Date: 8/13/17 Weight: Down 116 pounds

"You gotta live a little!” “Just eat the cheeseburger!” “You can totally have the pizza, just eat some!” Just a few things I hear on an almost daily basis. As if eating well and working out regularly wasn’t hard enough, you gotta deal with the questions and pressure of others to do things you’ve been trying so hard not to do.

I know most people mean well, but it’s tough! When everyone goes out to lunch and you don’t want to go because you’re trying to stay on track or you do go and you get pressured to go off your plan because everyone is all like “come on, you gotta live!” Which I absolutely agree, by the way, you do gotta live and eat the things you want…but on your terms. I really think this is why so many diets get busted, those around us nudging us off the path. Its really taken me a LONG time to get stronger than the peer pressure. I don’t really get my feelings hurt anymore or give in as easily. My journey is about me, not about them. And I’ve worked VERY hard to get as far as I’ve come, and I’m not gonna let someone lure me away with some pizza I didn’t even want.

Some people don’t mean any harm, but some do. I had someone I considered to be one of my very close friends really start to get nasty with me at the beginning of my weight loss journey. It started out small, she’d get mad because I was out walking so much. Then she started getting angry because she thought I looked better than her when we would go out. Even one night we went out to dinner and she ordered a desert for me without asking me so I’d have to eat it. Needless to say, we’re no longer friends. Which is sad, we should empower each other, not tear each other down. But it happens, and it’s a good way to get rid of all the toxic things in your life…because unfortunately, sometimes it’s people too, not just the food. Here’s me one week into my current weight loss journey almost 6 years ago.. And here’s me 2 weeks ago hiking to the summit of a mountain in Alaska… If I can change my life around, you can too! Speak up if the people around you are pressuring you to do things you don’t want and it’s hurting your progress. The right people will support you, and you don’t need the people in your life that won’t. Amanda