Does Support Really Help With Losing Weight?
By Nutritional Weight & Wellness Staff
May 6, 2024
“In my 12+ years being a dietitian I have learned developing a strong support system is one thing that is imperative for ongoing success when it comes to health goals. I see my clients thrive when they find the support system that works best for them. For some clients, taking classes and listening to the weekly Dishing Up Nutrition podcast works well. For others, support is taking the 12 week Nutrition 4 Weight Loss Foundation series and following up with a dietitian/nutritionist every 3-4 weeks. Some of my clients thrive in the Ongoing Support and Education group. I have learned that finding the support system you need is the key to lifelong success. The clients that check in more frequently are the most successful. We are here to help you achieve your success story. “
~Nikki Doering RD, LD | Nutrition Counselor & Educator
Does Support Really Help With Losing Weight?
When it comes to losing weight, there's something powerful about not going it alone. Nutritional Weight & Wellness dietitians are big fans of getting support for weight loss whether it's in a group setting or regular nutritionist appointments, and it's not hard to see why.
It turns out that leaning into support can offer more than just diet tips and regular exercise tips to help you get to your healthy weight goals; it provides a sense of belonging, motivation, and accountability that's hard to find elsewhere.
In weight loss groups, people share their successes, challenges, and learn from each other, making the journey towards a healthier lifestyle a shared experience. In appointments with their nutritionists they gain personalized plans to face their challenges, a safe place to talk about their struggles to lose weight, and another person in their corner.
Getting support while you are losing weight isn't just about the numbers on the scale; it's about building a supportive community where everyone's progress is celebrated. If you need more convincing as to why you might want to seek out support from weight loss programs or nutrition appointments...
Top Reasons for Weight Loss Support
Accountability:
One of the most powerful aspects of a weight loss support group is accountability. Members often share their goals and progress, creating a sense of responsibility to themselves and the group. This accountability can motivate you to stick to your healthy eating patterns, exercise plans, and lifestyle changes and ultimately help you on your weight loss journey.
1. Goal Sharing: Publicly setting and sharing realistic goals within the group increases commitment to make good food choices and remaining physically active.
2. Progress Tracking: Regular updates on progress, not only with weight loss but also conditions that might be improving, help maintain focus and dedication, and even weight management.
3. Peer Support: Encouragement from group members reinforces accountability, celebrates healthy habits, and keeps you keeping on your journey to lose weight.
4. Group Challenges: Participating in group challenges or milestones promotes a sense of collective responsibility.
5. Feedback and Advice: Receiving constructive feedback and advice helps adjust goals and methods as needed in developing healthy eating for steady weight loss.
6. Success Sharing: Celebrating successes together boosts morale and motivation that lasts well after group meetings.
7. Consistency: Regular nutritionist meetings, group meetings, or check-ins encourage consistent effort towards goals. Social support, in person, from those people sharing the same struggles as you can be a major motivator in your daily routine.
“I will often start my classes with a saying I heard at a conference years ago – ‘To have good health is a skill. Like any other skill, good health is something that can be learned, honed, practiced, and improved upon.’
But skills, good health, and good nutrition take time and consistency. For many people, this is where group support becomes an essential tool. Sometimes it helps to show up with others while you learn and practice showing up for yourself.” ~Leah K. Rd, LD
Shared Experiences:
Weight loss is a deeply personal journey, yet it comes with universal challenges. Being part of a weight loss support group allows you to share experiences, challenges, and successes. This shared understanding can provide comfort, reduce feelings of isolation, and remind you that you're not alone in your weight loss efforts.
Imagine you're facing a tough week; cravings are hitting hard, and motivation seems to have packed its bags. Now, picture our group session where another group member shares a story of overcoming similar hurdles. They talk about healthy habits that worked, like swapping high-calorie snacks for healthier options and setting small, daily physical activity. Hearing their story, you realize you're not tackling these challenges alone. Their experience, mirrored by many in our group, brings a sense of camaraderie and understanding and gives you that needed lift to help you keep on keeping on with your efforts to lose weight.
“Being a part of the N4WL Foundations or OSE groups provides a community of like-minded people- people who are doing the same things you are, making the same choices as you, struggling and celebrating with the same challenges and victories. There is power in this- it influences small (sometimes large), daily decisions that over time, lead to positive habit change and improvements in health outcomes.”
~Teresa Wagner RD LD | Nutrition Counselor & Educator
Access to Resources:
Support groups often have a wealth of information and resources. From nutritional advice to exercise tips, the collective knowledge of those in the group, plus the experts that facilitate them, can be invaluable. This information can help you make more informed choices about your weight loss strategies and give you tips and resources specific to your lifestyle and needs. After all, a weight loss support group is there to help you solve YOUR specific challenges, no matter how odd or challenging it might seem to you.
“When thinking about making changes in one’s eating habits, so often people think of it as a singular, permanent change rather than an evolving process. Diet (what we eat) is always changing even within the context of our real food message.
