IF YOU NEED EXTRA MOTIVATION
Arriving home from work, Dee Takacs-Chan looked at her sneakers, but chose the couch instead. Like a million times before, her dedication to her latest get-fit goal had already weakened. After working 50 to 60 hours a week, I’m so tired, exercise isn’t even on the list.
For years, Dee’s weight trended up and down, limiting her ability to move and participate in life. She blamed boredom. “I’d join the gym and then the novelty would wear off. I could never be one of those people who worked out every day.” Then when a collection of health problems, like high blood pressure, began to pile up, Dee realized, “I needed to find a way to stick to a plan.”
But this time, Dee had a secret weapon: She joined a TOPS support group and started walking with 10 other women from the group twice a week. At first, it was just a third of a mile at a time. But soon Dee was able to walk twice and even three times as far. The social support was key. “I felt accountable to somebody. There was no judgment with this group. We supported one another,” she says. “If you had told me a year ago I’d be excited to go hiking on mucky trails, I never would have believed it.”
How social support speeds slimming
“People have to find exercise fun. If you have someone to talk to, it’s a much more entertaining experience,” says exercise and longevity expert Joseph Tieri, D.O., author of Reverse Sarcopenia. “Studies have shown that people walk more and more consistently when they have that type of support system.”
Then there are the results: In a study at the Harvard School of Public Health, participants who were assigned to a group-based weightloss program lost 48% more weight than those who participated in the same program solo. The social support also makes it easier to keep the weight off: In a University of Minnesota study, two-thirds of dieters who enrolled in the program with a friend sustained their weight loss after six months, compared to only a quarter of those who joined alone.
Indeed, within three months of consistent walking, Dee was able to get off her blood pressure medication. Overall, she achieved her goal and shed 102 pounds in less than a year. Her energy soared so much, she bought herself a bike, her first one since the age of 12. “I pretty much feel like I’m 20 again!” she raves.
To get the benefits, enlist some friends to walk with you or start a walking club. Set a regular day, time and place, and make sure everyone in the group knows how to get in touch if plans change. Once you start walking, go at a slow pace (you should be able to breathe comfortably and have a conversation) for at least 15 minutes, working up to longer walks as you’re able.