The decision to switch to a healthier diet, get fit or lose weight is a hard plan to follow through. In the beginning you may feel very motivated, though when you see people around you constantly eating junk food while you are on a diet - well, that can be really tough. However, it’s also important to remember that if you are trying to lose weight, not everybody must do the same.
On that note, one Reddit user recently shared her story where she was put in the middle of her kids. Her stepdaughter decided she wanted to lose weight, but her son wanted to eat chips in the living room. The woman stood by her son, explaining to the stepdaughter that not everybody is going to cater to her diet, which led to the teen accusing the woman of sabotaging her weight loss progress.
More info: Reddit
Getting fit is a tough job that requires a lot of effort and dedication; however, it’s also important to understand that not everybody will follow your diet
Image credits: Pavel Danilyuk (not the actual photo)
This woman shares that her stepdaughter used to love junk food, until one incident at school motivated her to improve her health
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)
She shares that her stepdaughter is making steady progress and it’s great to see her taking care of herself
Image credits: Cook24v (not the actual photo)
However, one day her stepbrother decided to eat chips in the living room, which caused an argument as she asked him to throw them away
The mother got between them and explained to her that she needs to grow up and accept that not everyone will follow her diet in their own homes
Image credits: u/Mobile_Watercress_12
The whole incident caused family drama as the teen accused the woman of sabotaging her progress and playing favorites
So, to begin with, a Reddit user shared her story to one of the most cruel communities asking if she was indeed being a jerk for telling her stepdaughter that she needs to grow up and stop expecting everyone else to cater to her diet because she wants to lose weight. The post received a lot of attention and collected almost 10.5K upvotes and 1.7K comments.
OP starts her story by sharing that her stepdaughter has been in love with junk food for as long as she's known her. She would always buy it, and despite OP’s encouragement to switch to healthier options, nothing helped. Well, till one incident at school, where the teen was called ‘a hippo’ by a boy, which made her self-conscious, and now she is working out and doesn’t eat junk food.
Moreover, the author shares that her son has now started eating chips from time to time. And one day he decided to eat chips downstairs, when his stepsister got mad and told him to throw away the chips as she is trying to lose weight. The woman got between them and explained to her that not everybody is going to follow her diet. Well, she was called a jerk by both her stepdaughter and her mom.
Redditors backed the woman up in this situation, gave her ‘Not the A-hole’ badge and discussed that the stepdaughter was wrong in this situation. “Even if it was her residence, controlling what other people eat is selfish and wrong,” one user wrote. “She's learning to manage her health and that's great but she doesn't get to dictate to other people because she's following a specific diet. Holding the entire house hostage because she's tempted isn't in any way appropriate,” another added.
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual photo)
Moreover, Bored Panda got in touch with Kacie, who is the founder of Mama Knows Nutrition and registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). She kindly agreed to share her insights about the most common misconceptions about weight loss, benefits of sharing a healthy lifestyle with someone and the most common challenges that people face when trying to stick to a diet.
So, first of all, the most common misconception is that carbs cause weight gain. Kacie shares that low-carb diets tend to gain popularity, yet villainizing carbs isn’t necessary. “Carbohydrates – which come from foods like fruits, grains, and even vegetables – are vital to give us energy and keep our brains functioning as they should,” she says.
Another thing that people tend to believe is that fat makes you fat. However, the dietitian shares that eating a meal that includes some fat will keep you full, helping you avoid mindless snacking later in the day. Also, fad diets are nothing good for you either. Kacie states that while these diets may seem like a quick fix, research shows that the vast majority of people who diet end up gaining the weight back, and often - even more.
Now, speaking about the benefits of having someone to share the healthy lifestyle journey with, she emphasizes that research shows that it actually increases success. “Cooking new recipes, going grocery shopping, or trying a new workout can be more enjoyable when you have someone to go on the journey with you,” Kacie shares.
“When things get difficult, you will have someone to bounce ideas off of, empathize with you, and help you strategize ways to move forward. Plus, when you know someone else is aware of your goals, you’re more likely to see them through.”
And finally, let’s talk about the main challenges when trying to stick to a diet. To begin with, she shares that it’s not necessary to avoid some categories of food in order to eat healthy. “In reality, eliminating certain foods can make cravings for them more intense, which can often lead to overeating or binge eating those foods.” Also, ‘falling off the wagon’ is going to happen. One or a few days enjoying your diet doesn't mean that you failed - learning to recover well is the key.
And finally, Kacie emphasizes that setting unrealistic goals is a quick way to feel discouraged and then abandon efforts to eat healthier. People will often set goals such as, “I’ll only eat salads for lunch” which can set them up for failure. Instead, aim to make small, realistic changes – such as “I’ll fill half my plate with veggies at lunch this week.”
So, to sum it up, having others to help you adopt a healthier lifestyle is helpful, but unfortunately not everybody will be willing to sacrifice their chips while watching TV. But what do you think about this story? Do you think the woman was being too harsh or the daughter was being too selfish? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Redditors backed the woman up in this situation but discussed that she may have used some hurtful phrases