We start with a plan A, which often involves foods and habits that coincide with the season of the year and/or life but plan A may not work as we switch from cold weather foods like soups and slow cooker meals to the types of foods we crave as the weather warms. That plan may not work as the seasons of life change- what we eat as students, working adults, working adults feeding families, working adults empty-nesting, and retired people- those seasons of life also change what and how we chose to eat.
Having support through these different seasons is beneficial when it feels like the plan just isn’t working anymore. Having guidance while weathering the seasons is helpful for continued success and avoidance of getting stuck.” ~Teresa Wagner RD LD | Nutrition Counselor & Educator
Emotional Support:
The emotional rollercoaster of weight loss or weight loss management can be daunting. Support groups offer a safe space to express frustrations, celebrate victories, and cope with setbacks. This openness is crucial for addressing sensitive issues related to weight and self-esteem. Emotional support from peers who intimately understand the emotional highs and lows of losing weight fosters a deeper level of empathy and support, as every member has faced similar struggles and victories.
While the emotional support from family members and friends is invaluable, the specialized understanding, shared experiences, social support, and focused encouragement provided by a support group can be more aligned with the needs of someone actively working towards weight loss goals.
“I highly recommend the Ongoing Support & Education classes! You gain added ideas for meal/snack prep and tried recipes. Nothing can replace the support you receive from other participants. Friendships are fostered through a common goal.” – Ongoing Support & Education Participant
Motivation and Inspiration:
Hearing about the achievements and perseverance of others can be a powerful motivator. Support groups often highlight success stories and strategies that worked for others, which can inspire and encourage you to keep pushing forward in developing healthy new habits.
1. Seeing Real-Life Success: Witnessing others achieve their goals provides tangible proof that success is possible, boosting your own belief in your abilities to overcome unhealthy habits and improve your healthy habits.
2. Collective Energy: The group's collective motivation and enthusiasm can uplift individual members, especially during tough times.
3. Shared Goals and Challenges: Knowing others are facing similar challenges and working towards common weight loss goals creates a sense of unity that can drive individual motivation.
4. Encouragement During Setbacks: Group members offer encouragement and perspective during setbacks, helping you see them as temporary and surmountable.
5. Celebrating Milestones Together: Sharing and celebrating each other's successes, no matter how small, fosters a positive and motivational atmosphere.
“What I like most about being in this new OSE series is that I’m with other women who are on the same journey of self care and health as I am. We have informal discussions around good topics like how to get better sleep, how to eat out, how stress can make us gain weight, plus good reminders of what we learned in the 12-weeks series but might have forgotten. There’s a lot of sharing of ideas, support and, of course, a few tips and tricks from one another to make life easier.”
Healthy Behavior Reinforcement:
Regular meetings or check-ins help reinforce your healthy living behaviors. Discussions often revolve around overcoming temptations, making healthy food choices, engaging in regular physical activity, and finding balance. This constant reinforcement can help solidify good habits and keep you motivated to continue developing the healthy eating and physical activity habits that help you lose weight.
Nutritional Weight & Wellness Support and Resources:
We provide support led by our professional nutritionists and dietitians. This professional input can guide you towards more personalized, effective and safe methods to help you reach your healthy weight.
The journey to meeting your better health goals can be complex and challenging. A support group offers a multi-faceted support system that can address the emotional, informational, and motivational aspects of this journey. Whether you're seeking encouragement, knowledge, or accountability, a support group can be a vital component of your weight loss strategy.
In Person or Online Weight Loss Program from Nutritional Weight and Wellness: Nutrition 4 Weight Loss
Are you looking for a group weight loss program that provides you with a weight loss support group, expert guidance to help you in your weight loss efforts, and make the lifestyle changes that will bring you new and better habits and help you lose weight?
Nutrition 4 Weight Loss stands out as one of the best weight loss programs. We have helped thousands on their weight loss journey and know that we can help you experience long term weight loss and gain benefits well beyond the scale. We have seen students improve dangerous health conditions, lose weight, and have successful weight management even after leaving our program. And the best part...all of this happens without weight loss drugs or weight loss surgery. Learn more about our life-changing in-person or online Nutrition 4 Weight Loss programs.
In Person or Online Personalized Nutrition Appointments:
Are you looking for personalized support to help you lose weight and reach that healthy weight you know will bring so many beneficial effects to your life? Schedule an in person appointment with one of our licensed nutritionists or dietitians.
Additional Learning to Help You Lose Weight:
Read: Do Weight Loss Pills Work? Breaking down the facts on how weight loss medications work and the potential drawbacks. Also providing some alternative options which have lasting results, are more affordable than weight loss medications and don’t have the undesirable side effects.
Read: Best Weight Loss Program: Beyond The Scale. More than just the numbers on the scale, the right weight loss program may help improve health issues like high blood pressure, achy joints, digestion, heart health, stress and anxiety, and more.
Listen: Weight Loss Without Restriction Podcast Episode. Today we are going to talk about that loaded word “diet” and how to go about losing weight while still feeling satisfied and satiated after eating. We’ll cover how restrictive, low calorie, low fat diets often lead to feeling hangry, fatigued, and with constant cravings.
