Are your friends making you fat?

WE ALL know diet and exercise are key to achieving our weight-loss goals, but research conducted in recent years shows that support from family and friends is just as important.

It also shows that people who participate in weight-loss support groups or organised weight-loss centres have a much higher chance of losing weight and maintaining that weight loss.

Gold Coast-based health and fitness phenomenon Ashy Bines couldn’t agree more.

“Support is a huge factor in achieving your weight-loss goals,” Ashy said.

“Huge. Our whole program is based around the idea of support. I believe it’s why we have one of the most successful group fitness programs across Australia. It’s why we have the results we do.

“Weight loss or achieving your health and fitness goals has so many ups and downs. It can be an emotional rollercoaster, and, like anything in life, having someone to fall back on, someone to pick you up off your feet, to help get you back on track, and someone to believe in you when you don’t believe in yourself is so important to achieve your goals.

“Women can sometimes be our own – and other women’s – worst critics and it can be a real setback. We need to support each other and celebrate our successes. “That’s a big part of achieving our goals.”

When it comes to weight loss, there are many reasons why a friend may not support your goals.

Some people fear change, others still may worry what that change will mean to your relationship.

Others view your commitment to positive change as a negative reflection on their own choices. So they sabotage.

It may not be a conscious effort to undermine you and your goals. They may not even be aware they are sabotaging your efforts – so you need to be.

Women can sometimes be our own – and other women’s – worst critics and it can be a real setback. We need to support each other and celebrate our successes.