Christmas Challenge Weight Loss Tips: Week 6
Congratulations on completing the fifth week of the WLR
Christmas Challenge.
There are just two weeks to go and friends, family and
colleagues may already complimenting you on your slimmer shape.
But what about those people who seem intent on ruining your good
intentions? This week, I've put together some top tips to help
you beat the diet saboteurs.
1. Recognise What Makes the Saboteurs Tick
Understanding the reasons why people seem so intent on
ruining your diet will help you cope with situations when food
is practically forced on you.
Often it's hard to understand why someone close seems to go
out of their way to offer you biscuits, bring chocolates,
encourage you to have a dessert or give you a huge serving of
pasta? And the reasons for doing this often vary - sometimes
people simply mean well, sometimes they want to keep you under
their control, often they have no idea they're sabotaging you.
Try and work out just what it is that's making them act in
such a way - and then develop strategies for coping with it (see
How to Beat Those Diet Saboteurs, below).
2. Fight the Fear of Change
One of the main reasons people may try to sabotage your diet
is a fear of change. The problem is, that while losing weight
will create big changes in your life that you welcome, not all
your friends, family and colleagues will embrace change in the
same way and may feel threatened by it.
The key is to constantly remind yourself why you wanted to
change in the first place - and don't allow other people's fear
to put you off.
3. Don't Let Other People's Guilt Get in the
Way
It's not uncommon for other people to feel guilty when they
see you losing weight, especially if they are overweight
themselves. If they can encourage you to 'break your diet' or
'stop going to the gym' with the result that you lose control,
it means they no longer need to feel guilty about not being in
control of their weight, either!
Similarly, some people may feel jealous or threatened by your
success. If they've struggled to lose weight for ages with no
success, it's natural they will feel jealous that you seem to be
sailing through.
Why not suggest that these diet saboteurs join you in your
weight loss campaign so that you can support each other? But
don't let them bring you down or allow them to ruin all your
good work with negative comments.
4. Give People the Benefit of the Doubt
It's easy to assume the worst when faced with a potential
saboteur. But often, there are good intentions behind the move.
For example, if your husband comes home with your favourite
Indian takeaway, it could be his way of expressing how much he
loves you, rather than because he wants to see you overweight
and unhappy.
When the moment is right, gently suggest that next time he
might express his love with flowers or by doing the washing up
rather than with food!
5. Keep a Food Diary
As well as helping you to control your calorie intake, a food
diary may also help you recognise those people that encourage
you to overindulge - and this will allow you to develop
strategies to deal with them.
For example, if you know there's always a 'chocolate run' in
the office on a Friday afternoon, offer to go yourself. No one
will ever know whether you've bought something for yourself -
and the extra walk to the newsagent will burn a few more
calories!
6. Stand Up To the Saboteurs
You wouldn't expect to have an alcoholic drink pushed on you
if you were driving, would you? So you shouldn't expect to be
forced into having high-calorie food, either. Quite simply, just
say no!
There's no need to offer an explanation or feel guilty if you
choose to avoid someone who frequently tries to encourage you
eat food you don't want. And if you do find yourself in the
situation where food has been foisted on you, simply leave it.
It might seem wasteful, but you didn't ask for it in the first
place, did you?
6. Ask for Help, not Hindrance
Get your friends, family and colleagues on your side and ask
them to help you rather than hinder you. If someone doesn't seem
to want to help, then don't feel bad about avoiding for him or
her for the time being.
Instead concentrate on spending time with people who are
prepared to help you reach your goal. And as the pounds fall off
and you feel more confident, you'll feel stronger and be better
equipped to cope with unsupportive people.
7. Take Control
At the end of the day, what you put in your mouth is your
responsibility. Bottom line: while others may tempt you,
ultimately you're in charge of your own life. After all, you're
losing weight for yourself - not someone else!
HOW TO BEAT THOSE DIET SABOTEURS
SABOTEUR TECHNIQUE 1 : Concerns About Your Health
TYPICAL STATEMENTS THEY MAKE :
"You're wasting away"
"Are you sure you aren't losing weight too quickly"
"Is that diet really good for you?"
"You used to love your food, now you seem to have gone off
it"
"It's good to have some fat on you for times when you're not
very well"
HOW TO BEAT THEM :
Tell them you are eating healthily and losing weight at a
safe, sensible rate. You still enjoy food, but you also enjoy
feeling in control of what you eat. And as for being ill,
because your diet has improved so dramatically, you're much less
likely to fall ill in the first place!
SABOTEUR TECHNIQUE 2 : Foisting Food on You
TYPICAL STATEMENTS THEY MAKE :
"There's one doughnut left, go on have it"
"It's Sandra's birthday - she'll be upset if you don't have a
piece of cake"
"A second helping won't hurt, surely"
"I've bought you a box of chocolates to cheer you up"
HOW TO BEAT THEM :
Explain that you're not hungry and don't want anything else
to eat. If pushed into a corner, infer that you might indulge
later on. Just make sure 'later' never comes! No one will ever
notice.
SABOTEUR TECHNIQUE 3 : Lack of Understanding
TYPICAL STATEMENTS THEY MAKE :
"You don't need to lose weight - you look fine to me"
HOW TO BEAT THEM :
Tell them that you do, in fact, need to lose weight - not
only for health reasons, but also because it will make you feel
happier and more confident. Who can argue with that?
SABOTEUR TECHNIQUE 4 : Confusing Food with Love
TYPICAL STATEMENTS THEY MAKE :
"You used to come to dinner every week - you don't love me
anymore"
"We always used to have lunch together - now you seem to
prefer the gym to me"
"I miss the old you"
HOW TO BEAT THEM :
Explain that you still love them and enjoy spending time with
them. Suggest that you replace activities that involve eating
for exercise, for example, going for a swim and sauna or a walk
in the park.
SABOTEUR TECHNIQUE 5 : Being negative about Diets
TYPICAL STATEMENTS THEY MAKE :
"I'm really proud of you even though you know that 95% of
diets don't work"
"My friend lost weight but piled it all back on in a few
weeks"
HOW TO BEAT THEM :
Nod sympathetically but simply use negative comments like
these to strengthen your resolve to succeed.
SABOTEUR TECHNIQUE 6 : Making You Feel Bad about
Yourself
TYPICAL STATEMENTS THEY MAKE :
"You don't seem to be as funny since you lost weight!"
"You looked better or I preferred you when you were more
cuddly"
HOW TO BEAT THEM :
Tell them you're still the same person, except now you're
healthier, fitter, happier and more confident. If they can't get
to grips with that, it might be time to break away.
SABOTEUR TECHNIQUE 7 : Acting Insulted
TYPICAL STATEMENTS THEY MAKE :
"You don't like my carbonara anymore"
"You're too good for my chocolate cake now"
HOW TO BEAT THEM :
Explain there's nothing personal involved. You still love
pasta and chocolate cake. It's just that your health is the main
priority at the moment. Suggest that perhaps the next time you
get together you help out by bringing along a dish.
SABOTEUR TECHNIQUE 8 : Making You Feel Left Out
TYPICAL STATEMENTS THEY MAKE :
"You can't eat Italian on your diet so there's not point in
you coming to dinner with us"
"There's no point in getting you any chocolate - you're on a
diet"
HOW TO BEAT THEM :
Explain there's no reason why you can't go out for dinner
(after all you're confident enough to know what to choose from
the menu) or eat chocolate. And if that doesn't work, ditch
them. With friends like that, who needs enemies? |
