Beware of Negative People, They Might Cost You a Pound

Do you ever feel misunderstood? What sends you to food?

One of the best ways I can take care of myself and stay out of the danger of over-eating is to stay away from negative people or negative conversations. You know the people I am talking about: the ones who are not happy unless they are constantly complaining about anything and everything!

I am often accused of being a loner or a private person. With my friends and others who are, for the most part, positive (we all get negative now and again), I am an open book and very outgoing. I used to get upset when people would say that I was snotty if I said hello and moved on without stopping to make small talk. I would cry to myself because I sometimes felt so misunderstood, and those feelings would make me very hungry.

I have finally learned how to deal with it. If someone tells me I’m standoffish or that I’m not friendly, I tell them the truth whether they understand or not. I simply say that I often notice they complain a lot or talk about negative things, and I would love to talk to them, but my history with negative talk leads me to food. I might be even doing them a favor, in a way. Sometimes people who complain don’t even realize that they always sound so negative. A little bit of honesty beats a bag of Oreos anytime!

I suffer from depression and I need to stay in a positive frame of mind or else I am in danger of becoming 500 pounds again. Most the time, truly negative people will never get it. I understand I do not need to justify myself to anyone, but telling the truth makes me feel better for now. I’m hoping at some time in the near future I will no longer care and will be able to say nothing and move on. The weight comes off quicker than these emotional changes, so I just need to be patient with myself – and you should be, too.

I also want to let all my friends and NY City-area fans know that I will be speaking at the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Expo this fall. The Expo is a free event, held in the Jacob Javits Convention Center in September. If you would like to RSVP, or for more information, you can email me at newstacey2004@aol.com.

Have a wonderful week and try to stick with positive people!

All the best,
Stacey

Dallas

My trip to Dallas for the Our Resolution campaign was so exciting that I am writing this blog on the plane ride home! I stayed at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center on Lake Grapevine, and I felt like I was in Texan Disneyland.

While I was there, I spoke in front of a large group of people in the medical community. At the end of my talk, the event’s emcee, a Covidien executive, asked the audience if they had any questions. In this large ballroom (complete with multiple chandeliers!) there was complete silence; imagine, the medical community was processing what I said! Then the Covidien emcee started the ball rolling by asking me a question about my experience. After that, the flood gates were opened and the hands for questions started going up. Each question was more important than the next. It was hard for me to believe that this audience, with all their medical degrees and expertise, was looking to me, “a patient,” for answers. It was a very powerful night!

I actually think a lot of good will come of nights like this. I told the medical community that we just want them to “get us.” We want to walk into a doctor’s office and feel we are in a safe haven free from the prejudice that is out in the world against overweight people. And we need their help.

Keep checking my site to see when I will be in your neck of the woods. I think you will find one of these events very inspiring. They are usually free, and Covidien even gives out goodies (no, not food goodies – inspiring goodies!).

For all my NY friends I am finally going to be speaking here in the fall! Please blog any questions or thoughts you may have to help me prepare. I look forward to hearing from you…

With love and respect,

Stacey