People who decide to shed unwanted pounds often have to fight not only themselves but also those who should be, as it would seem, support their efforts. A recent research demonstrated that friends and family tend to sabotage your losing weight and newly acquired healthy habits, thus putting roadblocks on the path to a good-looking body.

Friends and family may sabotage your weight loss, but it’s possible to navigate through challenges

North Carolina State University has recently undertaken a study which highlights the unexpected challenges which persons who have resolved to slim down will go through.

People in your surrounding may subconsciously or consciously do things that are not helpful to your reaching the goal, hence becoming your weight loss saboteurs, Science Daily reported. This study as well highlights strategies which those people use to fight interpersonal challenges in relation to weight loss.

Lynsey Romo who is an assistant NC State professor as well as the leading author of the paper says that often once an individual starts shedding pounds, co-workers, family and friends tend to undermine his efforts.

The person on a mission to slim down is constantly exposed to friends and family sabotaging weight loss. An experience referred to as lean stigma was found out to be what really these people go through. It may be snide remarks on healthy eating habits or someone telling that you will surely gain the lost pounds back.

So, if you feel, “Gosh, this friend is sabotaging my diet!” — you may be right.

Romo undertook 40 in-depth interviews which involved people who had reported to be previously overweight or obese. The participants included 21 women and 19 men. On average the participants lost 76.9 pounds during their quest.

Romo adds that all 40 participants reported that people belittled them for their efforts to get thinner. Such behavior is so negative and mainly results from the “lean stigma”, the study points out.

Scientists warn that friends and family may sabotage your weight loss.

Weight loss family support

Even in cases where you fail to get support, you probably wish to maintain the relationship. There are communication strategies that can assist.

1. One helped others to “save face” and be OK with the person on the mission getting slimmer.
2. The second strategy was aimed on removing discomfort others could be experiencing around them, given their newly adapted lifestyle choices.

Such techniques on avoiding discomfort included informing the others of the rationale to slim down and intentions why they were doing it.

The participants also reported that they took steps of not revealing the lifestyle change scope through taking small portions of unhealthy dishes, when eating out with the family, accepting food given by other people and keeping it or having a “cheat day” when going out with friends.

Basically, the person who was changing his lifestyle to a healthier version, was making excuses for his behavior, explaining that it was giving him more energy or was required for health reasons. They also were making it clear they were not judgemental of other people’s lifestyles.

Read also:

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• Unhealthy habits steal 6 years of your life: How lack of exercise, bad food, cigarettes, and excess alcohol affect you