Based on an article from the Spring 2011 of the ADA Times, I would like to share with you some information about the reasons behind, and what you can do, when someone in your life is working against your weight loss or health goals.
It's something you may never have thought about, or it may be something that you experience every time you try to get on the right track with your health. When the people in your life deter your from following through with your weight loss or health goals. It is most commonly seen from significant others, friends, or coworkers; those people you spend the most time around.
Lets say you have become inspired to improve you eating habits with health and/or weight loss goals in mind. You research the best ways to achieve your goals, speak with a dietitian or your family doctor, and develop a plan. You are beginning making healthy changes in your life, but you notice something else happening too. Someone in your life is sabotaging your efforts! It may be through snide comments, it may be by pressuring you to deviate from your plan, it may be by bringing you unhealthy snacks or tempting you by eating something you are trying to cut down on in front of you. These things are all potentially deleterious to your plans! But why would someone you care about being trying to sabotage your efforts to achieve better health?
There can be many reasons someone you feel close to would try and thwart your health efforts. It may be intentional or not, but regardless of intent it is dangerous to your plan! Sometimes just the shift in balance in a relationship brought on by a change such as working to improve ones health can lead to conflict. The other person may also feel inferior when you are seeing results and they have not made any effort towards achieving greater health. They may feel guilty about themselves for not lacking the self discipline to make the healthy changes that you have made. They may be jealous of your results. They may want you to participate in a bad habit with them to make it seem less self-destructive. It may be none of these; the person may be using food to show their love for you. Such as a friend who is used to dropping by with a coffee cake or a lasagna!
So what can you do to to prevent these things from getting to you? You can keep your health or weight loss goals to your self in the beginning. Although it may feel good to share you plans, keeping them to yourself, at least in the early stages, can really help. It will be harder for someone to break you from your efforts if you have already established a pattern and have begun meeting your goals. Confronting the person is one of the best things you can do. Of course, using taste to avoid creating tension for the future. Ask the person to join you! If they are feeling jealous or insecure, getting involved with someone who is a friend and is already seeing results can be really motivational! Make sure the issues that are surfacing are directly related to the situation at hand. Address any issues that may be stemming from another problem. Be firm with someone who showers you with food. Make sure they know that you appreciate their effort but that there are better ways to show affection.
Overall, the problem of a being sabotaged by someone in your life in regards to your health goals can be detrimental. But you can overcome this obstacle! Recognizing the issue and addressing it can be your best bet. Having a well established plan can really help too. Writing down your plan, especially your goals, in a place you look often such as your planner can remind you on a regular basis of what you are working towards! Just remember that it is YOUR life and YOUR plan, and you can stick with it despite what is going on around you!
For more information on The American Dietetic Association (ADA) please visit: http://www.eatright.org/
Cheers,
Brittney
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