no matter how much weight you have lost, or how much weight you still might have to lose, do you feel the pressure to stay thin? i would have to say that i do. and it's more of a pressure of my own making, but with the help of others... this might not make sense so i'll try to explain myself.
when i was heavier, nobody (except my mom) really said anything negative to me about my weight. guys i dated said they didn't care (i did and still do believe this), and girls certainly didn't mind having a friend heavier than they were. now that i am a thinner person, i feel a lot of pressure to stay this way. obviously i like getting compliments about my shape, i really do because it's very gratifying and i work really hard, but sometimes these comments just add to the pressure to stay thin. for example, my mom tells everyone that i run... everyone... even when i am right there which can be a little weird if i don't feel like talking about it. my parents are always telling my sister that she should be more active like me. i can tell that my friends who are on diet and exercise plans are envious that i am already at my goal.
it's like once you reach your weight loss goal and manage to keep it off for any amount of time, you are kind of held up on a weight loss pedestal. i can imagine that it is also this way for people who have lost a more significant amount of weight than i have, be it 60 or 70 or 100 pounds. people think you hold the key to the secrets of weight loss and getting fit.
i feel like if i fell off the wagon now, not only would i be letting myself down, but i'd also be letting down all the people in my life that build me up so much for living a (for the most part) healthy lifestyle. my boyfriend (who really loves ketchup chips) said that he used to eat ketchup chips every night, but doesn't anymore because of me and my healthy influence on him. that's pretty big! so my question is: do you feel the pressure?
this morning i ran 5 miles on the treadmill... it was pretty easy except my bum is hurting now. stupid bum! tonight is date night which i am looking forward to. i haven't had a wednesday date in weeks! is anyone (in canada) watching that new "make me a supermodel show?" i am... i am so happy there are male and female models... finally!
today on the menu:
1/2 cup cheerios
coffee
weight control cinnamon oatmeal
1 T flax
1/2 cup all bran
2 T pumpkin
1 t baking powder
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 banana
2 strawberries (all i had left)
28 baby carrots
10 baby tomatoes
2 T skinny dips hummus
200 g plain 2% yogurt
100 g fat free vanilla pear yogurt
blueberries
blackberries
2 T pumpkin
plain oatmeal (if hungry)
probably homemade poutine and a turkey grill 'em and frozen veggies
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18 comments:
i love turkey grill em's. i totally get what you are saying. it makes so much sense. that is so cute about the ketchup chips and your fella.
I just feel like people expect me to have lost more weight than I have after all the work I put into it. So I guess I feel the peer pressure to keep it up and try even harder. But I definitely understand what you mean. I used to be small and would compliments, people calling me cute and small, and now I really don't ever get compliments, except from the boy. Pretty interesting. Thanks for the great post!
I can't wait to feel the pressure of having to stay thin!
Seriously though, even though I'm in loss mode NEARING my goal, sometimes I do feel a bit of pressure even from my friends that are farther away from their goal. To be honest, I always thought that once you had maintained for a while, people would forget that you had been bigger and that focus would go away. I gather that isn't the case....having said that - do you feel the pressure makes it easier or harder for you to keep up maintenance?
1) How do you like Skinny Bitch? I found it kinda preachy, but also kinda good.
2) I have girl crush on Jessica Biel. So hot.
shannon: turkey grill 'ems are where it's at haha.
cara: that is annoying that people expect you to have lost more weight... bodies change at different rates and everyone is different. it's frustrating!
fatinah: i think people have forgotten that i used to be heavier, but the pressure doesn't go away... maintenance is definitely NOT easy. that being said, i think the pressure makes it more likely (not easier) for me to keep it up.
amy: skinny bitch... i liked it but i didn't like the "all or nothing" approach. and i didn't like how it says: do this and you'll be skinny, because that just isn't the case. it's worth reading and it's interesting, but there is a lot of stuff in there that i think is personal opinion (dairy consumption) and the US stats and political stuff (who in what industry worked for who and what company, etc.) that i found boring. i just want to know about being healthy, not about corporate corruption! and jessica biel... me too... so so hot.
I feel this way all the time. I almost feel like they expect me to keep this weight loss/maintenance up, or else I am just a failure. But I think that the reason why I think like this is because I have a huge perfectionist streak that is really debilitating. I put so much pressure on myself that I ended up having anxiety attacks and an eating disorder that I am now working through w/ therapy but I think that this notion of perfectionism can really mess with your mind. You probably won't go as far as I did but as I read your post I couldn't help but comment because I empathize with you so much!
