of grass-fed butter which doesn’t have all the inflammatory casein and lactose because of the buttermilk is separated out from the butterfat. In fact, I use grass-fed butter in my coffee every morning.
• I pay attention to how I cook my food, too. Gentle cooking on low heat keeps the proteins and fats intact. If you denature proteins and oxidize the fats with high heat, you may end up with inflammation. I’ve also ditched my microwave.

The best part — I don’t count calories or macros (fat, protein, or carbs), ever.

Butter in coffee? That sounds terrible

I thought it sounded crazy, too. Then I tried it, and it’s amazing. I don’t even miss cream or sugar. Let me make you some!

Bulletproof Coffee is a powerful concoction of coffee brewed from Bulletproof Coffee Beans, grass-fed butter or ghee, and Brain Octane Oil, all blended up and frothy like a latte. Sometimes I add vanilla and a little birch-derived xylitol for a vanilla latte, or mint for a Mint Mojito Iced Bulletproof Coffee.

I have one every morning, and sometimes another in the middle of the day. The healthy fats keep me going for hours, plus I get a powerful punch of polyphenols to keep my cells happy.

You’re going to slam your arteries shut with all that saturated fat

Decades of pushing low-fat, high-carb diets made people fatter and sicker than ever.^[1]

The American Heart Association relies on data from the 1960’s that actually shows that lowering cholesterol can kill you. In one of the AHA’s go-to studies, scientists warn that the low saturated fat, low cholesterol experimental diet might be toxic since they saw a jump in mortality. Doctors and the government rely on the AHA’s recommendations to advise people on what to eat. We’ve been getting bad advice for decades.

The Bulletproof diet is based on solid evidence, and research shows that a low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet reverses diabetes.^[2][3]

On the flip side, researchers linked sugary, high-carb diets with weight gain,^[4] brain fog and other cognitive disorders,^[5] and inflammatory conditions from depression^[6] to diabetes.^[7]

I think it’s awesome that you care enough to share your concerns. I’m trusting the evidence on this one, and I’m focusing on sourcing the cleanest sources of medium-chain triglycerides to fuel me. If it makes you feel better, I get regular bloodwork to make sure the plumbing is in order.

Trust me, I didn’t make all these changes overnight. It’s been a journey — an amazing one, but it’s a process. Tough at times with bumps in the road for sure, but I have a new love for life now.

Chances are, your results will get everyone into the curious category. If you want a steady stream of tips to keep making them wonder how you’re getting better and better, drop your info below!