Hello -
For those who have lost weight for an extended time/permanently, how have things changed for you socially? Did you end up having to find new friends who shared your new activity levels and/or nutrition goals...or at least ones who were respectful of your lifestyle change? Did you have to set boundaries with any friends you kept? What about office mates as well?
This is the second time I've lost a large amount of weight. I will have dropped about 50 pounds, and I am just 10 pounds left from my GW. It is a big change for me, because I'm petite. I will be "skinny," but within a healthy BMI for my height/weight.
The first time I lost weight like this, I was much younger (in my 20s—about 15 years ago), and I don't want to do this again. I plan to keep food journaling for at least a year after—if not forever. It's so easy now with smart phones! I like the way I feel now... My arthritis is so much better, my blood sugar has dropped a lot, my heartburn went away, and I sleep so much better. I love being active.
So I'm trying to strategize how to keep this off forever. I realized part of why I gained weight back back when I lost it the first time was because friends (especially office friends) did things that contributed to me feeling bad about the way I looked...like saying they were worried I was "too thin" or implying I had an eating disorder even though I was totally within a "healthy bmi" range. Regularly, they'd attempt to sabotage my efforts to eat healthy. Yes, there's such a social thing about sharing food, but they really went over the line.
Luckily, I don't work in that office anymore. This time around, I've been *very* careful about not discussing my goals with anyone but my spouse. I recently left (but did not burn bridges with) with a friend group that was kind of toxic to begin with. Recently, I saw them at a party and realized that most of them are obese. Some friends I still have from the group (who talk about wanting to leave, but never do) start to lose weight, but then end up gaining it back as they get more enmeshed with the group.
Some of the friends I have left (ones from the group or other parts of life) are not very active people or have some emotional eating problems. I am sticking to my guns with them, but don't plan to drop them.
Still... I think I'd like to find some new friends who also want to make healthy lifestyle choices. I've been considering looking into hiking groups or other places that healthy (but easy-going) folks hang out at. It seems to be hard to find these days...especially in the mid-aged range.
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