You expected nothing but praise for your impressive weight loss journey, but instead, you’re stunned by the negative reactions from people who don’t seem to appreciate your success. I hear this all the time, and I’ve lived it myself. Whether it’s rooted in genuine concern or bitter jealousy, it’s tough for some to accept their once-overweight friends’ slimmer, healthier bodies. It’s almost ironic—once someone starts edging towards a healthier weight, people suddenly panic with comments like, “You’re too thin!” or “Are you sick?” While extreme weight loss can sometimes be a concern, this is far from the norm in my decades of experience working with tens of thousands of people worldwide.
What strikes me as even more ironic is that those who are quick to criticize weight loss often remain silent when their loved ones are overweight. Where was all this concern when those extra pounds were causing real health risks? Conversations about weight gain are indeed tricky, but carrying even 20 extra pounds can lead to serious issues like heart disease, joint pain, depression, and more. Yet, no one speaks up when that’s happening.
I was a heavier teen, wearing size 13 jeans on my 5’5” frame in college, and despite teaching 10 advanced exercise classes a week, I was still unhealthy due to my poor eating habits. No one mentioned my weight or my unhealthy lifestyle. Eventually, I decided to clean up my eating habits—less beer, beef, fried foods, and sweets—and started focusing on water, vegetables, grilled chicken, fruit, and whole grains. As a result, I lost 45 pounds over a few years and ended up in a size 0. And to my family’s horror, that’s when the criticism started. “You look old!” “Are you sick?” Ironically, I was eating right for the first time in my life, and it was working for me. My family struggled to accept this change, but eventually, they realized I was healthy and thriving.
Men deal with this, too. I recently caught up with my friend Nick Ferrara at the gym. Over the years, he has transformed his once-chubby physique into a lean, muscular frame. He looks fantastic, and women even compliment his “superhero jaw.” Yet, despite his impressive transformation, his father told him he needed to gain weight, particularly in his face! It’s another example of how our loved ones can’t always handle change, especially when we become thinner. Yet, to the outside world, we often look better and healthier.
Nick Ferrara made his thick body lean. He looks terrific, right? Fitzness. com
The reality of weight loss is that it affects your entire body—your waist, thighs, chest, feet, and even your face. You get to shape yourself like a sculptor, making your body smaller, leaner, and fitter. But along with the physical transformation comes unsolicited opinions from people who are concerned, jealous, or simply uninformed. Don’t let their comments derail your progress. I’ve seen this weight-loss backlash countless times, and rarely is it an indicator of real health danger—some people still have significant weight to lose when they start getting the “you’re too skinny” remarks.
When faced with these comments, you have a few options:
– Politely say, “Thank you for your concern,” and move on.
– Ask them where this concern was when you were significantly overweight and what qualifies them to give health advice.
– Share this article with them.
If you’re still on your weight loss journey and thinking, “I wish I had that problem,” check out The Exact Formula for Weight Loss here.
Have you experienced backlash from your weight loss? Share your story in the comments below!
Expect the GREEN eyed monster to appear for a lot of reasons. Other people have their own agenda going on about you improving yourself. I found out when I started my weight loss, I got a lot of encouragement. BUT when I started to get to what I consider my ideal, and looking really, really good, (I still got a lot of compliments from most) -although with some I didn’t. I found the ones trying to “Fatten me-up” with their comments or “so called-concerns for my health” had jealousy or some other self-serving agenda going on. People’s true colors start to come out. I started to see through them, and the possible reasons for their sudden concern for my mass (or lack of it (LOL)). I know I look and feel my best-which is great-and some people just didn’t like that. Glad to have found this article so you know you’re not alone in this. People are competitive and if they think you look better than them-they’re thinking NO-YOU DIDN’T! Don’t let those people stop you. I would never tell someone that they are too heavy or that they should eat less. These people are rude, obvious, and so transparent.