Strengthening Social Support for Weight Loss

Posted: Nov 27 in Weight Loss Blog by Staff

Friends can be a vital part of your weight loss support system, giving you weight loss help in Ft. Myers or Naples whenever you need it most. Maintaining your friendships after bariatric surgery is a great way to stay social, happy and motivated as you lose weight, but it isn’t always easy to know how to ask your friends to give you a helping hand.

We all need help with weight loss to be successful, and those we spend the most time with are in a unique position to give it to us. Making the most of your social circle during weight loss is simple, but you may need a few tips to get started.

To build a social support system as you lose weight, start by:

Asking your nearest and dearest for a little weight loss help.

Those who influence us the most—like family members, friends, roommates, spouses and coworkers—can be an important line of support, but may not offer their help unless asked. Most people view weight loss as a touchy subject, so you’ll need to break the ice and initiate a discussion about your program with those who may impact your efforts.

Start with those you live with, the people who have the biggest effect on your lifestyle. Tell them what they can do to help you lose weight, like keeping tempting treats out of the kitchen or setting up workout dates on the weekends. If they’ve been doing things that impede your progress, now is the time to ask them to alter their behavior in a friendly, understanding way.

The people who care about you may be surprised to learn that they have such a strong influence on you and will likely be more than happy to help. Thank them for everything they do to aid in your weight loss efforts and remember to be patient with them—the transitions of your program can be difficult for them to adjust to as well.

Keep adding new friends as you make them.

Weight loss help can come from many places, including the new faces you meet along the path to your weight loss goal. Weight loss surgery brings many changes, and with them can come opportunities and new relationships.

If you’ve taken part in a weight loss support group, the members of that group can become close allies. You share many of the same goals and experiences, so by banding together, you can help each other on your way to success. Try asking them if they’d like to set up a group workout session sometime, or figure out a way to contact each other for support in times of temptation.

Many others can play a role in your weight loss program as well, including everyone from personal trainers to dietitians, psychologists and even employees at your favorite health food store. These people may not be friends per se, but developing relationships with them can play a valuable role in your success.

Though only you can make the choice to lose weight, help from friends and family can make all the difference. How have your nearest and dearest given you weight loss help in Ft. Myers or Naples? Share your experiences in the comments below.