To lose weight and keep it off, it’s best not to go it alone

Losing weight — and keeping it off — is difficult. More than half of folks who lose a significant amount of weight regain what they lost over the following two years. And most people try to lose weight over and over again. That’s frustrating and unhealthy. Yo-yo dieting is associated with increased deposits of plaque in your arteries and the accumulation of fatty tissue, muscle loss and chronic inflammation.

If you want to avoid the lose-itgain-it-back cycle, a study in the International Journal of Obesity suggests that teaming up with a spouse, family member, friend or support group can transform your weight-loss journey, helping you lose and keep weight off.

To gain the power of pals, you can launch a “two-to-lose” effort: You and your pal write out your goals and set a realistic timeline (losing 0.8 to 1 pound a week) to reach your goal. You also write out a list of foods to avoid and foods to add to your daily menus. And you commit to a walking routine five or more days a week — either with your weight-loss supporter(s) or someone who’s supporting your exercise efforts.

Another approach: Line up folks who will offer support even though they aren’t on a weight-loss journey: Send a daily report on what you ate to a pal; report to someone near and dear about your daily physical activity; sign up for online coaching (Dr. Mike has a highly effective group in his e-coaching program at the Cleveland Clinic, Enforcer-e-coaching) and get 24/7 support from Longevityplaybook.com.

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iherb.com, the world’s leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1’s).