Charlotte had a great post this week about sabotage and the various reasons why we might not be supportive to friends & family in their efforts to live a fit lifestyle. This post really hit home with me as I feel like there are several saboteurs in my life. (Many of them are probably reading this blog, so please leave me a comment to say “hi” if you recognize yourself, okay?)
Food pushers: these are people that just cannot understand why you do not want to eat potato skins or mozzarella sticks as an appetizer. They want you to help devour the Bloomin’ Onion while disregarding the fact that it has 2300 calories and 134 grams of fat! They are always telling you to get seconds or thirds, despite repeating over and over that you are full.
The food pushers love food, but only the unhealthy kind. How about greeting us with a plateful of fruit instead of a pile of nachos the next time we come to your house? This way, I won’t have to decline and you won’t feel slighted. (and a note to the brownie maker– I do appreciate a good brownie, but please do not leave me with a freshly baked batch when you are leaving town for a week. Thanks!)
The couch potatoes: They think exercise is a dirty word. They will go out of their way to sabotage your workout and make you feel bad for wanting to even exercise in the first place. Someone actually told me that I am endangering my health because I like to exercise? What?!
The couch potatoes are just that. They sit on the couch and tell you how awful they feel, yet they do nothing to change it. They are saving you a spot on that sofa because misery loves company. No thanks, I’d rather enjoy a good walk than sit in front of the TV all day/night long.
The food police: they track every morsel of food that you eat and comment on everything. Generally, they are always on a diet themselves and want you to join them in their hunger. It is about a healthy lifestyle people. I can eat a slice of birthday cake and enjoy it. Please do not make me feel self conscious about it by exclaiming “Lisa is eating cake?!”
Please do not comment on items that might be in my grocery cart either. I am not perfect, I enjoy a good snack every now and then and don’t need YOU pointing out the fact that I am not making the healthiest choices. Again, I am human and will need years of therapy to make up for comments from the food police.
The skeptics: these are the people that are suspicious of everything you do. If you suddenly pass on seconds or dessert, you are labeled with an eating disorder. If you like to get up early to exercise, you are considered a freak. And my new personal favorite–being selfish. I have been accused of being selfish because I take time away from my family to exercise. Silly me, I thought I was adding years to my life by being active!
What about you gang, do you have any saboteurs in your life?