Everyone needs a friend!

Every person’s body is different; you may start quickly and settle down or start slowly and speed up! I know every individual is unique and that is why, as a Personal Wellness Coach, I work on giving my clients personal and private advice.

Group support can also be important as you can give and receive encouragement from others, as in our weekly Weight Loss Challenge groups or other slimming classes you may attend. Another option is to have a “Diet Buddy” who you share your goals, tips and experiences with.

As they say on the TV quiz show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” – phone a friend when you’re stuck and don’t know the answer!

As with any change of diet, the first few days will be the hardest, so a friendly, encouraging support will help you through it! After this time your appetite will decrease and it will get much easier plus you will start to feel all the benefits of good nutrition. If you chose your programme well and you stick to it, you should expect to lose weight safely and gain health, vitality and energy.

Beware the green-eyed monster!

I’ve had a few clients now who’ve experienced a problem with their friends as they’ve lost weight and started to feel good about themselves.

This ‘friendly’ sabotage can take many different forms from a genuine kind of concern “you’re starting to look a bit gaunt, don’t you think you should stop now?”(although you are still 2 stones/28lbs overweight!) to thin friends becoming jealous because you now wear the same or smaller clothes size as them and are no longer their “fat friend”!

As hurtful as this can be, just stick to your guns and keep going as only you know how much better you feel!

"Phone a friend" when you need support!

To summarise:

• Use a support system. Make sure you attend your weekly meeting, call your Personal Wellness Coach for advice or a friend, partner or relative who will listen positively to you and remind you of your reason why you want to lose weight.
• Become someone else’s support system.  Find a weight loss “buddy” – a friend or relative you can talk to who is also trying to lose weight. Providing support for them will also help keep you on track as you’ll want to set a good example!