Weight Loss: Don't Listen to Your Friends

Everyone has an opinion on how YOU should be losing weight. I remember when I got serious about losing weight, I got plenty of advice from all sorts of people some solicited and some not. Some advice was really helpful and others (usually the unsolicited) missed the mark. In MY personal journey I had to figure out what would work for me. Often, the problem with advice from others is that they don’t really know you. They don’t know that you are prone to ordering a whole pizza and devouring it in one sitting; they don’t know that you could eat a roll of cookie dough if left unmonitored and they don’t know that you’d rather drown yourself than run 1 mile around the corner.

Be careful who you invite on your weight loss journey. Most people have issues with their own body. People will project their own negative perceptions of themselves onto you when they see progress. It’s enough to battle the temptations, unmotivated moments and frustrations that go along with losing weight, then to add dealing with the psychological warfare your friends and family.  Trust, it is a full out war. When you do finally come close to your goal people will say “You look to thin you need to eat” or “Your always working out you should rest.” Don’t allow these negative perceptions to invade your psyche. Be strong.

It takes hard work to get in shape and stay in shape. You should be proud of reaching that point where fitness and healthy nutrition is no longer a chore. Yes, it is great to reward yourself but don’t let the words of others influence your choice.

 This past weekend I was on a family vacation. I have lost about 10 pounds since I started training for an upcoming marathon. One of my family members kept harping on my weight and said I was too thin. Meanwhile, I thought I looked great, and other family members told me how toned and fantastic I looked. However, this one family member kept encouraging me to eat and I did.  Before you know it I come home 7 pounds heavier. Instead of listening to myself I allowed the insecurities of another influence my choice. It was funny because the same family member who was saying I was too thing called me the day after we got back and asked for help losing weight.

You know yourself better than anyone else. Ask God for guidance on your decisions regarding your weight and getting healthy. He will steer you in the right path, put the right literature in front of you and send positive people your way.

Are there negative influencers in your life? Are you getting push back from family members about being healthy? Share your thoughts and experience. 

Can You Maintain this Diet Forever?

Often people reach out to me and ask “How Can I lose weight?” They tell me their stories of struggling with weight for years and attempting to lose those last stubborn pounds. I know the story all to well myself. I had been trying to lose the same 30 pounds since leaving high school. I tried everything on the planet to lose weight some healthy and some not. The only way I was able to succeed and maintain was by drastically changing my eating habits to a diet that is mostly natural and veggie based. This works for me because I love to cook and I really enjoy eating food that I know is going to be great for my body in the long term. I look at it as my “retirement plan” because I am investing in taking care of my body now so that it will be good later. More importantly above any of the benefits, I am happy.

BUT...that is ME. Everyone is unique. We each have our own body issues, likes and dislikes. The first question you should think about when attempting a new diet or way of life is this: “Can I do this for the rest of my life?” If the answer is no, then don't do it.

The best example of this is my own personal journey to health. When I was obese I used to envy people who I deemed as “Health Nuts.” I wanted so desperately to be active and to eat well. From personal experience I knew that my trigger foods were anything with white flour and chicken. I always gained weight after a spaghetti dinner or a trip to the Olive Garden. Eventually, my desire to be healthy and fit outweighed my desire for pasta and chicken. However, if I were to follow a diet where I could never drink wine again it probably wouldn't work.

My hope is that you will find my journey inspiring. When it comes to losing weight and getting healthy I encourage you to take knowledge from various sources and forge your own path. You know yourself better then anyone on the planet and deep down and inside you know what you have to do.

Share your thought and questions. What is something you could never give up in your diet? Have you had any diet pitfalls? Was it due to these reason?