So after some strong consideration, you are finally ready to make a change in your life. You are ready to be more active, start eating better, and really feel good about yourself. You have come to a realization that you will not be doing this for anyone else, nor to simply fit in a smaller pair of jeans. Excellent! Now all you have to do is start telling your friends and family about your new health initiative, and you will be well on your way! Wait a minute… Why do I have to tell anyone else if I am doing this for myself?
A great tool to help accelerate your weight loss progress and sustain those impressive results is having a strong Support System around you. Losing weight is a challenge. Losing weight and keeping it off is even more of a daunting challenge. But without the support of your loved ones, it becomes an improbable challenge. The best way to stick with any change in your life is to ensure your surroundings are supportive of your new lifestyle! In any weight loss journey it is crucial to identify how important a change is to you and make others aware of that importance. Having your loved ones acknowledge your accomplishments can be a great confidence booster and reinforcement tool in sustaining your healthy habits. The key is to communicate! Tell your friends and family about what your goals are. Tell others what roles they need to play in order for you to succeed. It becomes much more difficult to eat healthy or stay active if your friends are constantly eating junk food, and laying on the couch all day in front of you.
In my mission to help others reach their fitness goals, I have found that most people realize the importance of change, but often limit themselves because they do not believe they can make that change. You have to understand that seeing is not always believing, believing is seeing. If you believe you are destined for greater things, and that you are better than just settling for second best, you will see your successes unfold in front of you. Surrounding yourself with people that believe in you makes that transition to a healthier lifestyle much easier.
I know this may sound a bit shocking, but often times our loved ones are concerned when you attempt to better yourself in some way. You have to realize that a change in your life, can also be a change in another person’s life. Part of your journey in becoming overweight, is that you developed a role in the lives of others beforehand. Maybe you are that friend, parent, spouse, or sibling that is called upon to go out for a few drinks, or sit on the couch and polish off a pint of ice cream when a friend is depressed. Sound familiar? It is for me too! Well the point is, even though some people may support this new venture in your life, if you are not playing the role in their lives they are accustom to, you may indirectly be putting yourself in a situation where it is easy to fall back into bad habits. That’s why it is important for your support group to consist of as many people as possible that can relate to your wellness objectives. I never could have been successful in my weight loss journey if it was not for developing those close connections with other people who struggled with their weight as well. It is just someone to relate to. It is someone else to be accountable to. It is someone else to support you.
You may even find instances where you know others who struggle with their weight, but are not ready to make a change in their lives they way you are. They may become a bit resentful or jealous as you reach your milestones and get closer to your goal weight. It happens to us all. The grass always seems greener on the other side, but realize that you can grow your own green grass too!
So remember to communicate your goals. Speak with those closest to you about supporting you through their actions and not just their words. You want to create an environment for you to excel in your weight loss, not one that will make you feel guilty for doing well. And keep in mind, weight loss and healthy living is contagious. Maybe you can inspire someone to lose a few pounds and feel motivated in some way. Maybe you can share your short and long term goals, and see how others can apply these techniques as well. It could even be as simple as having a gym buddy to workout with, someone to ensure you are weighing yourself at a certain time each week, or even a friend who accompanies you to the grocery store while purchasing healthier food choices. The more others experience your new lifestyle, the sooner it will be normal and accepted. Establish that strong support system in your weight loss journey, and always remember this is your time to make progress, not excuses!
Also, I always recommend HealthyWage to anyone who asks how to make their diet more effective and fun. HealthyWage provides health incentives for everyone and makes accountability exciting. Recent studies show that incentives increase your odds of success. Check it out! And keep up the good work!
Be Well,
Neil Tejwani
