5-15lbs away from goal and annoying people

I can relate to the number that is your goal, although my friends don't bug me. I prefer 125-130, and even putting on five pounds makes my pants too tight and makes me feel fluffy. Do you have a lot of social activities that center around food? I do not, which is why my friends have no idea when I'm counting calories or when I'm not. And I make a point not to talk about it.

My biggest piece of advice is not to tell anyone you're dieting or restricting. If they ask why you're not indulging at a party, tell them you already ate. Or tell them you're working on some fitness goals related to weight lifting / getting stronger / getting faster, etc. and that you're following a plan to meet those goals. I recently told someone when I didn't order ice cream while out shopping that "I eat at home in June" because that's when I really sharpen up my fitness (which is true, as I work in education so I have time for a reset in June).

I third the "don't talk about it". I pretty much only talked about weight loss with friends I knew were on a similar wavelength. When I'd lost enough that it started to be visible to others, and someone mentioned it, I'd just say something non-committal and change the subject quickly.

Like you, I'm 5'5". I guess unlike you, I started out just over the line into class 1 obese, at 183 pounds. I'm saying this next not to diss you because I know you'll know how ridiculous it is: Around the time I got to what I guess is your starting weight of 147, I started hearing the "too skinny" "are you anorexic" kind of nonsense, let alone when I approached goal weight.

I think a big part of it is that most people aren't used to seeing someone succeed steadily at weight loss over a semi-short time period, and are used to seeing us as we have been for a long time, so they kind of freak out. That's their problem!

Y'know what? After I'd been at goal weight for a while, everyone lost interest. I was just my regular me, and some even have forgotten I used to be obese, so I sometimes even hear the "you're naturally thin" or "you're so active" (NB I was this active for a dozen years while staying obese), often followed by ". . . so you don't have to think about what you eat". Yeah? No. 😆 I find it kind of hilarious.

There was also a phase in there where some people critiqued my eating habits, claimed I'd given up bread because I sometimes ordered a burger without a bun (WTHeck? I just don't eat sub-par bread, not worth the calories). Or they tried to get me to eat . . . whatever. Also not my problem, rather theirs.

I'd say, don't let other people with silly ideas take up space in your head. Do you. Stay healthy. Laugh at the cake and push it away, change the subject. If they push it after that, it's OK to get gradually more pointed in your replies, but I'd suggest staying on the high road and continuing on to different topics ASAP.

If they're really your friends, they'll get over it once the novelty wears off, or once they understand they can't get under your skin. If it turns out that they were only co-dependent eating buddies instead . . . well, you've learned something useful.

Hang in there, keep going. Succeeding is pretty sweet. 😉