Seeking Companionship While Losing Weight

Wed, 05/27/2009 - 21:22 —Rick

One of the toughest challenges in life is trying to lose weight. Sticking to a diet or an exercise regimen can be the most difficult thing we ever do. Dragging oneself to the gym each day or eyeing that decadently chocolaty piece of cake while chewing on carrot sticks seems like some punishment straight out of hell. And the reward of sticking to the weight loss regime, if not allusive, is at least always one step away from the point at which we give up.

So, what is the solution? How do I develop willpower that keeps me going? Fortunately, there is a way to get support through this trying exercise of losing weight – a “healthy friendship.” This means having a companion who supports us through our efforts to regain our health and fitness. A friend, who accompanies us to the gym, joins in with our diet routine or lends support in a way that helps us carry on with the weight loss programs, can be an immense source of support.

This sort of supportive, “healthy friendship” has been exemplified by the success of Alcoholics Anonymous, where recovering alcoholics find it easier to abstain because they have someone who can talk them out of moments of craving and crisis. Staying with a weight loss program can be as difficult as recovering from an addiction and we can definitely benefit from all the extra support we can get.

A healthy friendship can also be a source of encouragement and motivation. Being motivated by someone who truly cares for you and is there with you through this difficult journey can prove invaluable. Each time you feel that your will to stay on the weight loss regimen is slipping, you have a friend you can call and regain that lost enthusiasm. Many people have found that they are able to exercise for longer and more regularly when they visit the gym with a friend. Even walking in the mornings can be a more pleasant experience if a friend joins you. Time just seems to fly when you are with good friends, doesn’t it?

The important thing is that having a companion while losing weight can make the goal easier to achieve. This fact is evidenced by the number of support groups for popular weight loss programs, such as Weight Watchers and the Atkins Diet, on the Internet. And what is more, you know that someone who is there at a difficult time when you are losing weight is definitely someone who cares deeply for you.