I think you're right. I know that I am also guilty for that. There are some older people I know who lost a lot of weight and then gained a lot of it back and I was like "ha! knew it." which is totally mean I know.
I read somewhere that it was a good strategy to tell lots of people your goals, like to lose 10 lbs or run every day, because the more people who know, the more pressure you'd feel to make your goal. So as long as it doesn't turn unhealthy (like lose even more weight and go eating disordered or something) then maybe this "pressure" is a good thing or keep you where you want to be? As long as it's where YOU want, not where others want you to be.
Go get your bum looked at by a doctor! It seems like its been hurting for far too long.
I know what you mean about people putting your on a pedastool with weight loss. My mom makes comments to me all the time, that make me believe that I can never gain an ounce or it will be the end of the world - even though I know her intentions are good. I hate when people comment on my weight, even if it is a compliment. I don't like having attention drawn to my body.
I am totally guilty of noticing when other people lose or gain, and using it as ammunition to make myself feel better (or as motivation to be better than them!). I should start supporting others, instead of comparing myself to them....
sorry, kind of went nuts with my comment there. Have a great date night!!
I get the comments that make me feel guilty for trying to be healthy. Most people make me feel like I'm too skinny or that I look anorexic or something.
It drives me bananas. I'm within my totally healthy weight range. I still carry some fat where I always did, just not as much. I've been this weight for over a year, and people keep giving me a hard time about it.
But if I gained, you know they would all be whispering about how I failed...it's such a catch 22.
All I can say, is keep doing what is right and healthy for you, and don't worry about what everyone else thinks. Use it as motivation and love yourself.
Darn that bumm! What is up with it!
I usually expect people who have lost weight to not keep it off, a little jaded I guess. I do find it pretty impressive when I come accross someone who has managed to keep it off. But I'm also impressed with people who manage to never gain weight - it is the committment to the lifestyle that impresses me.
I still have weight to lose but I CONSTANTLY feel like I am in the spotlight...it's realy weird, but it's what keeps me going!!!
I have people that don't weigh much more than me (who are on "plans" themselves) and tell me that I look good and don't need to lose anymore...um, I am still over 200 lbs, yeah, I need to lose more...sometimes I think it's just cause they see "old me" still in their heads, but the competitive side of me is like "bitch just wants me to stop so she can beat me"...that keeps me going too, sadly *laughs*
I think there are worse things in life than being awesome and being told that constantly, but pressure is never fun!
MmmmMMmm ketchup chips!! I think it's great that you are such a good influence on him!!
the pressure must be very hard, but in the end you should just feel happy about what you've accomplished and just work to keep yourself at a healthy and happy weight!
I think losing weight is only a small (although tough) part of the equation. Maintenance is the hardest part of all. There is pressure to stay thin because, when you lose lots of weight, people seem to watch you and see if you'll fall off the wagon.
As long as you are happy with yourself, don't worry about anyone else.
I feel the pressure and though some days it scares the crap outta me because I realize if I were to put the weight back on, people would notice 'immediately' and I'd just be another stereotype... most days it helps me to stay on track because I don't want to have to answer to all of those people - or I don't want people who I haven't seen in ages to see me the next time with more weight. So 99% of the time, the pressure works in my favour. :)
I totally relate to this post. I do feel like if I gain the weight I've lost back I'll be letting more people down than just me, and that is both good and bad for my progress. And I've gotten both wonderful support from friends and family, but also an underlying jealous response from a couple friends. Big changes are never easy, even when they're good I guess.
Yes yes and hell yes.
I know my pressure is totally self inflicted. I am so scared to gain the weight back that I am just as obsessed about it now as I was back then.
I think that the minute I let myself relax a little, I will gain it back. And it has happened, so it keeps me on my toes at all times (and on the scale every couple days to "make sure" i'm in range).
such an interesting post.
is it a good ting to feel that youd be letting down more than just yourself (I can see this motivating me!) or not (holy cr** people DO NOT PRESSURE ME is another way I could go...)
MizFit
Hi there, just checking out your blog for the first time - looks great! Congrats on your weight loss! I really like your thoughts on the pressuring of maintaining weight loss. I can definitely relate. I get alot more attention in general now that I've lost weight...I wonder what it will be like once I've hit goal. Definitely makes me uncomfortable.
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