When you don’t have support

If the people around you don’t want to help, listen, or hold you accountable, it becomes so much more difficult to achieve your weight loss goals. Sometimes your family or friends don’t support you the way you wish they would with your weight loss goals. It’s usually not because they are terrible people, but even the best intentions can still work against you.

The critic/pessimist

Maybe they think you can’t reach your goals. Maybe they don’t want you to. There’s a sense of security in the familiar, and you changing (even for the better) can feel threatening to those around you.

The solution:

If you think someone close to you could be feeling insecure about you improving yourself, reassure them that your weight might change but who you are, and who they are to you isn’t going to.

The nice ones

Some of the most dangerous, the sweethearts that tell you that you are perfect just the way you are and don’t need to change. A lovely concept, but sometimes things like health concerns, joint pain, or just feeling unhappy in yourself are good reasons to change, and you want to be supported in that.

The solution:

Explain the practical reasons you have for wanting to lose weight so they understand you are doing this to make positive changes and not because you are just feeling insecure. Doubly effective you let them know ways they could help you feel supported. They will most likely jump at the chance to help.

The tempters

“Just one bite”, “you need to have some things you like”, “you can’t live on carrot sticks”, “you can go back to your diet tomorrow”. Sound familiar? Often these are the people who express love through food (mothers are classic examples).

The solution:

Plan your treats, let them in on days you are planning to splurge, and decide together on treats that would fit in with your diet plans. If that won’t work, just limit your visits with them to in between meal times.

The non-believers

Have you been talking about losing weight for months? Years? It might be a case of too many diet attempts, or having procrastinated too long. These people don’t realise that this time you are ready, and serious.

The solution: 

Avoid discussing your goals with anyone who appears bored, disbelieving, or makes comments that make you doubt yourself. Instead, let the results speak for themselves. No doubt they will be much more encouraging once they have that evidence that you are really on the road to success this time.