Lack of Support or Failure to Understand?
I’ve read it over and over and over, on this site and elsewhere. "I’m trying to workout, eat clean, etc., but my wife, husband, family, girlfriend, friends (list goes on), doesn’t support me." Until today, I didn’t think I had much to say on the subject, but after responding to a "friend’s" message, I realized I did, hence, the subject of today’s blog….
It was December, 2005 - winter break - when I decided to "get serious" about my weight. I didn’t tell anyone of my decision, just made it and got busy. I probably weighed around 180, give or take a few pounds. I had to force myself to go the gym consistently and I really didn’t know what "clean" eating was.
For the next few months (until the end of school, I guess) I made some progress, lost about 25 to 30 pounds and was feeling pretty good about myself, but knew I could do better.
Then, starting in June, I made more drastic changes…read up on clean eating and changed my diet…started seriously lifting weights. I made REAL progress over the summer. I was really transforming not only my body, but my mind.
So you’re thinking…what does this have to do with lack of support? I’m getting to that…
My family has always "supported" me. I mean, my husband never complained about my time at the gym or what I ate. I didn’t force it on anyone else. I did my thing and the rest of the family did theirs. BUT, I don’t think they truly grasped why I was doing what I did. My husband thought I must be trying to impress someone else. I started hearing comments from friends and family like "one meal isn’t gonna make a difference" or "you eat the same thing everyday" or "we had chicken last night" or "it’s all about you" or, you get the picture…
But, I stuck to it regardless.
Today, I don’t hear those comments so much and (hopefully) my husband knows that it’s not about someone else. My husband and I go to the gym together when we can. He has changed his diet. My daughter has started going to the gym. My son doesn’t complain about what we eat, he just fixes himself something different or eats elsewhere (16 year old).
What brought them around? My perserverance, my determination that, no matter what, I was doing this, my consistency, MY RESULTS.
So…my advice is this…continue working hard and eating clean and know that with a healthier body comes a healthier, happier life. Don’t worry so much what others think because life is too short for that. Be consistent and persevere. Let the results speak. Others will take notice and start to understand. And with understanding often comes support.
