How Different People Notice Weight Loss

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Saturday will mark 2 weeks of my being recommitted to this weight loss journey. I am really seeing progress! In fact, tonight I got my first “notice.” One of the other volleyball Moms said, “You look like you’ve lost weight since I met you a few weeks ago.” She’s a real sweetheart, and I really appreciate her comments. But it reminded me of how entertaining different people are when it comes to recognizing weight loss. So for your enjoyment, please find below my list of  “Different Types of People and How they Notice Weight Loss.”

The Observant Supporter
Like the Mom tonight, they notice subtle changes. They have gotten to know you well enough to know that you are on a weight loss journey. They are looking for progress and will say something as soon as they notice it. This could be an acquaintance or a friend. They either know how hard this is, or they are trying to understand.

The Observant Judger
You’ve seen the looks they give you in the hallway when you slide and gain a few pounds. That head-to-toe glance they give you as they pretend to wish you a good day. Once you’ve made significant progress you might finally get some positive words. They have no idea whatsoever how hard this is. They probably just think you’re lazy and all you do is sit on the couch eating junk. But don’t worry about these guys. I promise they are judging everyone else as well.

The Not-So-Observant Acquaintance
This is one of my favorites. Once you start to lose enough for them to notice, the questions start. “Did you cut your hair?” “Are those new glasses?” “Is that a new blouse?” And you’re just standing there like, “Uh, no. Huh uh. Nope.” The conversation probably ends with “Well, you look great!” LOL.

The Over-Supporting Friend
They may not notice as quickly, they see you too often. But when they do they say things like, “Look how skinny you’re getting!”  “Looking sexy!” “Hot hot hot!” Listen, I know what you’re thinking when they say that. You’re thinking, jeez, I have a long way to go before I’m anywhere near skinny… Don’t be like that. Say thanks, enjoy the compliment. Use it as motivation to stay focused.

The Weight Loss/Fitness Friend
These are the ones that really matter. They are more worried about your mood, attitude and state-of-being than your weight. They notice your weight loss, they may say something or they may not, but it’s all about keeping you on track. In a positive way. They want to know how they can help keep you on track. They want to help push you during your workouts. They want to know why you weren’t there yesterday, but they are never negative. These are your focus friends. These are your cheerleaders. I’m lucky enough to have a bootcamp full of them waiting for me everyday.

In closing, I want to say something about how we sometimes let others’ observations make us feel. I’m not sure how to say it, but I’ll try. We have to recognize that part of our disease is feeling like we don’t deserve compliments. We have spent years hiding behind our fat and it is uncomfortable to be noticed. But remember, this is YOUR weight loss journey. This is about convincing yourself that you deserve to be thin. So the next time someone gives you a compliment, don’t try to second-guess where it came from. Don’t tell yourself you don’t deserve it. Just say, “Thanks!”