Stop Telling People to Lose Weight

Saturday, October 6. 2007

Stop Telling People to Lose Weight

On her blog, Losing Leelee points out what everyone should know;


When people tell you to lose weight

First of all, overweight/obese people do think about it or at least attempted to lose once in their life. It is not that they don't want to, it's deeper than those words, 'lose weight'. Being overweight myself, I can tell that it is not easy to change yourself. To lose weight, you have to find the core of the problem of your weight gain. It varies for every individual. My problem was stress and boredom. Whenever I was frustrated I would stop what I was doing and head towards the fridge. Eating took my mind off work because it was an excuse to take a break. Then there were times when I had nothing else on my mind that I would think of what to eat. In the end I paid the fridge another visit. It took me about 3 years to stop this habit by going on different diet plans (took me a while to find one that suited me). I wasn't losing much at the beginning, but I gained knowledge in return.


When people tell you to lose weight when you are losing weight

I understand people can't read your mind to know that you are losing weight. But the fact that some of those who know you have lost weight will tell you to lose more weight, or imply it. For instance, when I had lunch with a few friends I remarked how stuffed I was. It didn't take long for someone to say 'you should lose a bit of weight'. Uh yes, I am already working on that, thank you! And what's wrong with me anyway? After feeling refreshed from losing 20 over pounds at the time, did you think I looked as big as ever? See, when you dictate to people on what to do, especially a delicate matter such as weight, it agitates them. Why? Weight is also an emotional part of us. Ask anyone who has been taunted at school as an overweight child, left out among a group of friends, mocked while walking down to their local shop because of their weight.

Sometimes talking about the past hurts, and on top of that having people tell you what and what not to do is degrading another.



See her weight loss blog here.