[Chesh97]

AGHhhhh Talk about a challenge alright...Seriously, peer pressure has got to be the toughest. In the past I had made a habit of heading out to my buddie's bar on Thursday's for $5 - "All-U-Can_Eat" wings with some other friends and co-workers to grab some chicken wings & beers. Damn good chicken wings too... Well Now, I am on my diet, and when "the friends" ask you about going and you decline by saying your on a diet... They say crap like.. Oh now come on.. you know you want to.. or Oh, you can cheat a little... Aggghhhhh I just want to scream sometimes. Trust me fellas, I would love to go eat Deep fried chicken wings and consume 500 calories in Miller lite.. but I just started my diet! Same with candy...people buy a box of chocolates, then beg you to eat some... and you have to continually tell them..NO I'm watching my calorie intake... "But, but, there's only 140 calories.. and that's for 3 pieces.... It's like they DON'T GET IT!!!

Anyone else run into these problems.... Just needed to vent I think!

[terilyn61]

Been there done that & bought the tee shirt. It is very hard to deal with in the beginning but remember one thing. You are not on a diet, you are on a life journey. And on this journey you are going to run into this time and time again. The key is how are you going to handle it. Start training yourself now to be able to go into these situations and handle them the way that works for you. Is it hard????? Oh yeah of course but again it is part of life. I use to say to my husband all of the time "I hate skinny people"! Then I realized I was judging them for being thin the way I didn't want to be judged for being fat. So I had to learn to understand that thin people really don't understand how you feel. Until you walk in someone's shoes you will never truly understand how they feel. So try to remember that. I have been at this for almost a year now and it is still hard sometimes. I had to sit there and have a talk with myself just last night so I wouldn't run into the kitchen and eat something. And I'm not taking phen anymore so it was kind of hard but I did it. And so can you. It will get easier simply because you will figure out what situations to go into and which ones not to. And just try to have patience with the thin ones and of course continue to come here and vent that's what we are all here for !

[Resmoo]

Trust me, those feelings will fade over time. One thing I learned being a damn near professional dieter these last 20 years is that I no longer engage other people in my diet plans. The conversation always ends up in a battle as your friends try to sabotage your efforts. It's a weird phenomenon...they fear change.

In the beginning of my journey, I kind of hibernated...avoided dinner parties and bars until I thought I could handle it. Sure enough, once I dropped a noticable amount of weight, like 30 pounds...and started going out again...those same friends were like "How are you doing it?"

[Resmoo]

Good morning...we posted at the same time. Bought the T shirt....you're killing me.

Anyway, Chesh, she's right - you are in training for life...another good tip is to re-program your brain to think "lifestyle choice" not "diet."

[terilyn61]

Hey girlie girl! What's shakin this morning? Even after re-programming my brain I still find myself regressing sometimes. I was thinking this morning about taking another picture and caught myself saying to myself "naw I look fat"! What da heck? I am 69 pounds thinner and still see a fat girl! Hello, calling all shrinks, calling all shrinks! Someone please come help the fat in the head girl! Do we ever get over it? LOL.....sometimes you gotta wonder.

[insearchofme]

I agree with everything Terilyn and Resmoo said. I also think that people who engage in unhealthy behavior LOVE to entice others to join in. When I was thin and I would go out with "friends" they would question my food choices and jokingly remark that I was exhibiting "anorexic" behavior. As if turning down extra bread and saying no dessert was an undeniable sign that I had an eating disorder. I have never been a drinker so when I would say no to that as well I was then labeled a "dud" or a "geek." I have learned to let what others think or say roll right off my back. At the end of the day when I look at myself in the mirror I can say with I like who I am and others can take it or leave it. I will not give in to silly junior high behavior because others appear hurt or the least bit taken aback by my unwillingness to follow the crowd. I enjoy walking to the beat of a different drum that is just who I am. Losing weight is often times a lonely journey, while others can guide you and cheer you on ultimately YOU have to LOVE yourself enough to want a better life. Once you get through that part of the journey you will see that there is not a beer or a plate of wings that can keep you from reaching your goal. Embrace your new lifestyle with everything you have a know that this is the BEST gift you will ever receive. You have done this before, this time DO NOT allow anything or anyone keep from dropping those last 20lbs.

Feel free to vent whenever you need to---we are all here for you!!

Renee

[libby0920]

people try to sabotage you...especially your friends. sometimes subconsciencly and other times on purpose. you just have to be strong and eventually they will stop. i know its hard my friends and i always went out to eat, and now i havent been out to eat with them in a little over a week because i dont want to be pressured into eating an extra roll at o'charleys or whatever. so JUST STAY STRONG YOU GOT THIS... your the one on the diet not them, and they need to respect that

[Raquel]

Oh yeah ... I so know. Friends will bring me a Dairy Queen Blizzard when dropping by (because they have one etc)

Besides the advice given above ... I'd like to add - Don't Stop Living Your Life! Enjoy times out w/ friends,
use the PHEN to give you portion control.

Be prepared --- eat really LIGHT that day, double up on your water ... then Eat and Drink and Be Merry in moderation w/ your buddies. But the reality is ... you have to eat LIGHT again the next day, get in extra exercise. etc.