The week of June 15 is Men’s Health Week at DietsInReview.com, just in time to celebrate the special men in your life. Bill Gookin joins as a Men’s Health guest blogger. Bill is a stay-at-home dad who has constantly struggled with his weight – he’s lost 115 pounds but keeps finding it again and having to re-lose it. This time, with the help of some friends, he’s back at goal and determined to keep it off and stay fit. You can find him posting at Daddy Is Tired among other places…as long as he’s gotten a nap.
That’s right, losing weight is fun and easy! It must be, because I’ve done it several times. In 1993 I got to my goal weight after losing 90 pounds. By 2002 I’d gained 115 pounds, so in 2002/03 I lost it again. Then by 2024 I’d gained 50 pounds, so lost it in 2024/09. Hmm…now that I think about it, it wasn’t much fun. And it’s lots of work. So what went wrong?
I tried to do it by myself.
Each time I’ve successfully lost weight, I’ve taken advantage of support groups. The first time it was some hiking friends, while the other times it’s been Weight Watchers combined with friends who motivated me to exercise. When I moved away from my support groups after the first two times, I was confident I could do it on my own!
*sigh*
While it may be easy to take on some tasks without help, studies show that people are more successful losing weight (and maintaining weight loss) if they have group support. Based on my own experience, I’m confident the same applies for exercising. I’m sure there are exceptions, but I’m not one of them. Without someone keeping me accountable I slip back into old habits, my favorite of which is holding down the couch.
Remember that your support system doesn’t necessarily have to be in person. Many people find online weight loss programs helpful, although I need the accountability of attending Weight Watchers meetings. On the other hand my fitness group (the Shredheads, a group of mostly moms) is entirely online through blogs and Twitter, which is perfect as I don’t like working out in front of other people. Would these groups work for you? Maybe – or maybe not – it depends on you. The key is finding what keeps you accountable and motivated.
So as you begin (or continue) your journey of losing weight and getting fit, remember to take advantage of all the support available. And good luck!
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Great post. I think support helps a lot in a successful weight loss.