How to Find Support for Healthy Lifestyle Changes
If you’re trying to lose weight and reduce your belly fat, but your husband keeps bringing pizza home every night and your kids always eat ice cream while you’re in the room, you may find staying on track difficult. To be successful, you may need to have support of all kinds, from friends and family, from professionals, and from the Internet.
Create a support network with friends and family
One of the best ways to stay on track with your healthy lifestyle is to tell your friends and family about your weight loss and health goals (and why you’re working hard to achieve them). If your family and friends know you’re trying to eat healthier options, like whole grains instead of refined carbs, they may try to be more supportive.
Family and friends can also be a great support group when you’re trying to include more physical activity in your daily routine. So ask around. Maybe a friend likes to take a walk with you in the morning, or maybe your kids like to kick soccer together at night. Finding a consistent exercise partner helps make you more accountable, too.
Bring professional help
Sometimes you need more than just the support of your friends and family to be successful. In these cases, you may find that professional help is just what you need to achieve your health, weight, and, most importantly, goals.
For example, if you struggle to eat for emotional reasons rather than hunger, talking to a licensed mental health provider can be a great way to learn strategies to combat emotional eating. And if you need help customizing your meal plan to meet specific nutritional or medical needs or help find the motivation to start following a weight loss and fitness routine, consulting with a registered dietitian, like myself, is your best option.
To find a qualified health professional, ask your primary care physician for referrals, call your insurance company for a list of in-network providers in your area, or search online in health care provider directories for someone who specializes in your needs.
Get online weight loss support
Getting support doesn’t mean you have to leave the comfort of your home. You can find a lot of motivation and advice online. For example, you can find many great low-cost or free online communities that allow you to talk to other people who are striving to lose weight and improve their health. This type of forum can be a great way to share tips, gain motivation, and build support.
Be careful when looking for information online. Remember that anyone can put up a website or blog. When looking for health information online, make sure you do your research. Look for credible sites run by true medical professionals or organizations. And look for information that’s backed by scientific research.