How to Get Your Family to Support Your Weight Loss Journey

While losing weight requires personal commitment, it always helps to have support. Your family can be a great support to you. Following are some ideas on how to involve your family in your weight loss journey.

Discuss Your Needs Openly

First, it helps to talk about it openly with your family. Make a list of ways family members can help you and discuss it with them. There may be some need for negotiation, but the general idea is to hash everything out in a specific, concrete way.

Focus on Family Health

Involving family may require them to make some sacrifices, and they may not be completely willing to do that. It may help to shift the issue away from your personal weight loss needs and toward your whole family’s health.

Plan Meals as a Family

Planning meals together is a great way to involve family members in more healthful eating. Browse recipes that use nutrient-rich foods and have people pick items that seem appealing. This way, you’re not imposing meal choices upon them, but instead giving them a say in what they eat over the week.

Go Grocery Shopping Together—Or Don’t

When buying groceries, try going together as a family. That way, you can involve everyone in making healthy food choices.

Alternatively, if family members really don’t want to give up favorite treats, you might let them go on a separate “treat run” on the condition that they keep any sweets or unhealthy snacks out of sight.

Have Family Meals

Along with choosing meals and getting groceries together, eating together can be a great way to get support since it can help you control your portions. The help here can also be emotional. Mealtimes can be a great setting in which to connect with family members and stave off feelings of isolation and anxiety that may lead to overeating.

Exercise Together

Of course, it’s not all about diet. Exercise is also important to weight loss, and there are many ways to involve your family in your efforts to be more active. Some fun family exercise ideas include:

• Nature walks or hiking
• Biking
• Indoor rock climbing
• Laser tag
• Just plain tag
• Swimming
• Sports
• Martial arts classes

Find activities your family likes and have fun!

Celebrate Milestones

Finally, as you reach milestones in your weight loss journey, celebrate them with your family.  Rather than celebrating with food, decide on a special activity that everyone can look forward to each time you reach a goal.  This can incentivize them to help you keep going, making it a positive experience for everyone. It can also help you draw closer together as a family, boosting your morale and increasing your chances of long-term success.

If you have not had success with previous weight loss programs and would like to learn more about bariatric surgery, make an appointment to see Dr. Malladi by calling (214) 242-9737.