HOW TO FIGHT ENVY ON YOUR WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY
The biggest problem with weight loss is the fact that everyone around us appears to be eating everything in sight without putting on the pounds. In this article, we will tell you why this is so, and what you can do to put a tight lid on envy so that you can have more time and focus to give your own goals.
Weight loss is, for everyone, a frustrating but ultimately rewarding journey. But sometimes, the frustrations seem to overpower the rewards. One of the greatest hurdles one must fight in order to gain success in weight loss is to conquer the envy that comes from looking around you at all the skinny people who seem to eat all they want and yet don’t put on weight.
We all have that friend who will gorge on a donut or a double-scoop ice cream while we munch on our celery stick or salad. How do we deal with this crushing feeling that the universe has singled us out for punishment? Here are a few ways.
- Metabolism is unique
A person’s metabolism at a certain point in her life is unique to her, and depends on a variety of factors. Genetics is one, and you can’t do much about it. But exercise and healthy eating habits also have a long-term effect on metabolism. The other factor that most people do not take into account is that your skinny friend might have come from a sporting or exercise-related background during her formative years. All of that adds up.
- You don’t know the full picture
In times of envy, we always compare only the other person’s visible traits with ours. For instance, you’re only considering the fact that they’re eating an ice cream while you’re nibbling on something grassy and fibrous, but maybe they hadn’t had breakfast that morning. Maybe they take a lot of care with the amount of food they have during meals, which you do not have. If you compare their complete eating habits with your complete eating habits, you will likely find that they’re eating less than you are.
- Eating unhealthily catches up
Even if your friend happens to be genetically gifted with a huge rate of metabolism, and though she might be currently in a phase of life where she doesn’t need to pay attention to what she’s eating, understand that unhealthy eating habits eventually catch up with the person. After thirty, all of our metabolic rates slow down, and if your friend continues to eat without paying attention to her diet, she will balloon up in her thirties and have a tough time of it in her forties. As for you, since you’re training yourself early to watch what you eat, that will hold you in good stead for life.
- Focus on yourself
Turn the focus back on yourself and your journey. Take pride in the small achievements you’ve earned on the weighing scale and in the appearance of your body. Track your progress, take pictures of yourself every week so that you can refer to them for motivation on days when you feel miserable. Have realistic goals of where you want to be by when, and work patiently towards them. Celebrate your successes humbly, and be grateful for them. The more you do this, the less mental space you will have to look at other people who seem to be doing better than you.
