Has Anyone Ever Sabotaged Your Weight Loss Efforts?

The holidays are a tough time of year when it comes to weight loss. Holiday parties, baking, and the stress of the season make it easy to get off track. One thing that can help you stay focused and working toward your goals is a strong support system. It's important to have family and friends around you who will celebrate your successes and help pick you up when you fall. But what happens when someone in your life becomes more of a negative influence on your weight loss than a positive one? What do you do?

Sometimes we have people in our lives who help sabotage our weight loss efforts without even realizing what they are doing (like  friends). Then there are others who sabotage for different reasons. Sometimes loved ones are afraid of change, so they might feel threatened by the new healthy habits you're developing. Or maybe they are jealous that you are doing something they haven't had the courage to attempt.

If you have someone like this in your life, it's important to recognize their behaviors and develop a plan to manage how much influence they have on yours. Do you feel comfortable talking to this person about what's going on and how they might better support you? If not, can you create a game plan to manage the situation? For instance, if you know your friend is going to suggest your favorite fast food restaurant for dinner, think of a few other options or pick something healthy from the menu ahead of time. Even though it can be stressful, there are ways to successfully deal with weight loss saboteurs.

Has someone close to you ever tried to sabotage your weight loss efforts? How did you handle the situation?