The People Who Notice First
March 23, 2010 @ 04:41 pm
I had a really nice moment at the gym yesterday (the first day back in about 11 days due to work and vacation). First the back story -I don't tell people I'm working on losing weight. I don't tell people I'm trying to eat healthy or make a big deal out of going to the gym every day. I simply do it and if anyone asks I talk about it as if I've always done it this way. :) I don't like to draw attention to myself and more importantly I don't like to draw attention to the fact I am fat ... not that I'm fooling anyone. I also don't want anyone to ever feel obligated to congratulate me on my progress only because they know I'm trying - if they notice and say I'm looking healthier, then that means it's legitimately being noticed.
So since I never talk about it I'm always amused by who notices first whenever I'm trying to live healthier. Or at least, who notices and is nice enough to say something. When I first moved to NYC I put on some weight but soon started going to a gym and exercising. I didn't make a ton of progress but one morning at the office, before most people arrived it was just me and this one late middle aged lady from Accounting. I was settling in after getting back from the gym and she says "You're losing weight - You look good." Awww!
Later after I started my blog and made a real commitment to healthy living I started drinking water like a fish. A colleague says after a couple weeks "You look healthier - like a glow." Yay hydration!
A year+ later, after I started Weight Watchers and made some good progress, I was fitting well in a shirt and the Beau and I went out to NJ to visit my dad and he and his now-wife says "You're looking thinner - keep it up."
This Week's Story
It's these little encouragements, completely out of the blue, that really help in this journey. So that brings us to the story from yesterday. As I've said I've not been to the gym in a little while so I go back and have a good workout. As I'm wrapping it up and heading back downstairs to the locker room, one of the floor trainers looks over and says "How was vacation? ... You were gone for a while."I was surprised. This guy was friendly with a lot of people but we'd never spoken. Neither I nor the Beau chat up the staff at the gym, but I guess he'd still managed to notice I'd been gone for a while. So I reply "Yeah we went to Florida - it was really nice." And then out of the blue he says "You're losing - you're looking less. I can see it. Keep it up."
It was out of the blue, it was really nice, and it made me feel good. The cynic in me says maybe he was just saying something encouraging because that's his job as a floor trainer, but the fact that we've never talked before and he still noticed my absence is encourage on its own. So sometimes, all it takes is a good word out of the blue.
5 Comments
Losing Weight Daily's Blogger — Mar 24, 2010 @ 12:28 pm
Also ... I said "out of the blue" WAY too much in that post. Blech!
Darnfitness — Mar 25, 2010 @ 12:00 am
Yeah, its very nice to get that kind of comments on your weight loss. I got a few of those today, and even when I wanted to go all cheers and grab them by the shoulders, shake them and say "O RLY? TELL ME MORE" i kept a humble poker face and say thanx, LOL.
And I dont think he said that because its he's job. I mean, you already paid. probably a year membership? They dont give a rat ass, your money already its own by them. If you go, or you dont go, guess what: thats right, your money already its own by them. For a all year. And they spect a lot of folks paying for the year, and just showing up the first couple of weeks.
Maybe he thought you were one of those 1-year-fat-ass-payment-who-goes-to-the-couch-after-2-weeks. Because you dissapeared for a long time! And then you went again, back to the gym, and actually looking smaller. Now that is a one-timer-a-year for these people.
You know? You can really tell you're getting more fit. You need someone to not see you for a couple of weeks to tell. Weight loss happens *apparently* so slowly, that you or your partner cant say if its working. Maybe if you take pics you can tell *hint hint, 1 way to improve your blog* if you're dropping.
Now this is embarrasing. I had a final thought I was working to finish my comment, but as I type it I forgot where I was going LOL I hate when this happens *and it happens a lot to me, even at real world conversations*
Darnfitness — Mar 25, 2010 @ 12:39 am
Hey! I remembered on what point I was going to finish that last post. The good news: it can be really empowerful to you. The bad news: you are going to hate it, and probably hate me for saying it. Yep, u are going to hate me really bad :( I believe that your blog and your journey will become even more REAL to you if you post a before pic. No face pic needed, just a neck-to-hip pic. yes, i can feel you're cringing. You dont want to do it. It will be painful. You wrote in the blog that u hate pics of you. But it would make it REAL. I mean, there no way turning back after posting a before-pic on your blog, and thats exactly the point. I wouldn't be recommend this if I thought it was a harmful idea. But I think its a good idea. I really mean the best 4 you, and I think this is the best next step to take. I'll join you if you do. I dont know if you will get this this, but i think its time to face reality. Blogging can be so fake at times. Even as a blog author, i keep a lot to myself. But exposure yourself to the world, and knowing the world will keep showing up to see how you're doing (even if the world = just me, and of course the lurkers) is a darn motivator.
Losing Weight Daily's Blogger — Mar 25, 2010 @ 09:14 am
hehe Hey man, thanks for all that. You're already a great encouragement and I definitely see the wisdom in what you're saying. I do keep a collection of "before" pics - a couple I took a few Great Attempts ago (and I've been meaning to take one on this Fourth Great attempt but just haven't gotten to it), and a lot of candids from around life that I absolutely abhor. I'm not sure I'm ready to post them online or even break anonymity, but I'm becoming more comfortable with the idea. :)
Sean — Mar 26, 2010 @ 05:42 pm
I really enjoy getting those random comments as well. They usually come from family pretty quickly as we talk more and they see me more. It's the random ones from coworkers or baristas etc that I think hit home more. If they see a change then you must totally be kicking it. Motivation comes in all shapes!