Those of you who have known me for any length of time, know that I've battled my weight for many years. As I move forward in my weightloss journey, I'm trying to be very mindful of my progress while looking back to previous efforts that have failed.
One trend that I became aware of about a year ago is that once someone acknowledges my weight loss, IT STOPS. As soon as someone says "wow, you're losing weight!" or "have lost weight?" or "Hey, you're looking good...what are you doing to lose weight?" I STOPPED. What was it about those compliments that made me change direction...rather than continuing on to more weightloss, I'd reverse directions and pile it all back on and then some!
As I started this journey back in April, that issue was front and center in my thinking. The visible changes weren't evident until recently and I've been challenged with the "compliments" that have derailed my progress in the past. For about a month or so, people close to me have said they've noticed a difference. They've been hesitant to mention it because they're afraid I'll revert back. I will not.
Yesterday was a real challenge for me because I went to an event where I saw people I hadn't seen in a while. Some of them have been following my blog posts while others had no idea of the changes I've been making. I was barraged with the compliments and at first it was so exciting and then it hit me. FEAR. Fear that this might be the time that the compliments send be tumbling backwards.
SO, by posting this fear...I hope to diminish it's power. I remain commited to my weightloss journey. I'm grateful for the friends and family that continue to support my effort and please know that I will not allow the compliments to send me in the wrong direction. Keep them coming....they will NOT have a negative impact on my progress!
Weight Loss
Your honesty is wonderful! I wonder if there are others who have felt this way too. You are doing great.. and remember what you told me.. "You are worth it!"
ReplyDeleteI think it stops because we are drawing attention to ourselves and all the work we are putting into this journey. Drawing attention to ourselves and acknowledging success is a direct conflict in what we're used too. We strive on the negative. We feel we deserve the negative. We feel the negative defines us.
ReplyDeleteYou will not stop because this time is the time you not only acknowledge the success but you acknowledge that you deserve this more than anything else in your life. You draw that line against the negative and you open the door to the positive.
You deserve Kelly.