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Even though it’s your body, others will often have something to say about it when you go through a major transformation. People are used to seeing you a certain way. Friends and family members have their own ideas about what it means to look good or to be healthy. And sometimes, even if you begin to conform to those ideas, they can still struggle to accept it because you’re moving out of the box they were most comfortable having you in.
Extreme weight loss can happen for many reasons, and it can show up in many ways, too. In some cases, it’s an overweight individual getting to a healthy weight. In other cases, it’s an individual who was already of a healthy weight getting into “fighting shape” – perhaps preparing to compete in fitness competitions. Whatever the motivation, loved ones can have different reactions. It would be nice if we could just block out the words and opinions of others on our journeys with our bodies, but it’s nearly impossible – especially since, sometimes, those words come from people whose opinions generally matter to us. Even if your weight loss is just for you, you’ll see that it affects those around you a bit, too. We spoke with Nofisat Almaroof MD, (IG: @lovenafimd) Holistic Fitness Coach and Board Certified Family Physician, about how an extreme body transformation can impact your relationships.
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Your culture’s definition of femininity
“In my family, being toned or skinny…people kind of associate that with you being less feminine or womanly,” explains Almaroof. She says that being skinny in her family can invite comments like, “Eat some more…so you can be more womanly – more curvy.” After getting into shape herself, Almaroof admits becoming nervous about attending some family functions, fearing someone would say something like, “Are you okay?” or “You’re too small.” “Some people don’t have boundaries,” she adds.
