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Some friends you are.

Earlier this month, Time magazine ran an article called “The Social Side of Obesity: You Are Who You Eat With.” The story references a study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that says we eat more when we dine with friends than we do when with strangers and that we eat the most when dining with friends who are overweight.

In other words, I was doomed from the beginning. I'm up against a group of people who are in my same boat (read: they could stand to drop some pounds). Yet when we eat together, it always seems to be with an “I'll start being good tomorrow” attitude.

You people are supposed to be my friends. When I tell you that I've been on this weight-loss journey for more than year and have stalled out at a 20-pound loss, you're supposed to invite me to eat salad and drink water.

Don't invite me to eat Mexican food and drink margaritas. You know I love that.

And what about all the others things you do to pull me down: Cupcakes on my birthday? Drinks when we go out? Popcorn at the movies? What's all that about?

How about all those times I eat at your house and fill my plate with a second helping? You have the audacity to take that as a compliment to your cooking when what you should really do is slap the plate out of my hands. Why do you want me to fail?

Excuse me? What's that?

Oh, so now you're telling me that you didn't force me to eat Mexican food or drink margaritas or have cupcakes and drinks and popcorn and second helpings? You're reminding me that I chose to eat/drink all those things?

Well, maybe you're right, but you were there. And you didn't even try to stop me. What the hell?

Oh. I see.

You're not responsible for me. And while that study might be true, that doesn't make it OK. I'm the one in control of my decisions, and if I make bad ones, I have nobody to blame but myself. And just because you love me no matter what doesn't mean that I can use that to justify making bad decisions. Is that what you're trying to say?

I think you're right. Well, now I feel bad. Would you like to meet up for salad and water? My treat.