Expectations.

A few months ago I was 258 lbs. Right now I'm about 235 lbs. I go to the gym about 3-4 times a week. I've been lazy about tracking my calories lately and I think that's why I'm having a hard time getting below 235. (I've been at this level for 4 weeks). I went on a cruise a few weeks ago, which is pretty much the worst vacation you can take if you're trying to eat healthy. I think I did pretty well. I didn't weight myself for a week after I got back, but the next week I was 235, so I neither gained nor lost anything from the vacation, which I was very proud of myself for accomplishing.

One day at work a few weeks back, someone I work with said, "Nick, I have a questions." She usually has questions about work-related issues, but this time she said, "You've lost a bunch of weight. How are you doing it?"

I was kind of blown away to be asked that question. It made me feel great. I told her what I was doing and what she can do to see improvements. I told her to track her calories, and we even went on my computer at work and set up an account online for her to use to track food and exercise. I told her what I changed about what and how I eat. She goes to the gym and uses the treadmill and ellipticals, so it tells her right on the screen what she's burning. She agreed everything was easy and she was going to start doing it.

A week later, I asked her how it was going.

She said she never went on the site to track anything, and she hasn't changed anything about what or how she eats. "When I told you about it, you said it was all simple. Why aren't you doing it?" I asked her. She didn't have an answer other than, "I just didn't do it."

When I started, I was expecting it to be very difficult to start a workout routine and eat better. I would have to break old habits and make conscious decisions about things that I used to do without even thinking about. I was expecting it to be a lot harder.

Was the person I work with expecting it to be too easy? I know I told her it is easy, but were her expectations set to "Super-No-Problem-I-Don't-Have-To-Worry-About-Anything" Easy? Even if we're doing the exact same things, I was expecting it to be hard, but it was easier. Therefore, it is easy. She was expecting it to be easier, but it was harder. Therefore, it is hard.

Should I have made it sound harder than it really is so when she starts, it will be easier and she'll keep on track?

Did I ruin her life by making it sound too easy?