Can Friendships Influence Weight?

-Misery loves company

-Confused people attract confused people

-Proverbs 27:17”As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another”

-Proverbs13:20 “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm”

…With that being said there are plenty of sayings on how those you choose to spend your time with will influence you. The interesting thing is that one of the greatest gifts you can give a person is your “time,” because you are only given a set amount of it in this life and you can’t take back any of it. If you truly care about someone then give them your time. We also know that you are who you choose to spend your time with. For example, if you want to be successful in life, then it might be a good idea to spend time with other successful people.
We have all heard the saying, “If you show me your friends, I can show you who you are”. Why is it that we automatically apply this to a person’s character, yet we forgot that “habits” are just as much a part of character as well?

In the IDEA Fitness Journal, Dr. Martina M. Cartwright says that “Dieters can lose more weight if partnered with supportive friends, and exercisers get more motivated if paired with positive pals.” (Bell & Pliner 2003;Hogan, Linden & Najarian 2002; Marcoux, Trenkner & Rosenstock 1990; Verheijden et al 2005; Wing & Jeffery 1999). Also, “Your close companions will influence your body weight, dietary habits and exercise patterns”. Friendships are a source of support, encouragement and motivation. Throughout your interactions with your friends, you will begin to generate good and bad thoughts, emotions, and habits that manifest themselves in the physical. We favor the company of people with common interests. So if you are a person that hates to workout, my bet is that you will attract others that think/feel like you.

One of my favorite quotes, with a slight modification at the end says that, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with … including yourself.” -Jim Rohn (motivational speaker and self help guru). I encourage all of my clients to include strong and positive participation from close friends, because they are more likely to succeed in not only achieving their weight loss goals, but also fostering a healthy lifestyle that is contagious. So in choosing to adopt a healthy lifestyle, better eating habits and a consistent exercise regimen, you just may influence your friends and family to do the same. Choose today to set the tone for healthy living. A healthier nation starts with you!

The fact is, whatever you want to accomplish in life, know that you cannot go about it alone if you want to succeed. Making fitness last a lifetime is not a journey for the lone warrior, but a combined effort.