FRIENDS CALL ME DULL NOW I’VE SLIMMED

Dear Coleen

I’m a 30-year-old woman and over the past few months I’ve been on a new regime to lose weight and get healthy after I found out I had developed high cholesterol.

I gave up alcohol, I’ve been following a healthy diet, and I’m also doing gym classes and running four times a week.

I feel the best I ever have and I’ve lost nearly three stone, so I feel good about how I look too.

My problem is that my friends have reacted really oddly. They don’t seem that impressed with what I’ve achieved and even tease me when we’re out for the night for being dull because I don’t drink any more and I don’t want to eat pizza or share their takeaways.

I love my friends, but things have definitely changed.

Coleen says Good on you for what you’ve achieved. I think now the problem is that you’re a bit afraid of slipping into your old habits and ruining all your hard work, so you’re being super strict with yourself. Which is absolutely fine if that’s how you want to live your life.

But I wouldn’t allow it to affect your friendships or your enjoyment of life. Your friends could be a bit jealous of your new look, which might account for the teasing, but so what?

Why not reply with a jokey response like: “Feeling the way I do now is more important to me than beer and pizza.”

But just be careful that you’re not becoming too fixated on your diet and exercise. It’s OK to have treats now and again, otherwise life can be boring.

When you go out for dinner with your mates, enjoy a slice of pizza and get back to your eating plan the next day.

And keep up the exercise – those post-workout endorphins are responsible for the feelgood factor.