Some women who are trying to lose weight struggle to find support among family members and friends. They may be surrounded by people who maintain unhealthy habits or simply lack close relationships with people who are able to provide guidance and encouragement. For many such women, weight loss support groups can be positive instigators for change.
Types
Women's weight loss support groups come in many different forms. Some are online, providing virtual discussion boards and resources that women can use to connect and help them with weight loss efforts. Others meet in person and may be local or national networks. Some groups are just for patients who have had weight loss surgery; others are open to all women. Many groups also have different focal points, ranging from healthy eating and dieting to fitness and positive thinking.
Benefits
Support groups can offer enormous benefits to women. According to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, weight loss support groups provide education about healthy lifestyle habits, food and fitness choices; encourage positive self-esteem; cultivate emotional support and provide caring, accepting environments for all participants. Groups for women only can enhance those benefits and result in closer bonding among everyone who attends.
Results
According to a 2006 piece in the "Obesity Surgery Journal," a team at the North Oakland Medical Centers in Pontiac, Michigan, found that during a one-year period following gastric banding surgery, patients who regularly attended support groups lost more weight than patients who did not attend. A 2010 piece from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the "Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases" journal corroborates the findings, noting that there appears to be a positive linear relationship between the percentage of weight loss and the frequency of support group attendance among obese patients.
Considerations
The support group you choose may have an impact on how much weight you end up losing and how successful you can be at keeping it off. The Mayo Clinic urges you to find a group that offers accountability as well as positive encouragement. Fellow support group members may be most helpful if they listen well and actively participate in your goal-meeting process by exercising with you, helping you develop healthy, balanced menu plans and celebrating your successes. Ultimately, however, it's important to remember that weight loss results stem from your own motivation and efforts, and no matter how good your support group is, you must make positive and healthy lifestyle changes to enact the results you want.
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