You may have experienced something similar. Sometimes it’s subtle –- an eye-roll or a sarcastic comment. Sometimes it’s more damaging, creating an environment that runs counter to what you’re trying to accomplish.
Some signs of sabotage:
- Your husband brings home a seven-layer chocolate cake to celebrate your 10-pound weight loss
- Your wife laughs when you tell her you’re going on a diet and says, "You? Stick with a diet? Good one!"
- Your partner, knowing you’re on a diet, takes you to a restaurant that only serves fried cheese and beer
- Your mother-in-law frowns when you turn down her homemade gravy, saying, "My other son-in-law loves my gravy.”
- Your mother hands you a plate of lasanga and says, “You’re too thin and I spent hours making this just for you."
Stop the Sabotage
- Communication. Talking to your partner, the same way my husband talked to me, may be enough to make her aware of what she's doing.
- Ask for support. People will often respond better to a request for help rather than an attack.
- Use your strength. If you can’t get support, draw on your own strength to keep going in spite of it. Keep a food and exercise journal and remind yourself of your goals. In the end, you’re in charge of your own choices. People can make those choices harder for you, but they can’t make them for you.
