Losing Weight With A Friend
We’re not saying friendship was the key to all the actors on “Friends” staying so thin—but we’re not not saying it either. The fact is, it’s easier losing with a friend. A study of 633 adults showed that average weight loss was directly proportional to the amount of support received from friends and family. And supportive friends actually had more impact than even the dieter’s own family. Building a supportive friend circle can make a huge difference when your weight loss is, as the “Friends” theme song says, “always stuck in second gear.”
Why Support Matters:
Good Friends Boost Self-Esteem: Let’s face it, few of us will ever have the perfect body. Even the movie stars you see on Instagram are self conscious of their body flaws and will choose their make-up, clothing, and camera angles to hide what they don’t want you to see. But good friends see it all. And they love us even with our bumpy bods, crazy moods, and social faux pas. They give us the space to forgive ourselves for the universal crime of being human.
Self-esteem and psychological welfare is so important to weight loss that one study found 40% of overweight Americans did not even have the desire ti give up their unhealthy lifestyles in order to become more healthy. Many lacked motivation and, even worse, for some body shame had destroyed their self esteem. You may notice that at Professional Weight Management we rarely use before/after photos in our marketing. That is because we truly believe you are just as wise, funny, loving and beautiful on the first day of your weight loss journey as you are when you reach your goal. Don’t get us wrong—being thinner feels amazing, but the priceless difference weight loss makes is in being able to run and play with grandchildren again, lowering your blood pressure or A1C, or gaining more confidence to enjoy life. We have to be able to imagine ourselves healthier in order to believe we can become it, and that vision starts with accepting that we are worthy of the good things that come with weight loss.
Good Friends Share Good Advice: We aren’t born knowing how to eat for weight loss and a thousand magazine headlines prove we’re all looking for those “Top 10 Tips to Lose Weight”. If you’re lucky, a good friend has already learned a bunch of those tips and can share them to make your weight loss journey easier, tastier, and faster. A word of caution though that the headlines could have just as easily been “Top 10 Myths About Weight Loss” because fad diets and fake gimmicks spread even faster than healthy tips. So no—“no fat” foods aren’t necessarily slimming. And no—all carbs are not necessarily bad. And no—all calories aren’t equal. So take your friend’s tips with a bit of logic, skepticism and Googling. Or ask an expert (like PWM) to confirm their advice.
Good Friends Move With You: The laws of physics tell us a thing in motion stays in motion, so it stands to reason that two things in motion are unstoppable. A walking or running buddy means you’ll always have someone who makes you get up and go even when the couch is looking so inviting. Add in good conversation and your exercise outing becomes a balm for the body and soul. Plus bad things can happen, and the buddy system is a great way to increase your safety when you’re out in the elements.
Don’t have a human buddy to keep you moving? This is where man’s best friend really shines. Once you’ve made a routine of leashing a dog at a certain time of day, you’ll probably find your four-legged creature of habit expects the same today and tomorrow, with no excuses accepted. You can’t take them to the gym, but if your exercise room is the great outdoors then adopting a dog can be the healthiest choice you’ve ever made.
Good Friends Let You Vent: We all know what a tough day at the office does to our willpower. It leaves us physically exhausted, emotionally drained, and often frustrated. Finding a willing ear to listen to our troubles can help refill our emotional energy stores and leave us better equipped to make healthy choices. Good friends let us whine a little. And great friends tell us we’ll feel better after a good long walk.
Losing Weight With A Friend
Remember how we started this article with a reference to “Friends”? To be fair, it’s hard believing any one of those actors ever had to lose weight and could be an understanding companion on a weight loss journey. But fun fact: Jennifer Aniston reportedly lost 30 pounds over six months before earning her role on the series. Any of your friends could surprise you with their willingness to support you through your weight loss journey and may even be ready to lose weight themselves. (See our referral discount below if you’re ready to join with a friend.)
With or without the friend you may already have, one of the most effective features of a consultant-guided weight loss program like Professional Weight Management is gaining a friend who is expert in weight loss. Choosing a program with weekly one-to-one guidance means you automatically get advice and emotional support, along with weight loss guidance customized for your lifestyle and metabolism. So many of our success stories have raved about our team. Like Glenda, who talked about our team as “a real friend.” Or Sandy, who said the team “really made me feel comfortable and they were encouraging.” Or Tara, who lost weight with her daughter Cindy and said of our consultants: “I feel like we're more friends now than clients.”
It really is easier losing with a friend.
READY TO LOSE WITH A LOVED ONE?
You're never alone when you diet with Professional Weight Management, as our consultants are always there with a great tip or a word of encouragement, but starting your program with a friend or relative at your side can be just the extra boost you need.
Not only does a friend or relative hold you accountable for reaching your goals, but your success can encourage your loved one to achieve his or hers. Research shows that those around you are more likely to lose weight after seeing you lose yours. That impact holds true even when a loved one lives thousands of miles away, so your weight loss can be an unexpected gift for a father, sister or child.
Professional Weight Management makes it easy to start a weight loss program with a partner. When your friend or loved one is ready to join, just ask for your referral bonus. Every new start-up you refer earns you $25 off the program for your friend and $25 off Professional Weight Management product for you.