A Little Help from Your Friends

Posted: Sep 27 in Weight Loss Blog by Staff

Never underestimate the influence of a great friendship. Your family members and bariatric surgeon will be big sources of weight loss help after surgery, but your closest friendships can also help you stay motivated and focused on achieving your weight loss goals.

Because we pick our friends voluntarily, the relationships we share with them can be even stronger than those with our family members. Unrelated by blood or legal agreement, our friends are there by choice, offering us a sympathetic ear or friendly face whenever we need it most. Research shows that our best friends can relieve us of stress, reduce cholesterol and blood pressure and even increase our life expectancy.

Unfortunately, even the best friendships can peter out with time. Though our friends often influence how we grow and develop, shaping the people we become, we may also grow apart from them. When new responsibilities arise—like demanding careers or growing families—we may lose touch with those we once were closest to.

In today’s world of Facebook and Twitter, it can be easy to stay in contact with your friends regardless of distance, but social media platforms are rarely a worthy substitute for face-to-face interaction. Because maintaining your closest friendships will be one of the best ways to stay supported and get the weight loss help you need, here are some tips to keep your good friends close.

• Have some fun together. We all have many responsibilities that demand our attention, but your friends are important. Try scheduling weekly or monthly get-togethers with your friends—this will ensure that you always leave enough time to spend some time together. These gatherings can be with one friend or many, but making them about your health will be another great way to boost your weight loss progress. Talk to your friends about gathering for a healthy meal or workout session—you’ll all benefit.
• Grow together. All of us change as our lives go on, and this is what causes many friendships to fall apart. Try to stay open and flexible and remember that you and all of your friends are growing individually, but you can also grow together. Let your friendships change as you change, tackling new obstacles together. Though a once-close friend may drift apart, that doesn’t mean you can’t be close again—even years later, that friendship may rebuild, becoming stronger than before. Don’t write off a best friend just because you haven’t been speaking much lately; the bonds you’ve built together than last a lifetime if you let them.

True friends may be tough to find, but they are not tough to keep. Keep your good friends close and you’ll find the support you need to stay motivated and the weight loss help you need to keep progressing.