When to ask for help

No man is an island. Social support is the key to human survival. Studies have shown time and again how important other people are to our lives.

Months ago, I had to sit my husband down and have a talk with him about my feelings about how he eats. I think I've written about it before, so I'll be brief. I felt really deprived when I was watching the way he was eating. He was putting temptation in front of me, and I'm really bad at abstaining from junk when I have easy-access. I had to tell him that I needed his support to lose my weight, and that his eating habits were making it really hard for me, and that it was also putting added strain on our relationship. Since then, I've been trying to redirect him to get him to lose "Mike": our baby that he's carrying. Because he looks like he's pregnant, and Mike talks. It's kinda funny. You can never force someone to do anything, they have to make the decisions for themselves, but you can give them enough encouragement, that eventually they make the decision. My husband is finally there. He said that Mike is going to be gone by Christmas. Then he said by August. I am doubtful about August, but Christmas is nice. He's already lost 10 lbs, without counting points, but by snacking less in the middle of the night.

We've been watching the Tour de France, which is really encouraging for our cycling, because it makes us want to ride more and harder and faster. Which I love. We haven't done an organized ride since May. :-( I gotta get back in the saddle. I haven't ridden in 7 days. :-(

A coworker of mine joined WW a few months ago, and for the first few weeks, she did really well, even getting to her pre-pregnancy weight. But after that milestone, she started gaining weight again. Her life is really hectic right now (divorce), so that's making it even harder. Additionally, half of our coworkers are Islanders. Islanders EAT. They eat and they make enough for everybody. They force you to take their food. It is a LOT of peer/cultural pressure to EAT. One of her best friends is an Islander. So they eat. How can you turn down free-food? Especially when your stress and depression says, "It'll make you feel better?" We've started running laps around the building again, and I rode it with my odometer to determine how many laps to a mile (about 7). When we run, we have the privacy to talk about our stress and our issues. She also asked me to text her every morning to remind her to track her points and what she eats. Right now she says she's barely eating though.

Another woman I know (who is a compulsive/emotional eater and over 350 lbs) has decided to lose weight too. She's started reading the labels of her foods. She's reading the blog for help and inspiration. and she told her boss. Who now makes her take walks around the building on her breaks. and takes the salt shaker away from her when they take lunch breaks. She reports that the more people she tells, the better she's doing. Because they're there to help her. To push, and motivate, and hold her accountable. I am a lot more likely to jog around the building when I have a partner, then when I'm alone. I feel less silly. and we both know we should do it so we force both of us to do it. Instead of it having to be me alone motivating myself. It also gives this woman a great sense of pride because she has people checking in on her. Instead of beating herself up and calling herself names and being depressed about where she is, she has people saying to her "Good job! Great decisions! I'm so proud of you." and she has people that she can talk to, and brag to about how well she's doing. It has done so much for her self-esteem. To take control of her life, to be self-sufficient. She had the opportunity in April to work with a personal trainer for free, and she didn't. :-( But she's taking the help she can get now. Better late than never.