Skip to main content

Building a System of Support


So many of my clients who make successful lifestyle changes have a strong network of friends, family members or colleagues they can rely on. While it is not necessary to have lots of people to support your fitness endeavors, it is essential that your supporters accept the actions you're taking unconditionally.

This kind of connectedness with others can help you live healthier in two ways. Scientists have discovered that most risk factors decrease and longevity increases with individuals who have stable and supportive spouses, friends and co-workers.

A while back, in the small town of Roseto, Pennsylvania, researchers were astounded to learn that there was a very low incidence of heart disease among the residents even in the presence of a moderately high fat diet. After all other causes were finally ruled out, the "health serum" turned out to be the close family ties of this traditional Italian community. And as the families have drifted apart over time, the incidence of heart disease has gone up.

The second way a support system is helpful is that it consistently reinforces the fact that you don't have to go through this transition alone. Knowing there are people in your life with whom you can share frustrations, discoveries and triumphs may help to relieve you of the enormous burden of figuring everything out by yourself.

The obvious place to start is with your family, although this may sometimes be the hardest group to communicate your needs to. Spouses, children, parents, even close friends, can also be affected by the changes you're making. After all, these changes will impact them too.

When I first council clients that are considering lifestyle changes, I suggest they discuss their reasons and goals with family. Some clients can be surprised at how even small changes in the way they eat and exercise can increase energy and make them feel more powerful. As a result, family members can feel threatened if they don’t understand the motivation for such changes. I encourage you to reassure them that you're still the same person — and you're working toward a healthier and more active you.

Finding a partner to share in your process of change can help a great deal. Whether you work out and eat together regularly or just meet once a week to discuss your triumphs and tribulations, the moral support will buoy your spirit. Why not organize a neighborhood walking group, or a babysitting co-op where parents swap childcare time for workout time?

Depending on your personal situation, creating a support network may be relatively easy or fairly challenging. It may require moving outside of your immediate circle of family and friends, but don't let that stop you. You'll appreciate the strength you gather from others along the way.

And, finally, people who make successful change also have one other trait in common: They work on building their self-esteem as part of their process of change. Without a strong sense of self, help from others has little impact.

As always – Live Your Life Well,

John Aaron Villarreal
johnaaron-massage.com

Facebook / Twitter



The content and information on this site is not intended to diagnose,
cure, treat or prevent disease. Please consult your physician
prior to starting any exercise or diet program.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When Should I Get a Massage and How Often?

This is a question I get often… Let’s face it, if it were up to massage therapists we’d say that you should get a massage every day, but in reality – very few people ever have the means or time to make this scenario play out in their lives. So technically speaking, your frequency should depend on how much you like massage, how often you experience chronic pain, and your budget. If you’re able to afford it, getting a monthly or weekly massage works best at helping prevent injuries by catching tight areas before they become problematic. With my more athletic clients (runners, weightlifters, gymnasts), I usually recommend timing their massage to coincide with the times they are training their hardest. For example, runners can develop tight hamstrings and hips, gymnasts and weight-lifters can get tight shoulders. These tight muscle groups can elicit injuries over time if they aren't treated by massage. If you are physically active, I recommend getting a massage within 24 hours ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Coffee Has Health Benefits

Anyone who knows me knows I love my Joe…. err, “cup of joe” that is. In fact, I’m enjoying a cup as I write this post. However, as a wellness professional that little admission of guilt has gotten me a few sneers and looks of condescension. Caffeine is BAD for you, they say! Well, perhaps abusing caffeine may be “bad” for you, but ‘caffeine’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘coffee.’ Despite this fact, coffee has gotten a bad rep over the years after a few health experts linked it (or rather, linked caffeine abuse) to several diseases. But is coffee actually that bad? Probably not; new research shows that drinking coffee in moderation provides numerous health benefits. Antidepressant It might seem a little odd to find that coffee could help with depression, but new research has shown that it does just that. Now, don’t go throwing out your prescriptions or quit counseling just yet though, coffee is not a cure for depression. Rather, the caffeine in coffee helps regulate your mood trans...
2 comments
Read more

Cutting Calories: 4 Easy Steps

It’s been said that if you want to lose weight, you need to move more and eat less. For some, however, the eating less part is the most dreaded. Yet, cutting calories from your diet doesn’t have to be a struggle and you don’t need to go on some fad or trendy diet to do it. Making small, simple changes can make a huge difference. To prove this point, I’ve outlined 4 simple steps that you can take toward cutting calories today. Step One: Stop drinking soda Whether you drink regular soda or diet soda, it’s a good thing to remove from your diet. It’s a lot of empty calories and replacement sugars that you don’t need in your body, and don’t even get me started on the subject of “corn syrup” or artificial sweeteners. If you want to kick your addiction to sodas then cutting them out completely is the best way to do that. You will save yourself money and a lot of unneeded calories by cutting out just this one item. Step Two: Portion properly It’s very important to learn what prop...
2 comments
Read more