The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies (81 page)

Don't treat appointments with your dietician as temporary.
Many people view working with a dietitian or nutritionist as temporary. They go in a few times just to get the diet information and expect to never set foot in the office again after they have it. Instead of taking this temporary approach, look at your dietician as you would your physician, someone with whom you have a long-time relationship and whose advice you trust.

If you have serious issues with emotional or stress eating, you may also find it helpful to work with a therapist or counselor. Many people also find support this way.

Enlisting the Right Friends and Family Members

Sometimes finding other individuals who're also working on weight loss using a low-glycemic diet can be helpful, especially if they're people you already know. Then again, it's also a great way to make new friends. Either way, there's something to be said about really understanding the pitfalls that may occur and celebrating the wins with someone who's going through the same types of experiences.

Whether you're turning to old friends or new for support, make sure they're truly being supportive of your new health changes. Better yet, make sure they're working on their own health goals!

The next sections explain how to involve the right friends, avoid people who'll drag you down, and start up your very own support group.

Knowing which friends to involve

The
re's nothing like working together toward health goals when you already have an established, trusting relationship. The trick is figuring out which friends will offer the best support for you in your weight-loss efforts with a low-glycemic diet. Why not just turn to your closest friends? Because they may not be the best support system for you if they don't see the point in the changes you're making.

Seek out support from friends and other loved ones who are already living the lifestyle you're aspiring to or who are making similar changes themselves. By being open about your efforts and goals, you may just find that some of your family and friends are seeking the same support from you, too.

I'm not asking you to give up your other friendships. Just use the more supportive bunch for discussions about your wins, challenges, and the changes you're seeing. Skip this kind of talk when you're with your other friends.

Avoiding saboteurs

Family and friends can be your best support system or your biggest saboteurs. You can't get rid of your family and friends, but you can limit conversations about your weight loss or new dietary changes.

Of course, sometimes doing so is easier said than done. It's one thing to divert a conversation if someone starts picking on your food choices at a restaurant, but it's another thing entirely when your spouse brings home a chocolate pie right after you tell him or her you want to lose 10 pounds.

No, these family members and friends aren't just mean people. In fact, they probably aren't even conscious of what they're saying or doing. If they are, perhaps it's because they feel insecure or because they don't want to make changes themselves. Often taking care of your health puts a mirror up to those around you. You can't help this; it's a natural outcome of adopting healthier behaviors when others around you aren't.

To reduce your temptation to throw in the towel on your low-glycemic diet, you need to find ways of handling such situations.
Remember:
You can't change people; you can only change your own reactions.

Here are some tips for avoiding sabotaging situations:

Don't talk about your weight loss, diet, or exercise with naysayers.
You may be so excited about all that's going on that you want to share it and let others know how well things are going for you. This is only a good idea with supportive people who want to hear your news. Don't bring diet stuff up unless your friends or family members ask you first. They may not be ready to make the same types of changes you are, so their reactions may not be favorable if you share your news when they can't handle hearing it.

Avoid making a big deal about your menu choices when eating out.
There's no need to announce that you're looking for low-glycemic foods on the menu. If you do, the naysayers at the table may roll their eyes and say, "Oh, you're at a restaurant. Let it go for one meal." Find what you want to eat on the menu and keep it to yourself whether your choice is low-glycemic or low-calorie. Just say, "This sounds good." That way you won't risk getting thrown off track by peer pressure.

Tell your friends and family members when you feel like they're hassling you about your new changes.
If comments they're making are upsetting you and possibly even hindering your weight-loss efforts, be upfront that you're bothered. Then let your friends and family know that you're truly happy with the changes you're making. If that's what matters to them, they should stop hassling you.