This post was submitted on behalf of DoctorsofWeightLoss.com, a website that educates people on gastric bypass surgery, explanations of cutting-edge research, and profiles of the nation’s leading weight loss surgeons.
Losing weight is a difficult task as it is, you can use as much help as you can get. One of the ways you can help ensure weight loss success is finding a partner in your journey.
Whether you choose a branded diet or just look to improve your overall health choices, even those with the best intentions can use someone else’s support. Some even say it’s the difference between success and failure.
It’s not just about dieting support either. When you exercise, try to do it with a friend. A friend can not just hold you accountable, they may also rely on you just as much, making it much more difficult to blow off a workout session.
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Fitness Magazine’s Alexa Cortese looks beyond her circle of friends for a workout buddy by looking online at some of the newest social media sites.
Research continues to support the idea that we all need a little support to keep us motivated and accountable when it comes to fitness. If you don’t have a friend, co-worker, or family member readily available to join your next stretch, try some of these ideas to find a perfect match.
See more from Fitness Magazine:
8 Ways to Get Your Kids Fit
Why a Virtual Workout Buddy Gives You More Motivation
Fitness Magazine on Facebook
Food is the first and most basic way that we nurture each other. It is one of the reasons that many of us turn to food for comfort.
Providing nourishment was one of the very first ways that our mother’s soothed us as infants, both feeding us and soothing us emotionally by holding us close. When your grandmother or aunt offers you another helping, insists you try the dessert, or even tells you look too thin, it may simply be a desire to express love to and nurture you. This desire can be more intense during the holidays as sentimentality heightens emotions.
When people are pushing food to express their love, a hard rejection can be experienced as personal rejection. You may be able to distract them with loving attention. The most direct response may be to thank them sincerely for the offer or compliment and tell them that you have had enough to eat or that you are avoiding certain foods for health reasons. It can sometimes help to also offer an expression of appreciation to reinforce the positive relationship.
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One common concern I hear about dieting is how to maintain both social relationships and weight when so many social gatherings include food.
Sometimes to obtain weight loss goals, you need to separate yourself from certain people, at least when food is involved. The conundrum here is that dieting is tough work and a stresssor that requires physical, mental, and emotional energy. In the midst of such an undertaking, you need support more than ever. Often even our biggest cheerleaders are not confident in how to best support us when we travel roads they have not. While it can be difficult to ask for help, both you and your friend will be glad you did.
1. Accountability – Many people have a hard time doing things for themselves alone, but are more likely to follow through if they know someone else cares – or sometimes simply if someone else will know. Friends can join you in your exercise routine or ask you about how you are doing with your meal plan. You are much less likely to hit snooze if you know your friend will be waiting for you to workout at 6am. If you share your journey electronically, make sure you ask friends to specifically comment on your tweets or posts, so you know someone is paying attention and supporting you.
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I like to think of myself as a pretty healthy person, so when I started a two-week trial run with MyBodyTutor.com, I didn’t expect it to change how I eat very much. I hoped it would give me some personalized workout tips, and help keep me honest about how much sugar I eat. I was surprised to find out all the ways I could eat better every day, and by how very hands-on this online diet program really is.
My Body Tutor is a one-on-one nutrition and fitness counseling service that provides you with a totally personalized weight loss plan. When you sign up, you will be paired with a Body Tutor, a trained fitness and diet expert who will guide you along your weight loss journey. Before you start, you will have an initial call with your tutor to talk about your goals, fitness level and to help them get to know you.
Adam Gilbert, the founder of My Body Tutor, was—well—my body tutor. In our initial call, I proved to be a pretty atypical client, because my goal is to eat better but not necessarily lose weight. Adam was up for the challenge, explaining that we can all work to be a little healthier. He explained his eating philosophy: cut down on simple carbs, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and be sure to get protein with every meal. He also recommended eating some protein and complex carbs every three hours, either as a snack or light meal, to keep my energy and metabolism up.
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