There is no “i” in team goes the famous saying. While the point of creating a team is to focus more on the collective group than on individuals, we often forget the value teams actually have on the individual members. Losing weight is. for the most part, a solitary activity, dictated usually by solitary decisions regarding you personal intake of calories and personal motivation to increase physical activity. However, when you join a team with the specific function to help everyone on the team lose weight, you are more likely to reach success and maximize your weight loss potential. Study after study show that individual performers tend to perform better when in teams. This is true in sports training, true in academic environments and certainly true in the workplace. Why should weight loss programs be any different?
Here are two very important reasons why you should consider using a “team-based approach” in your weight loss efforts:
1) Teams provide motivation and support. It’s hard to stay motivated when you do ANYTHING alone but especially true when trying to lose weight. Staying focused is the key and to do that you need external factors to motivate you. Whether it’s other family members, friends or even co-workers, having someone other than yourself that can help you stay positive, on track and focused goes a very long way. Also, helping others helps YOU! When you help others with encouragement and guidance and then start seeing their success, it provides you with that little extra push to go the distance yourself. It’s a WIN-WIN for everyone involved!
2) Teams provide accountability. Accountability is critical when it comes to reaching any goal, but especially true with healthy eating and exercise. When desires are high and self-defenses are low it is almost impossible to resist eating foods that inevitably make you gain weight. You end up telling yourself things like “What’s the harm of eating that extra cupcake if no one is around to see it?” No matter how self-disciplined you may think you are, having others to help you resist unhealthy choices and encourage the healthy ones is critical to weight loss, especially at the beginning. The accountability factor is also important for positive reinforcement. What’s the fun of losing the stubborn two pounds after two weeks of diet and exercise if no one is around to give you a high-five or to give you a simple congratulations? Knowing others are on your side to help you in times of need and there to celebrate your successes is what accountability is all about—teams help do that in a very special way.
Groups that focus on teamwork and collaboration are the ones most likely to maximize the strengths of its individuals thereby increasing the performance of the individual members of the team. There is no guarantee that the team will definitely help you lose weight, but you increase your chances significantly when you use one rather than going it alone!
Join a team today!
