The number 1 thing you can do to help release weight—for good—may also be the hardest thing.

And it’s NOT dieting and exercising.

• Research proves you need to do this.
• My clients swear by it.
• It was critical for my own transformation.

What is this all important element?

Getting support!

Study after study shows that having at least one person support you in meeting your wellness goals will dramatically increase your chances of success.

And working with a support group can boost your weight-loss results by 225 percent!

Doctors and researchers from the Department of Nutrition at Harvard proved this when they set out to discover the best diet.

They found that all the plans worked about the same.

Let me repeat that . . . ALL the diets worked about the same!

As long as people lowered their calorie intake, they lost weight and improved their health.

On average, participants lost 9 pounds.

But one group stood out.

They lost an average of 20 pounds. (There’s that 225 percent improvement.)

What made the difference?

Attending support group sessions.

But most women are reluctant to reach out for support.

• You may feel that dieting and exercise are things you should be doing anyway, and you just need to slap yourself into shape.
• You may be deeply embarrassed that you have “let yourself go” and don’t want anyone to know how much you are struggling, or how far you have slipped.
• You may feel that you would be judged by others, or that nobody else would understand the pain and struggle that you go through.
• You may believe that there is something wrong with you . . . or your body . . . and you don’t want to burden anyone else with your problems.
• You may feel that the root causes of your overeating are too personal to share—past traumas, troubled relationships, sensitive work issues, etc.

Your reasons are your reasons.

But they are not serving you.

Hiding your body shame is what keeps it active, alive, and painful. To heal those old wounds, you must face your fears and shine a bright light on the stories you carry about your body. You must be aware of them to change them.

When you share them with another person—or in a group focused on the same goal—you discover you are not a failure or a freak. You are not the only person who feels the way you do, or struggles in the same way.

That awareness enables you to accept yourself at a deeper level—and begin to move towards loving yourself.

Loving yourself—the good and bad, dark and light, the whole of you—is the key for creating the body you really want.

Allow yourself to step into your fear and discomfort and seek support.

When you do, you will:

• Normalize what you’re going through—You realize that everyone has cravings, gets frustrated by the numbers on the scale, and has moments of weakness.
• Build momentum—Noticing and celebrating every sign of progress builds momentum towards successfully meeting your goals. Having someone to share these with helps keep you motivated.
• Boost morale—Having someone to turn to when you are fighting a craving or to help you get back up if you do stumble is powerful. The only failure is not picking yourself back up and keep going.
• Problem solve—When you are focused on the problem, it can be almost impossible to see even obvious solutions. Having someone on your side who can see the situation more objectively can help you brainstorm ways around any obstacles.
• Make the journey more fun—going it alone makes it easier to get caught in the negative thought spiral going on in your head. Having a partner helps break the inner patterns so that achieving your wellness goals is more enjoyable.

But where can you find help?

• Ask a friend or family member—Choose someone who is consistently positive, good at problem solving, and will be uplifting and inspiring.
• Join a group—There are a number of on-line and in-person support groups. Pick a group that does more than just air problems. Look for a focus on celebrating successes, problem solving, and offering encouragement.
• Hire a coach—Consider working one-on-one with a certified professional coach who is goal and success focused, and that will come up with an individualized plan to help you break through any thoughts, beliefs, or patterns that are literally weighing you down.

What can you do today to reach out for support? How will having at least one person helping to cheer you on, boost morale, and problem solve make it easier to meet your goals?

Together we can do it!