Weight loss sabotage- do you hide your eating?

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  • Angie_Fritts
    Angie_Fritts Posts: 263 Member
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    I have had issues in the past when I have tried to eat healthier than the people around me and them trying to get me to eat things that aren't what I needed or wanted to be eating. They would make comments such as "oh it's only one cookie it won't hurt you" or "you're on vacation, don't worry about it." My response to them and it worked was "If I was an alcoholic would you be trying to get me to drink one beer, etc." So, if you need to be that frank with your school mates then do it. Don't let anyone sabotage the good you are doing for yourself.
  • melbot24
    melbot24 Posts: 347 Member
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    I used to get this at work a lot.
    My co-workers wouldn't even try inviting me to lunch and would say things like "Oh, Melissa brought a HUUUGGEEE salad today so she's can't come out with us."

    Once they saw my success and how dedicated I've been, they quickly changed their tune.

    Don't let anyone stand in the way of your goals.
    You do what you have to to be successful.
    You never know, they just might see your progress and be inspired.
    I've got 4 people from work using MFP now :P
  • HisPathDaily
    HisPathDaily Posts: 672 Member
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    Comments will be made, most likely ... at least initially.

    No, do not hide your healthy lifestyle. There is no shame here, only victory.

    And true friends will support you - and it's those that you need to surround yourself with.
  • vahlkyree
    vahlkyree Posts: 10
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    They always tease me because right after eating I immediately come and long my calories. They now have attempted to lock me out of my office or computer to make me stop. I don't understand their actions because I am doing this to make me healthy.

    Wow. If my co-workers did something like that, I would ask them how old they are! That's just stupid, disrespectful and down-right childish!
  • tonyabw
    tonyabw Posts: 17
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    Luckily, it's not a problem at work since I am training for a 5 K mud run with 3 friends/co-workers and we're all trying to eat healthier. Also at home it's okay b/c my husband and son are very supportive.

    Other family members are a different story, my mom and aunt will say the right things like "wow, you look great!" and "we're so proud of you" but then they offer me sweets at family gatherings or say things like "well, we could go out to eat but I just don't know what you can have and it gets so complicated" like I am being hard to get along with!

    I agree with everyone who has said just do what's best for you and ignore anyone who's being negative!:glasses:
  • Emancipated_Tai
    Emancipated_Tai Posts: 756 Member
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    They need not worry about what you’re eating. What you eat doesn't make them **it. I just posted earlier about how I get attacked for wanting to eat healthy, but it’s your life not theirs. Hey, maybe you will motivate them to get healthy as well. Best of luck!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Focus your comments and replies on health, rather than weight. It's much harder for someone to say "you don't need to get any healthier" than it is to say "you don't need to lose any more weight".
  • tonyabw
    tonyabw Posts: 17
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    I have had issues in the past when I have tried to eat healthier than the people around me and them trying to get me to eat things that aren't what I needed or wanted to be eating. They would make comments such as "oh it's only one cookie it won't hurt you" or "you're on vacation, don't worry about it." My response to them and it worked was "If I was an alcoholic would you be trying to get me to drink one beer, etc." So, if you need to be that frank with your school mates then do it. Don't let anyone sabotage the good you are doing for yourself.

    I like this reply!!!! I might have to borrow this for my next family gathering!
  • sjohnson887
    sjohnson887 Posts: 1
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    This is for you and only you!!!!!!!!! Do not let snide comments get to you if they end up saying something. Friends should not make you feel bad about your goal of losing weight. If they have a problem and give you a hard time, well frankly, I think it is time to upgrade your friends. Just let them know what your goals are, and go from there :D
  • kadins_momma07
    kadins_momma07 Posts: 328 Member
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    At first my husband would be like " are you really measuring that?" or" are you really counting out how many nuts/crackers/chips (whatever it was i was counting that day). And I tell him, or anyone else who asks, yes I'm really measuring/counting this. He's totally supportive of me now that he sees I'm sitcking to it and this is what I'm going to be doing every day! You don't need to explain yourself to anyone, but if you must then just tell them you want to be healthier and be the best person you can be. Ignore the haters :)
  • durpnurp
    durpnurp Posts: 8
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    It sucks that some people do that, but they do. I lost a lot of weight the first time I was in college and my roommate was terrible. First class saboteur. Knowing I was losing weight and eating better, she'd go pick up fried potato wedges or fried chicken strips and bring back "extra" for me. She hadn't done that at all the entire semester until I started losing. I moved out after a while, realizing my health was way more important than what she thought of me. She was the worst-case though.

