Can a Weight Loss Partner Double Your Success?
Having a spouse, another family member, a relative, or a friend embark on the same weight loss journey can provide a tremendous boost for both parties. At BonVie Weight Loss we’ve had many “buddy” clients who are great weight loss partners. We’ve even had a friend group who all signed up together to lose weight – the positive peer pressure and their mutual support meant that many of them had lasting success!
Diet partners are two or more people who share a common goal and know they can count on each other to help them achieve that goal in whatever way works for each of them.
Pros of having a weight loss buddy:
Accountability. By far and away being accountable to another person besides your weight loss coach is a vital part of sticking to a program for the long haul – especially if you have considerable weight to lose.
Healthy competition: if our friend is making steady progress (aka losing a measurable amount of weight each week, even if small, we may feel encouraged to do likewise.
Encouragement – not comparing
Hearing the same program information to best follow the protocol.
Sticking to it – on the days we feel like giving up, making a call to our weight loss partner and asking for support may be the ticket to keeping you on track.
Helping the other person stay resolute. We all feel better when we can be of service. Offering encouragement and support during the other person’s struggle may help keep you on track too! Knowing that person is depending on us may well help us stay committed.
Cons of having a weight loss buddy:
Every person has a different rate of metabolism which means we will lose weight differently from week to week. That’s great if you are the one making the most progress; not so good if we are sensitive to being on the lower end. If you are the kind of person who compares oneself to others a weight loss partner may not be the best idea. In that case, stick with your BonVie coach’s support and guidance.
That “healthy competition” only works for people who have good self-esteem and will not feel “less than” or defeated if their partner is losing weight faster than they are.
Comparing one person’s weight loss journey to another’s.
If your partner decides to give up will this may make you throw in the towel too?
Here are some important considerations
The bottom line is even if we share the same goals each one of us will have a slightly different path to get there. Before you partner up be brutally honest about what you need to have successful weight loss. What is best for you?
And diet partners can be more than comparing weight on the scale. How about an exercise class or a walking date together? Or it may be taking turns babysitting so that each of you can get to the gym separately. Or getting together to cook or swap recipes a few times each week.
The clarity in expectation is always a good idea. Agree upfront on how much time and energy you have to devote to the partnership, and what each partner most need from the other person.
Losing weight is an exciting, demanding, and rewarding undertaking. And with the right partner, it can be fun and motivating. Give some thought to who would be a good partner for you!
