Perhaps the most important tools that have helped me maintain my healthy weight are my support groups. Sure, I have family and friends who care for and encourage me. But there’s something special about sharing your journey with others who are on a similar path.
There are many types of groups you can join. One might be perfect for the weight and dietary part of your journey, while another might be best for encouraging exercise and fitness. These can be virtual groups that meet only online. Social media sites like Facebook have groups that offer support and encouragement. I belong to several and often find insight in the posts I read.
These have been an important part of my journey, but I have found that in person meetings with weigh-ins help me even more. You may have seen my post on the non-profit weight loss group TOPS Clubs: https://lindawbrowning.com/2023/03/17/tops-take-off-pounds-sensibly/ This works well for me, but you may prefer WW, Overeaters Anonymous, or yet another group.
Where can you find a group to join? Here are a few ideas, but I’m sure there are many options. Please post in the comments if you are familiar with others. Thank you!
- Try Meetup to find groups that may interest you. In doing a quick search, I found 57 groups in the Health & Well-being category in my area!
- Many hospitals have weight loss support groups. In fact both hospital chains in my area have programs for weight loss which include support groups. In some cases, you may need to be a patient to participate long term.
- For an online option, check out the Obesity Action Coalition here: https://www.obesityaction.org/education-support/tools/
- Do a search on Facebook to find a group that interests you. Some have thousands of members while others have just a few. You might like to try several for the best fit.
- Apps are also a great resource. Perhaps you’ve used MyFitnessPal or another app? For fitness (as opposed to diet), I am really enjoying the Slow AF Run Club at the moment. I also love 99 Walks as well as FitOn. Share your favorite apps in the comments!
- Interested in starting your own support group? Here are some ideas from Healthline: “Start a small support group with interested friends or family with whom you can exercise, plan meals, and keep each other accountable. Start a group on Meetup or Facebook and make a post advertising for people to join. Reach out to a weight loss organization in your area and ask if they have a support group. If not, volunteer to lead a support group” (1).
- Ask your medical provider if they know of any support groups locally.
- Of course there are also local weight loss clinics, centers, and spas in many areas. While they may offer support groups, be cautious with these businesses. I feel more comfortable suggesting nonprofits here.
Do support groups actually help? According to a study conducted in Japan, over 90% of participants in a group weight loss program lost a significant amount of weight. Weight Loss Rally was a successful program run for 12 weeks that included both dietary and exercise components and resulted in an average of 8.3 pounds (3.7 kg) lost, along with a waist reduction of about 1.5 inches (3.9 cm) (2). It would have been interesting to read about follow ups of this study, but this isn’t available.
In a 2018 systematic review and meta analysis of prior studies, it was found that groups are effective in promoting weight loss. “Diet and physical activity interventions delivered in groups are effective in promoting clinically meaningful weight loss at 12 months” (3).
I hope you will try a support group and see if it’s that little extra push that you need. We can use all the help we can get as we maintain our healthy weight!
(1). https://www.healthline.com/health/obesity/weight-loss-support#start-your-own-group
(2). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18592983/
(3). https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aphw.12121
Maintain Weight Loss 