NO ONE UNDERSTANDS! Have you ever felt that way?

4th February 2015

Just because you don't understand doesn't mean it isn't so!

Sometimes the more you want to lose weight, the harder it seems to be!  The more you try, the less you seem to see a result because as much as you try it's just not happening.  Then you start to put pressure on yourself, think you're hopeless and then start to feel completely helpless. And unfortunately that sometimes leads to you giving up even trying at all.

When I see that happen to members, I so want to be able to get them to 'hear' me but I know that they've just stopped listening, how do I know, well, because I've been that member, I've stood listening to the leader at the scales thinking. "you don't understand!"  Because right at that moment I didn't think anyone understood, I didn't think anyone could possibly understand what was going on in my head, because at that time to be honest, even I didn't! 

Yes weight loss can be the toughest challenge when you're struggling with it!  I truly believe some people will just never understand that feeling unless they've been there, I also think sadly sometimes some people find a way out (which is a great thing) but forget that feeling and they lose their empathy.

When you are in that dark, the "I just can't do this" place, and I'm not just talking about a bad day, I'm talking about weeks, maybe months of getting up and starting your 'diet' then by teatime caving and overeating, some suggestions just seem ridiculous.  Such as, "Go back to basics", "If foods the problem, try being more active".

When you're in that place, you know what needs to happen, you know it's not a diet it's a lifestyle change, but you just can't seem to make it happen; we know that in order to make changes happen, we have to make the change!  But when you're in that "I just can't do this" place, that just sounds like sarcasm, even when it isn't implied in that way.  I find my mind screaming "If only it was that easy!  I'm overweight not bloody stupid!  I know how to do it, I'm just for some reason that I don't really know, not doing it am I!"  And then I'd walk away from that conversation screaming in my head and thinking "aaahhhhh they don't understand".

Does that sound familiar to any of you?

So what do we do when we feel that way, Oh ma'an if I had the answer, I'd share it, if it was a one size fits all solution, I'd write it down and give it away for free because I know how much inner turmoil that confusion in the mind causes.  It's just the worst place to be when you really, really want to lose weight! 

So what do I do?  I can tell you that much.  It's changed over the years, 12 years ago, I'd have (actually I did) walked away, said 'stuff it' and ate myself silly!  Then last time I did that, it lasted for a year and I went from just under 9 stone to almost 14 stone!  Yep in 12 months, oh yeah, I got overeating down to a fine art and I didn't even do it purposely, I just stopped caring about my health and my diet.  I started eating convenience food, stopped cooking and drank more wine with no consideration how many calories was in any of it!  Yes that was the old me.

The new me, gives herself a break, firstly I acknowledge what's happening, I accept it and I realise it isn't just me, there are millions of people that struggle in this way.  I remember that if weight loss was easy then most of the population wouldn't be overweight!  Then I take a big deep breathe and ask myself what can I do?  Sometimes the answers "Today, NOTHING!" and I say okay, we'll rethink tomorrow, and I keep doing that until I get a better answer.  Sometimes it'll be just eating a healthy breakfast, or trying to drink more water, or cutting out a glass of wine.  Monday it was going for a walk, this week it's tracking even though I'm having more than my 26pp a day.  I find if I can track it makes me aware of where I'm straying and then I can think about how I can try to sort that out.  Having said that tracking hasn't happened for quite a while because that wasn't one of the things I felt able to do.

The one thing I don't do now is give up!

Never give up because that's like giving up on yourself, on your health and happiness and that's just not allowed - yep that's the only time I will tell you with 100% sincerity that you're not allowed to react! 

When I feel like that I try to remember all the positives about myself and my life and it helps, so if you are that person at this moment, please take it from me, it doesn't make you wrong or bad or hopeless, it makes you human and BeYOUtiful.

The most famous weight loss legend in the word who started everything that is Weight Watchers, the one and only Jean Nidetch was a size 44 when she started her weight loss journey, when she started her support group to help others lose weight, they all did it together, and the group met every week, following the same diet. As Jean lectured away, part mother hen, part advocate, part comedian, the group kept on growing. On October 30, 1962 Jean Nidetch reached her weight loss goal: down 72 pounds to 142, dress size from 44 to 12. And her friends did well, too.  Soon after Jean founded WEIGHT WATCHERS, INTERNATIONAL. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Weight loss is easier with support, so please don't ever think you're alone, don't even feel that it's just you.  It isn't, this is hard and that's why Together Is Better!