Weight loss can have a funny effect on the people in our lives, and what you'll soon begin to notice as you lose weight is that people in general will start to treat you quite differently as your body starts to slim…. and your confidence starts to soar!
Friends might become frenemies, while total strangers may soon become our biggest admirers and romantic interests. And through it all, this effect your weight loss has on other people can be quite unexpected, confusing, and even stressful – which is why I think you should mentally prepare yourself for it happening – because 9 times out of 10 it will!
Fitness and weight loss enthusiast Tameika shares her story of how it wasn't just other people treating her different after her nearly 100-pound weight loss, but also her treating others different as well:
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After losing the weight, things changed. I had been overweight my entire life and was not ready for the level of attention I started receiving. People who never gave me the time of day before, all of a sudden did. I was still the same person, just in a new body, yet everything felt so different. I was treated way better in the work place, strangers were far nicer, “friends” starting including me in plans, and the same type of man who walked right passed me before, all of a sudden would stop to chat. I had a really hard time deciphering what was authentic and what wasn't... I began to blatantly see just how much emphasis the world places on external beauty and frankly, I wasn’t comfortable with it.
Then, in true human nature, I got sucked into it. I turned obnoxiously superficial .... to try to mold myself into this person that I felt I now "had" be. I started shopping incessantly, putting way too much emphasis on my outer appearance, and the worst part began - the extreme dieting/exercise. All to keep up with this "new me". I started to become the girl who relied on her looks more than what was on the inside... something I had ever done in my life.
Thankfully, after a few years, things changed. My internal transformation happened when I started traveling 5 years ago. My perspective on looks and material possessions changed with every new country I saw. I started visiting developing countries where I couldn't be superficial even I tried lol. I’m now a nomad, sold everything I own, & live out of one suitcase for the majority of the year.
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I started finding deeper meaning in life and became truly confident with what I had to offer this world - looks aside. I got back to the basics and in turn, felt so much more comfortable in my skin!
If you’re entering this process, or on it, I’m just sharing so you can be mindful of this inevitable. Don’t forget about the person you were, all because of the new body you’re in. Use your journey as a message of empowerment and strength. Be happy in your new body, but stay humble and grounded. You have so much more to offer."
Not too long ago I received an email from a young lady expressing similar feelings because one of her closest friends had suddenly become quite negative towards her since she lost a considerable amount of weight. The email was so profound that it inspired me to talk about this issue in my latest Fit 411 episode, and if you’d like to read the email yourself, you can check it out here.
Bottom line, your weight loss will have an impact on people in your life, and that impact – good or bad – is simply a part of the whole healthy living journey itself that you will need to embrace in order to become a healthier and happier individual in the long run. And to better understand what I mean by that, check out my latest FIT 411 episode where I discuss Why People Treat You Different After Weight Loss + How to Handle Jealousy.
Hope you enjoy today’s Fit 411, and if you’re currently on a weight loss/healthy living journey, be sure to check out my premium Dr. Phoenyx nutritional supplements for fit body and healthy hair growth. Last but not least, also be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and website’s Newsletter so you can get your hands on my sweet freebie, Dr. Phoenyx's 4 Rules for Healthy Hair & Fit Body!
Dr. Phoenyx Austin, M.D. is a certified Sports Medicine Specialist and the creator of Dr. Phoenyx brand nutritional supplements for Healthy Hair and Fit Body. Follow Dr. Phoenyx on her website and YouTube channel for fitness, natural beauty and healthy living tips.
