Tell Someone!

It sounds easy. If you're working really hard trying to get healthier, you're probably sharing that information with your friends and loved ones, right?

I'm not sure that's always true. I do think, however, that getting some support from the people around you can make the process better.

I was scared to death to tell anyone. Not because I'm shy, exactly. But because I just didn't want anyone to know how embarrassed I was and how crappy I felt about myself. I didn't want to try and fail and have someone know I failed. (In reality, I probably didn't want to admit any of that to myself.)

Over the years, I had learned to deflect all conversations about weight. I learned to poke fun at myself first, so no one else had to. Above all else, I learned to hide the way I felt. I never asked about anyone else's journey, either, because I didn't want to put them in an uncomfortable position. So I just NEVER talked about it at all. The elephant in the room.

But I got lucky.

I had two great friends who had been down the same road and were willing to share everything.

Hungry Girl cookbook? Check. Words of wisdom from Weight Watchers? Check. Endless discussions about different kinds of workouts and results? Check. News about past triumphs and failures without gloating or shame? Check.

All with no judgement. All with compassion. All with respect.

I didn't know it at the time, but I needed that outlet. I needed to talk about it. And, honestly, I needed people to help hold me accountable.

(By telling my family I was doing this, they knew I wasn't supposed to bury my face in a bowl of Chex mix at a party. By telling my friends I was doing this, they graciously suggested Subway for girls' lunch out instead of pizza.)

So, tell someone. And if you need someone to talk to about it ... let me know. I'd like to pay it forward.