Group Support Systems Work for Weight Loss

This is one reason why Fitness Camp is more than just an exercise class!

Most people's first reaction to a friend's weight loss is jealousy. After all, you've been dieting and exercising too, so why hasn't your scale weight changed? Instead, your friends still eat whatever they want and lose weight.

But did you know that recent research has shown that your friend's weight loss can also help you lose weight? This just might convince you to round up a weight loss group at work.

Doctors from the Brown University School of Medicine studied the effect of partner support on weight loss. Overweight men and women were scheduled to attend group weight loss exercise sessions and were encouraged to bring up to 3 support partners to participate as well. The researchers expected bringing more exercise partners would increase the odds of weight loss for the subjects.

However, the findings were a bit of surprise. It didn't matter if subjects brought one, two, or three partners. Instead, subject's weight loss after 6, 12, and 18 months was associated with the weight loss success of their exercise partners.

BOTTOM LINE: If you hang around people that are successful at losing weight, you'll have a much better chance of losing weight yourself.
Don't spend time with "negative nancy's" when you are trying to change your life.

So if you start a weight loss program, you have a better chance of succeeding if you get another friend, family member, or even in an on-line community to start losing weight. If one person succeeds, everyone around them will have a greater chance of success.

So build a group of social support that eats and exercises together. You'll help one another avoid tempting foods and you'll be there for motivation when one of the group members just doesn't feel they have the energy to exercise.