Your pals are a big part of your life and a friend’s influence can be either positive or negative. When it comes to your health journey, surrounding yourself with people that support you in your lifestyle change is critical to establishing positive diet behaviors.
Do you have friends that are constantly encouraging you to get dessert on the menu or negate your commitment to work out on a regular basis? Comments like that from friends or family may have a bigger impact on your health than you might think.
Making comments about your eating habits or workout routine may be made from a place of well-meaning, but can be detrimental. Here are some tips on how to seek out people that practice good habits and can help you keep you on track to living life to the fullest.
Find people you want to mirror
Whether you know it or not, we look at others for visual and behavioral cues. If you choose to surround yourself with people that model what it looks like to be healthy and active, it’s easier for you to wrap your head around doing that yourself. Spending time with others who eat well, and exercise often will help reduce those temptations that you might have to fall back into negative eating patterns.
Find a mentor
A mentor that has walked the road of weight loss is ideal. They can help provide you with any tips or insightful tricks that have worked for them to maintain their healthy lifestyle. A good mentor will walk alongside you and support you during all your highs and lows.
You will be able to be free to ask their advice or opinion and there will be an extra level of trust between you that will inspire your journey. The support groups at WeightWise are a good place to make these connections!
Stay accountable
Friends and mentors are important for many things, but they are especially helpful when it comes to providing accountability. Good friends will help you keep your word. They’ll check in regularly with you to see how you are doing – not just physically, but mentally as well.
An accountability partner is incredibly beneficial when it comes to making a drastic lifestyle change. If you don’t have friends that would be good in this role, there are many ways to find one. Join a healthy cooking class, an exercise class, a walking or running club, or join a gym. There, you are sure to find someone that has similar health goals in mind.
The bottom line: Being around healthy people will help encourage you to adopt healthy behaviors. Take time to invest in your physical health but your relational wellbeing too! When you work with WeightWise, we’ll provide you with a patient advocate to help you through this life-changing process.
Think of them as your own personal cheerleaders! If you have questions about what to expect after surgery, they’ll have the answers. Need help with financing? They’ll provide several solutions. Need a shoulder to cry on or hand to hold or high five over the phone? You’ll have their number. We also have support groups that meet every Thursday in person and the 2nd and 4th Monday online. These are ideal situations for finding good accountability partners or mentors.
It’s a complete team effort at WeightWise. If you are thinking about weight loss surgery, take a look at our FREE online seminar. You’ll find out how our doctors, dietitians, exercise physiologists, and patient advocates work together to give you the best chances at an optimal result.