Your weight loss as a "threat" to others

I have had a number of people tell me as they are successfully losing a lot of weight that spouses and friends will almost intentionally try to sabotage their efforts to lose even more weight. The person is told, even when he/she clearly has many more pounds to lose, "you don't need to lose anymore!" and then the spouse or friend attempts to lure the person into eating high-caloric food sources.

Is it possible that your weight loss threatens some peeople around you? Does yor spouse fear that you will become much more attractive to others? Do your friends feel that you will get much more positive attention and they will get less? How is it possible that the people closest to you and love you the most will try to derail your efforts to look/feel your best?

I truly do not think it is intentional sabotage. To an extent, your efforts to lose weight, showing control and discipline along the way, does, in fact, make other overweight people feel embarrassed that they cannot do the same. When that dessert comes at the end of a meal, if EVERYONE partakes of a high-caloric dessert, it must be okay, right? However, if one or several people profess that they are in a weight losing mode and need to not eat dessert, than others around them will not have as much fun ordering the double chocolate cake. Concerning spouses, to some extent, a number of people will feel threatened when their spouse draws positive attention from the opposite sex when walking into a room.

I am not certain much can be changed about people's emotional response to your weight loss efforts, except to point out that it probably is not intentional, and you should not become angry at anyone. Calmly, but firmly, telling those around you why it is important for you to lose the weight, and your gratitude for having them help and support your efforts may help them chnage their behaviors and therefore make it easier for you to progress in your efforts.