What to say back when friends/family bring you down

It sounds to me that they are just jealous. You are losing weight and they aren't. I wouldn't worry about it, you are doing it for all the RIGHT reasons, so just keep it up! As long as you are happy and healthy, who cares what others think? Maybe your success could inspire them? Good luck!!

"I appreciate your input but I'm doing what I feel is best for me."

I'm not sure if anyone has had to deal with this or not so I'm kind of stumped on what to do or say back.

I come from a very obese family, and as much as I love them, they drive me nuts when an undo conversation comes up about my weight. Mind you, I've mostly been fairly thin around 120-135lbs most my life and had lean muscle. My lowest was a size 6/7 and I wouldn't want to be any thinner than that - I was extremely happy physically. However, since my time serving in the military for 5 years and recently tried the birth control shot, my weight went up fairly quickly to where it is now at 195lbs. Most of this weight was gained in a 9 month period and I was already maintaining at around 140-150lbs since I got out of training in early 2007. Now obviously since I gained weight so quickly, I feel crappy and generally unhappy with my body and I want to strive to get back down to my weight before I joined the military which was in the 120lb's. I would think anyone would be understanding of that especially when I get comments all the time asking if I'm pregnant - which is just hurtful to say the least. And, it would be nice to fit into some of my clothes again since I can't fit into the mass majority of them.

Instead of support from family or friends, I'm getting some backlash that I looked anorexic before and should stay where I'm at, or that I look healthier now etc etc. And what my family doesn't understand is that I want to lose weight because of how I feel and not because of what they think is good for me and not because of a number (I don't tell them my goal weight but that I want to be where I was at before the military.) Mind you that I've also been an avid gym member for years, and even when I would tell them years ago I was off to the gym they always ASSUMED it was because I wanted to lose weight and not that I was doing it for health reasons or that I had lost 30lbs and was striving to maintain a healthy weight - so I always got a lot of flack for just going to work out at the gym.

When you have a family history full of anything from diabetes and heart disease, I'd think they'd be more understanding that I want to prevent all that misery. Considering most of my family members start having health issues before they're 20 years old, I have none to date except sinus and some allergies. Even with all this negativity around me, I do strive to be somewhat more of a roll model for my family. I wish they would just get that it's not all about pizza and twinkies, and they could prevent most of their ailments or improve them through exercise and diet. But heck if I were to get cancer in 5 years, they'd say it was my diet and exercise that got me there!

What do you say when you have some difficult family or friends bringing you down about your diet or fitness goals? Here's an old picture of me at 120ish pounds:

They are the ones with major issues. I can imagine how difficult it would be/is to live with unsupportive family/friends. But, as others have said, you are doing this for the right reasons and the only thing you can do is keep on striving to be that good role model. Maybe one day when they're giving you flack say something like, "Has is ever occurred to you that I FEEL better when I workout and eat right? When's the last time you felt absolutely fantastic??" And then when they have to think about it or get silent, "Yeah, that's what I thought!"

Oh, and that picture of you when you were around 120 looks nothing anorexic at all. Sexy, healthy and beautiful . . . good luck to you! :flowerforyou: