My restrictive eating triggers people

The people who can't enjoy food without other people also eating the same amounts/types of food sound like they're the ones with the disordered eating and poor relationships with food to me. Food isn't a major part of how I enjoy my holidays, cool if it is for you, but I don't need to join in.

You've done well, know what works for you and have methods to keep yourself accountable while also not over restricting your and allowing yourself some treats.

I think most people's idea of "normal" these days truly warps their view of what is actually balance.

And what you pack on holiday is nobody's business, as long as you aren't whipping them put to weigh yourself in front of everybody. And quite frankly I find it rude that anyone would throw anyone's possessions in the bin simply because they disapprove or don't show the same view.

A lot of people can, yes, but I don’t believe the OP can. Lots of people weigh themselves daily too and can clearly see how their bodies weight can fluctuate from day to day naturally, without reigning in the calories over 1/2 a pound. Using up your luggage allowance to cart your scales to Greece doesn’t sound like she’s relaxing and enjoying herself does it?

Well done on your weight loss OP. Do whatever you need to do to maintain a healthy weight and tell your family to mind their own business.

I'm a former Weight Watcher, but I don't need scales to realise when I'm putting on weight. For a few weeks a year I eat & drink what I fancy, then cut back when I'm back home.

I can't help thinking of all the clothes I'd have to leave behind because the scales are so heavy.

How about taking a tape measure ?

@CowTown 👏

Depends on how active you are and how easily you gain weight. Also depends on willpower levels. WW have weekly weigh ins and don’t advise more than that, but personally I know I put weight on easily so weigh in at home most days to stay in control.

There's nothing unreasonable about being committed to maintaining a healthy weight. Whether or not needing such control indicates an eating disorder is kind of besides the point. In either case it wouldn't be unreasonable. Why can't people have a bit of kindness or sensitivity when it comes to other people's more troubled relationship with food? My mum would hide sweets and crisps from me and my sisters when we were teens so we couldn't binge, and now showers us with treats especially if someone's watching their weight. She has a terrible relationship with food and has brought us all up to share it. That whole experience makes me pretty mad at anyone that feels they are allowed to comment on another's habits/needs when eating.

I hope you enjoy wearing all your favourite clothes on holiday! One of my favourite feelings.

You know you don’t have to go on holiday with your SIL, right? If I had a previous addiction (food in your case, could be alcohol, smoking, etc), I wouldn’t go on holiday with someone who told me to “live a little” and tried to get me to binge/drink alcohol/smoke. People think it’s okay because it’s food, but if it was heroin, would it be reasonable to wave heroin under a former addict’s nose and tell them that they’re a spoilsport because they won’t shoot up?

This thread has actually made me decide I will just keep weighing myself as others have said, it’s just to keep an eye on how things are going and not worry about what other people think about it!

OMG the comments, it’s very depressing tbh. I get them constantly about what I eat and how I look now I have lost weight. People will stop me and say ‘ok don’t lose more weight you don’t need to’ and I’m like ‘thanks Sharon but my BMI is still 24.9 so I don’t think I’m fading away just yet’

Take the scales. Ignore everyone else. Eat the fruit platter and enjoy it. I get you. Once you've done it you don't want to bloody do it all again. Good luck to you.

Regular Weigh-Ins: What to Know About Weighing Yourself (webmd.com)

"Daily weigh-ins. If you’re really committed to losing weight, weighing yourself every day can be helpful. Research shows that people who weigh themselves every day have even more success with weight loss than those who weigh in once a week.
One of the biggest benefits of daily weigh-ins may be that you can make small changes throughout the day to help you stay on track. You can catch little ups and downs in weight faster and decide how you want to deal with them. For example, you can choose to exercise more or refocus your diet and eating habits.**

Another benefit is that you may feel more driven to stay on track when you see small losses throughout the week. A study from April 2015 followed 47 obese men and women who used the same diet and eating plan over six months. Those who tracked their weight daily lost an average of 13 pounds more than those who didn’t track frequently."

While I don't bring scales on holiday or do daily weigh-ins, I can empathise. I was very overweight/obese some decades ago and I had such low self-esteem. I'm now a healthy weight and have been for decades but I know how you feel.

Gary Lineker once said that he was told by the England manager to weigh himself every day and has kept that up. It obviously works for him.

I totally understand needing to track your weight even on holiday. I have also taken scales with me. It becomes a way of life and as hard as it may seem to other people if that is what is needed to give you control than so be it. I annoy my family as well but they also annoy me by commenting all the time about trying to get me to eat a piece of cake or whatever they are having. I know I have an eating disorder and it will always be there but as long as I can control what I eat I won’t have to binge.

I think you need to set your boundaries and be clear.

I would stop explaining and say 'I do what I do and if you don't like it, stop coming on holday with me. It is you who keeps bringing this up, not me.'

Keep an eye on your own mental health.

Also anyone who encourages you to eat more than you want should be told to back off.

why should she?

Could you drop the scales on holiday and depend on them less, but still eat well? So instead of having cocktails if your weight is low, always have gin and diet tonic and have a daily frozen yoghurt etc. I.e. eat for health rather than weight.

I am going to say you do you and if scales on holiday mean that you can relax and enjoy the holiday then good for you. I think your sister and SIL are both very rude, its none of their business provided you are happy.

Ironically had the OP said she had lost loads of weight but was chucking her scales away and going to properly pig out on ice cream and chips on holiday she would have been told to go for it with loads of 'you go girl' type posts. 🙄

This. I also think that some people just can’t stand to see others succeed in weight loss and maintenance and will use every opportunity to sabotage it to make themselves feel better. OP hasn’t given any reason to think that she’s pushing this in anyone’s face or criticising what anyone else does, so what business is it of anyone else’s’ ?

I don't know why people are annoyed with other people's eating habits. I really don't care. I assume ppl might be jealous of your self-control. Even if they think you're being over the top with it, it's not their business. Nothing to do with them.

Good for you, I admire your willpower.
Just do whatever works for you. No point in being anxious on holiday, take the scales!

Well done!

I disagree. I can do a lot of damage in a few days. Weekly weighing doesn’t work for someone like me who tends to fool themself into thinking the extra four biscuits are ok. Daily weighing is absolutely necessary to keep me on track.

In time, it may be that you rely less on the scales.

We all have things in our past which inform today, and sometimes those things cast a long shadow. Sometimes the shadow is harmful sometimes it isn't. In time those things which we find a burden can be unpicked and the root cause healed as far as possible to bring positive change.

But all in good time. And that's for you to decide.

Your friends and family can express concern if they are worried but carping about it cos they wasn't you to mirror their way of doing things it's unreasonable.