Weight to Lose? Get a Buddy....

This is a testament to my wonderful Weightwatchers buddy, Michelle in Rhode Island, as well as a recommendation for weight loss success.

Michelle & I met online in the WW community area when I posted for a new buddy. My first buddy just wasn't as committed and dropped by the wayside quickly. But the second time last October, I struck gold and we started emailing each other daily with tips and support.

It helped that we were both starting from around the same weight and have about the same amount to lose. We had also both done WW before years earlier and not stuck it out to goal, but were now totally committed to getting to goal. We were from the very start equally committed to building our friendship and this is vital, as one person making all the effort, just doesn't work long term.

Total honesty is another essential requirement for your buddy to really be of value to you. If you start lying to them about what you are eating, you are on a slippery slope to failure. Then there are times when one of you will have to get tough with the other, after all we all need to be accountable to someone for our actions. This is when a strong base of friendship is essential, so that things said are not taken the wrong way, but taken as a sign of caring enough to tell it like it is. We share our lives as well as our diet and this bonds us closer together as a team. We hope one day we will meet in person to celebrate our success, this week we discussed possibly having a weekend in NYC after goal!

If one of us has a difficult social situation approaching we discuss it and agree on a plan to get through it successfully. When we do fail, we have a laugh, talk it over and then ensure we get back on the plan and don't just give up. If one of us loses motivation, the other will remind them of all the reasons they wanted to lose the weight and get them back on track. We both struggled to get back on plan after Christmas and I know it was only because we had each other, we finally hauled each other back from the brink.

We email everyday, we also chat with im and then occasionally we will speak on the phone too - usually when a milestone is reached or a crisis! We exchange photo's regularly so we can see each others progress and we agreed early on to exchange reward gifts (with a budget) whenever we lose 10% as an added incentive.

We exchange food idea's, send each other things to try, share recipes and even have our own shared weapon, a low cal' homemade Pumpkin Pie. We joke that we will be the Weightwatchers girls that reached goal eating a piece of Pumpkin Pie everyday!

Michelle is off on a cruise in April and a bit worried about it, but I have already told her to enjoy herself for that week and not worry. Because when she gets back I will be waiting to help her get motivated to go onto goal and I will not let her give up.

For the first time in my life I can confidently say and actually believe, I am going all the way this time and will get to goal. So if you sometimes struggle, I suggest you find yourself a buddy like Michelle. Not only will your chances of success improve, but you will also gain a friend for life, if you're blessed like I have been :-)