Would you like a free way to lose weight? Of course, you will still need to buy groceries…but this will actually combine well with other ways to lose weight, like if you are on a specific diet plan already.
Ask a friend for help.
Now this is not quite as easy as it sounds. You want a friend or family member to help you but the reality is that most of your friends, and most of your relatives, wouldn’t be good for the task. Who could you find? Let’s see…
First, rule out everyone you know who is overweight or obese and isn’t doing anything about it. They are more likely to drag you down than to give you a hand. Have you ever gone to a family gathering (Thanksgiving is the worst) where your relatives sighed about not losing weight? Or if you had lost some weight, nobody gave you any encouragement? Bummer.
Then think of the people you know who are in the process of losing weight. There are some good candidates here. But if they are totally devoted to the weight loss plan they are using, you might have to use the same diet or workout to get their genuine support. That might be fine, might not be; think about it. Still, make a list of possible friends here.
Next would be people who tend to be helpful souls but aren’t actually all that aware of the issues involved in losing weight. They are probably relatively normal in weight but might still be a good help. Add these people to your list.
How can your friend help you?
There are a variety of ways. Here are a few:
- They could be a sounding board for ideas for how you are going to count calories, eat more protein, add an exercise program, join or even become a fat burning furnace! In other words, someone who likes to think about possibilities. They could help you decide between Weight Watchers, ediets.com, the South Beach Diet, and other programs, for example.
- They could be someone to turn to when you need a pep talk.
- They could exercise with you. Maybe you could go for walks together and talk about your weigh loss plan.
How can you help your friend?
With everyone being so busy, it’s only fair that you offer your friend something in exchange for the weight loss support you want. It could be giving them a hand with a project they are doing. If they are also losing weight, make sure that you give as much support as you get.
It may be something completely different. What are you good at that is your gift? We all have a few things like this.
Asking Your Friend
We Americans do not always find it easy to ask for help! Choose a good time, and go for it, whether by phone, email, or in person. Maybe they will say yes, or maybe you will have to give them time to think. Ultimately you might need to ask someone else. Tell them how much time you think it would take, and see what they say.
So getting help from a friend is one good and free way to lose weight.