    I think most people might not even necessarily realize they are doing it or making you feel bad. You have to have some great dedication and will-power to lose weight the right way. It's like subconsciously, they wish they had the same. Be ready for it. Stay strong and after a week or so, it will become normal, no one will even notice anymore.
  • zaithyr
    zaithyr Posts: 482 Member
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    My husband teases me for my eating sometimes because he's a big eater. He made fun of me the other day for drinking skim milk. I admit- I don't like skim milk nearly as much as whole milk but I switched because it's less fat and calories. I bought him 2% even just so he wouldn't complain about drinking it and he still had something to say *eyeroll*. I buy the food and cook the meals though so he's gonna eat healthy at home or he can run away to mcdonalds lol
  • nightsrainfall
    nightsrainfall Posts: 244 Member
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    I agree with all the other comments. But if it really does bother you, you could try to switch what you are eating. I eat a large volume of food at work and only have it come out to be 450 calories. Spinach/lettuce, etc have a very low amount of calories, good nutrition, but 1 cup is only 10 calories. Now people make comments to salads & losing weight, or fruits & veggies to losing weight - but all you have to say is I'm trying to get my servings in and they will pip down, cause most people don't get their fruit & veggies.

    Anyway hope things get better for you. Also maybe say you are trying to eat healthier - get in calcium, iron, vitamins, and who knows? Maybe they will try to start eating healthier too. Some of my friends & coworkers did. :-)
  • xarla16
    xarla16 Posts: 84 Member
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    I agree with all the other comments. But if it really does bother you, you could try to switch what you are eating. I eat a large volume of food at work and only have it come out to be 450 calories. Spinach/lettuce, etc have a very low amount of calories, good nutrition, but 1 cup is only 10 calories. Now people make comments to salads & losing weight, or fruits & veggies to losing weight - but all you have to say is I'm trying to get my servings in and they will pip down, cause most people don't get their fruit & veggies.

    Anyway hope things get better for you. Also maybe say you are trying to eat healthier - get in calcium, iron, vitamins, and who knows? Maybe they will try to start eating healthier too. Some of my friends & coworkers did. :-)

    Thanks everyone for all the advice. I know this whole thing shouldn't be bothering me, because I'm doing it for myself but I can't help it I do care because I know that it will cause me stress when I'm actually in the situation. I wish it was as simple as avoiding someone, because I would do that, but the program that I am doing has a cohort and because it is a fast track program and very intensive we basically live, eat and breathe together.

    I think maybe I'll start eating a little differently though. I have been eating a bowl of cereal for lunch most days, and it is a lot more noticeable to eat one serving of cereal than a nice big salad. I won't hide my healthy eating, but I realize now there are a lot of ways I can probably deflect their comments ie I'm trying to eat healthier, build muscle, etc.

    In the end I guess it doesn't really matter what they say, as long as I don't let it affect my progress.
  • mogletdeluxe
    mogletdeluxe Posts: 623 Member
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    Everyone's already said what I think! Isn't it sad, though, that you improving your health could be perceived in a negative way? It's when you dig deeper and realise why people (and, in my experience, it's women 99% of the time) are doing it that it becomes really sad.

    I've said it in a post before, but if anyone gets rude I answer with a curt "I'm extending my life expectancy". That usually works.
  • Siannah
    Siannah Posts: 456 Member
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    No one bar my husband knew that I was logging calories. I would do it either beforehand or afterwards, but I wouldn't have a meal with other people, and then pull out my phone to log it all. It's only drawing attention to it then and quite frankly, it's boring to other people.

    I would just continu what you're doing now and if you get any comments, answer very briefly and then swiftly move on to another subject.
  • Maggie821
    Maggie821 Posts: 55 Member
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    I encounter "negative" people on a daily basis...and even the people that love you will try and throw you off track. I don't know if it's intentional, but it is so frustrating that you have to battle them on top of everything else! I mentioned added more "vegan" into my diet last week, and the man I live with immediately went out and loaded the house with meat and even worse, bags and bags of of tortilla chips and jars of salsa! WTH???? It has been a struggle this week, and I haven't won all the battles. And this is the week before my HM...which makes it even more frustrating.

    But, I can't let it get me down....so I am getting back on track today!!!! Just logged my breakfast and workout and have a full day planned of healthy meals! You can do it....you are on the right track....and just remember, if you do get off track occasionally, you can get right back to it!!!
  • snookumss
    snookumss Posts: 1,451 Member
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    I get picked on for measuring my food all the time. It doesn't matter! Who cares what they think?! If your worried, prepack your foods so you don't have to deal with them about that part... and tell people your diet requires smaller more frequent meals.

    It doesn't matter what they say... if they are rude, I'd not talk to them!
  • kototo
    kototo Posts: 49 Member
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    They always tease me because right after eating I immediately come and long my calories. They now have attempted to lock me out of my office or computer to make me stop. I don't understand their actions because I am doing this to make me healthy.

    Wow. If my co-workers did something like that, I would ask them how old they are! That's just stupid, disrespectful and down-right childish!

    Time for some supportive friends.. you will go further and faster in life with people around you who love you and support you than you ever will with just one toxic person hanging around your neck.....
    you know whats right.. do it.
  • childofbodom123
    childofbodom123 Posts: 175 Member
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    If I was you, I would not worry about what those people think but I would feel sorry for them instead. How boring and uninspiring must they be if they only take pleasure in pointing out moments in other people's lives.

    You just focus on yourself and getting yourself healthy, if they want to pass comment or judgement on you then let them, how perfect they must be that the only thing they see as worth doing in a day is to comment and judge other people! You will always have the last laugh and last word :smile:

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