Changing Diet and Behavior to Fuel Weight Loss
The reasons we gain weight and the path to successful weight loss are extremely complicated, as factors beyond diet and exercise can exert a significant influence on our body composition, hormones and the environment which surrounds us.
Some of these factors are within our control while others are not. The keys to permanent weight loss are understanding those events and behaviors which we can modify and learning to live within the confines of our external environment. Fortunately, there are important steps we can follow each day to tip the scales toward weight loss success.
Friends and Family Influence Our Weight
Sustainable weight loss is not possible until we’re able to successfully control our lifelong habits and behaviors which are responsible for the excess pounds. In many ways, these factors can be much more difficult to identify and change as they become part of the fabric of our day to day life. Friends and family can also have a significant influence on when we eat as well as the type of foods eaten.
The results of a study released by the University of Michigan examined the effect of peer pressure and behavior modification on female college freshman roommates. They found that roommates with a partner who weighed more than average were much less likely to gain weight over the course of their first year. On average, dorm mates with a heavier counterpart gained only one-half pound during the year while the typical gain was two and a half pounds for those with slimmer roommates.
Understanding the Social Impact on Weight Loss
Researchers suggest that the heavier roommate was much more likely to be on a reduced calorie diet or exercise routine and these positive weight reduction behaviors were adopted by the slimmer partner. Each roommate became more aware of the importance of diet and nutrition to prevent the dreaded ‘freshman 15’ and altered their lifestyle habits toward weight maintenance and reduction. There are a number of important behaviors you can adopt to assist your weight loss goal.
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