That’s What Friends Are For

“I get by with a little help from my friends.” – The Beatles

When building your support system, your weight loss doctor and the members of medical weight loss team will be important, but you shouldn’t stop there. We thrive on positive interactions with those we spend time with, from our closest friends to little-known acquaintances. To really make the most of your medical weight loss experience, you’ll need to make as many of these people into allies as possible.

Build Your Support System for Medical Weight Loss in Chandler and Scottsdale

When you first begin medical weight loss in Chandler and Scottsdale, you’ll need to have a frank discussion with those who regularly influence your diet and exercise habits. This is especially important for those you share a home with—like whoever does the grocery shopping for your family—but you may also need to have this talk with coworkers and friends you often spend time with.

The vast majority of those who care about you will be eager to help you achieve your goals and may just be waiting for you to broach the subject. Understand that weight loss is often a touchy topic and your loved ones may be hesitant to assist before you invite them to. Politely ask them for their help by explaining the things they can do to help you.

Make it easy on your loved ones by asking them to help in simple ways, like:

• Keeping healthy foods around the house
• Exercising with you
• Joining you for a healthy, home-cooked meal

You should also highlight the things they’ve already been doing to help you. For example, if your spouse goes on walks with you each evening, tell him or her how beneficial this is for you and how much you appreciate it.

Of course, you’ll also need to talk about the things your loved ones do that may not be helping your medical weight loss plan. Suppose a friend of yours often makes irresistible chocolate chip cookies—you don’t have to ask her to stop baking, but may want to ask her to stop offering them to you or placing them in easily accessible areas. Those close to you will likely be surprised that their actions have had a negative effect on you and may gladly work to make that influence more positive.

How else can we find support from our friends and family members during medical weight loss? Share your tips, experiences and questions with us in the comments below.