Disconcerting peanut gallery

Since this past Tuesday, I've started a new diet. I'm not usually a fan of dieting, nor a proponent for other people to diet, but I decided I'd give it a try, since it's a sure thing. It's not been easy, but it's working; I've continued to work out, and I'm following the diet as perfectly as anyone possibly could. So far, I've dropped 5 pounds, and it just keeps going. If I can keep this up, I'll be able to lose my goal amount of 60 pounds by my birthday in October. I'm determined to do this, to lose it and keep it off. After all, I managed to keep the weight off that I've lost so far, since moving to New York. What's it been, forty pounds? Yeah... so what's 60 more? I've got over a month of food lined up and ready to go, and I'm feeling really good about this. John's been supportive, and has also made his own dietary adjustments as a result of seeing my success thus far (granted, not to the extremes that I'm taking, but still being more conscious of things). Anyway, I'm pumped.

Right. So I tell my friends, because that's what you do when you're pumped about something, yeah? And, strangely, I've gotten little support. One has outright told me that I'm just going to gain it all back. Another has said, slightly less insultingly, that at least I'll have whatever brief time I manage to look amazing. Jeeze, what the hell did I do to deserve this? Do I have some kind of cop-out reputation? Do my friends have no faith in me? Oh, sure, people get on these diets and lose weight, then gain it back, sometimes all of it. So this means I'm, going to fail? COME ON! Seriously, I thought my friends knew me better than that. I'm capable of this, damn it. Can't I just get a little support?

I know, I know... if I'm so determined, why don't I just do it the old fashioned way? Why go the low calorie, special dietary route? Well, for starters, I am metabolically challenged, even more so that most all women seem to think they are. Not having a thyroid gland has something to do with it. I lost the weight when I got to New York because dietary and activity changes were so drastic that I finally got the metabolic boost I needed. Now, though, I've hit one hell of a plateau. Truth is, I've been doing things the "old fashioned way" for a year now, working harder han I ever have on my food and in the gym, all with no change. Therefore, it's time for another boost, another major change. It's healthy, and I'm being monitored, so I'm not starving myself or anything. So there you go.

I have to ask... where's the love? Where's the support? Yeah, I've got John on my side, and my mom's been awesome about it, but what about my friends, those who've supported me in everything else? At least everyone thinks I'll lose the weight. Still, can't you guys give me achance before condemning me to failure? Let me get slim first... then I'll worry about keeping it off. Until then, give me a break. Better yet, give me the benefit of the doubt, and remember who you're dealing with here.