You’re a lot like the company you keep. According to this article:
…the risk of a normal weight spouse becoming obese (after the other spouse becomes obese) is increased by 37 percent. For siblings, the risk is even greater, at 40 percent.
You can’t always change those around you. You may not have your spouse or siblings as a support system, but having someone is important. Here are some examples of possible support people:
- Coworkers
- People in gym classes
- Online weight loss forums
- Online weight loss blogs
- Friends
- YouTube weight loss channels
So my question to you ladies today is: What’s your support system? Your hubby, your brother? If you have a favorite site or YouTube channel, then share it here.
Here’s my answer: I would love to have a better real life support system. I remember in nursing school there was a fellow student who was trying to lose weight as well. Though we had different plans ( she was counting calories and I was on Atkins), the fact that we were both avoiding certain foods allied us against the constant barrage of junk food that was present during class hours. We also started going to the gym together.
We both lost quite a bit of weight and it would be a frequent subject of conversation in our daily lives. It was so exciting. When we graduated, we started seeing less and less of each other and I started gaining more and more weight. I saw her recently and she has gained all of her weight back 
She told me ” I just wish we could do like we did before! I could get this weight off!” I agreed that would’ve been great.
Of course, not having support was not the only reason we backslid. The change in our lifestyles and schedules I’m sure contributed, as well as other things. However, it might have helped to have had my “buddy” along for the ride to help me through the bumpy periods.
My support system now is mainly: You ladies! I also still visit the health and fitness area of LHCF and Three Fat Chicks, where I mainly lurk. Online support can be vastly helpful!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
My husband, mom and a couple of co-workers are my support system. I love it when my husband feels my body parts and tells me how firm they are getting. My mom asks me how I am doing with my lifestyle change and offers to pass me along plans she has in her cookbooks. One of my co-workers was training for a run now he is ready to start training for a mini-triathlon. My other co-worker is a healthy weight but is becoming more aware of what she eats and will wed in less than a year so she wants to look her best.
you guys are pretty much my only life lines i have. with my field my co-workers are DEFINITELY not motivators becuz their old and sit around for 12 hrs and eat everything they shouldnt every 3 hrs….ooooh no! so i make sure i get up every so often to walk or run around the bldg n take the steps at least 3 times when i take bathroom breaks.
My husband is my support system which is not ideal considering he’s on a mission to gain weight. He encourages me so it works for the most part. There are times he crosses the line to dictator and I have to put him in his place, but it’s always well intended. My personal trainer is a new support for me. He texts me on a regular with encourging words and really monitors my input and output.
This website though is the support I enjoy most. I find comfort in knowing I am not alone and that success can be mine! um hum, ours!!!
My husband is a huge support. He’s been for as long as I’ve been trying to lose weight, but because he is a fitness professional, his words don’t often reach me the way he wants. He gets all technical with me, and at the end of it all I hear is you need to lose weight, which I am not OK hearing from him. From the trainer, yes; but not hubby. See how it can get complicated
I have 2 friends who are on the same mission, and we try to encourage each other to keep moving and keep losing. I also have this site. I love coming here and seeing everyone’s progress. Some days it’s motivating, some days not so much but always nice to see others’ progress.
My support system is my friends and internet blogs/youtube. My friends give me motivation to stay on track. Its especially helpful because we are working toward the same goals. I love that we can be motivational but also call each other out, when someone is slipping on their diet or exercise.
The internet has helped my weight loss journey immensely. Watch youtube and seeing other people featured on blogs who were successful, constantly gives me hope that I will be able to achieve my goals as well.