The people around you can help you lose weight or they can keep you fat. They can be your allies in your struggle with weight or your enemies.
Now, some of these weight loss enemies don’t mean you any harm. Some of them may even be people who are close to you. They can be friends and family members. They actually want the best for you.
However, they just because they’re so close to you, they can have a tremendous influence over you and quickly demolish any weight loss diet.
So, who are these people and how can you stop them from ruining your diet efforts?
1. The Food Pusher
This is probably a person who loves you. But the Food Pusher also loves the food he or she makes and they take it personally if you don’t seem to appreciate it by eating enormous amounts of it.
The food pusher will keep on placing more and more food on your plate. Protesting may quickly lead to a scene so it’s easy to give up and simply stuff yourself silly. Although the food itself can be quite tasty, the sheer amount of it is enough to put any diet at risk. Although eating a lot can be all right on ocassion (and may even be a part of the plan like the EODD diet).
So, you should stay away from food pushers or make a commitment to not let them pile you with food.
2. The Drinking Buddy
Nearly all of us have at least one of these friends. They’re the ones who simply love to drink alcohol every time you go out. It’s their way to unwind and have fun. However, if you’re trying to lose weight, alcohol is your enemy. Not only are alcoholic drinks often rich in calories, the alcohol itself also delays fat burning. You can read more about it here: why alcohol makes you fat.
The problem is that your drinking buddy is often one of the nicest people to hang out with. However, you should simply suggest a different sort of outing and, if you do go to a bar, limit your alcohol consumption as much as possible.
3. The Doubter
The doubter is someone who isn’t very optimistic when it comes to the chances of you losing weight. Either they doubt the method you decide to use or they simply doubt your ability to succeed at all. Often, this comes from a frank desire to “keep you from disappointment”. However, having your efforts doubted every step and turn can destroy your motivation and ruin your self-confidence.
You need to not let the Doubters around you ruin your self-belief. You need to be confident and strong and you will be able to change your body.
4. The Muncher
Similarly to your drinking buddy, the Muncher can be a close friend but hanging out with them can ruin any diet. Munchers love to eat. Often, they eat a lot of small things and your time with them involves a lot of food. Some Munchers are avid sports fans and watching a game with them is often accompanied by pretzels, nuts, beer, pizza, ice-cream, fried chicken, etc. It’s easy to consume hundreds of extra calories during just one evening with a Muncher. Be extra careful.
5. The Know it All
The Know it All loves to correct people. He or she is always smarter or more informed than you are. They will tell you what to eat or they will advise you to change how you exercise, all based on their belief in their own infinite wisdom and little else.
The problem with listening to a Know it All is that they can confuse the heck out of you. Similar to the Doubters, they will make you question your current routine, even if it’s one taught by a real expert, and will make it harder to stick to your plan.
If you have Know-It-All friends, be as vague as possible about your diet plan so they won’t have anything to correct.
In conclusion
I’m not telling you to avoid anyone you care about just because you want to lose weight. Your friends and family are very important. However, you need to stay focused on your goals with a positive mindset and not let anyone, even those who love you, distract you from your goals. So, choose carefully who you turn for advice and support while trying to lose weight. Stick to those who can give you a balanced and constructive advice and avoid those people who can keep you fat.