Why You Need A Weight Loss Support Team
Support is pretty much a requirement for getting anything done in life. Period. We can’t ever truly succeed as solo practitioners. We need the collaboration, the cheerleading, and the celebrations with our support team to accomplish most anything.
Think about it: you went to school where teachers helped you learn, you grew up and discovered advisors and mentors whom you admired and looked up to, and you've likely sought out advice and guidance from a practitioner, specialist or some sort of provider at some point in your life.
And when it comes to weight loss, you need those allies too. Let's talk about why you need a support team and what makes them so powerful.
Who’s Your Support Team?
So many of my accomplishments would not have happened without the guidance and support of my grandfather, friends and mentors.
After my parents divorce, my grandfather stepped in as a powerful role model. A businessman himself, he taught me many valuable lessons over the years about hard work, resilience and the power of perspective. I can still remember my grandfather gently calling me by my full name when I'd try to quit short on something out of fear of not getting it 'perfect', complain about feeling worn down by life's challenges, or wondering if I could really achieve my goals. He was always there to remind me to take a step back and reassess, to see my strengths and to look for solutions rather than focus on problems. There have been many time in my entrepreneurial life where I can literally hear my grandfather's voice calling my name from heaven (my own personal Jimin'y Cricket), reminding me to pause, look and listen.
Sometimes it’s when I'm worried about failure, caught up in perfectionism. Other times it's when life feels like a series of waves crashing against me as I struggle to find my footing. And sometimes it's when the self-doubt, fear and overwhelm come closing in. The truth is we all have those moments, because we're human. Thankfully my Jimin'y Cricket is really good about getting in my head and saying, “Hey, knock it off, you're wasting valuable time and energy here!”
Without my grandfather's voice reminding me to pause, look and listen, I know I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Now, I’m not saying that everyone needs a Jimin'y Cricket sitting on their shoulder. What I am saying is I can tell you after years of my own struggle and years of coaching women on weight loss, we ALL need somebody to lean on.
"Life is not a solo act. It’s a huge collaboration, and we all need to assemble around us the people who care about us and support us in times of strife." -Tim Gunn
Maybe it’s a mentor or a coach, a friend or a family member you look up to. It could be a co-worker or your boss. Whoever it is, we rely on that person to inspire, encourage, and support us and, most importantly, to hold us accountable.
Grab an Accountabilibuddy (yes, it's a thing!)
Over the years I've heard a lot of great health and fitness tips. Most of the healthy living experts out there, including myself, will talk about many of the same topics. It's hard to find anything original when it comes to health, fitness and nutrition... except when the latest and most outlandish diet trend appears.
Some experts promote a hardcore approach to eating better and exercise, while others offer a realistic, more balanced and fun approach (in case you're wondering, which one I am, it's the latter). Either way, most of us will agree that support is a key ingredient to achieving your health and weight loss goals.
I love this blog post from MyFitnessPal that talks about How to Find an Accountabilibuddy.
Where can you find an accountabilibuddy in your life? Who in your circle of friends can be a power partner? Who do you look up to an admire and would love to be where they are? Who can you recruit or hire to guide and support you on your journey?
Think about it, there's probably somebody who would love to see you succeed!
Create Your Support Network
If you’re looking around and you don’t see much of a support network in your immediate social circle, here’s my best advice: if you have to hire someone to be that person, do it. Because your success depends on it.
I’m a coach. And guess what? I have a group of coaches, mentors, and business advisers that I've paid throughout my life and career to not only advise me, but to push me further and take me farther than I'd ever push myself. They push me out of my comfort zone, remind me I'm capable and worthy, and offer a sounding board with thoughtful solutions when I encounter challenges. Without those people, there is no way that I would have accomplished everything I have.
We achieve more when we have people to help us. Bottom line. There are going to be good times in life and there are going to be hard times, and you need those people around you for all of it. It's the simplest and most effective way to make your goals a reality. And, friend, you're worth it.
Are you tired of starting over every Monday, hopping from diet to diet, wondering if you'll ever get it "right" so that you can lose the weight and become the best version of you? I’ve got you friend! Come join me inside my FREE women’s-only Facebook community: Eat Better with Coach Mindy. It's for busy women like you who are ready to lose weight, gain energy, get healthy and fit -- without restrictive diets or punishing food rules.
