Are Your Friends Holding Back Your Weight Loss?

"My bad!"

Positive life changes require this brand of ownership, right?

But what if it's not all on you?

You likely have a few other people in your life who may have a hand to play in your health.

You know them well.

That work colleague who brings in a weekly tray of irresistible homemade cakes.

The loved one with a midnight sweet tooth.

The kids who don't finish all their food, leaving you obliged not to waste it.

You don't want to be that person who blames others.

But hey, if you're a people pleaser, it can be tough to say no to emotionally loaded calories that carry social pressures.

It's called being polite.

But perhaps it has made you a size bigger than you'd like to be.

So, is it entirely your bad?

Maybe it's a result of you trying to be too good to others.

Many experts say you are the average of the five people you hang around with the most.

Research suggests this might also apply to your eating habits.

A study at the University of California found if someone you consider a friend becomes obese, then your chances of following their example increase by 57%.

What about your family?

If your brother or sister becomes obese, your chance of following their example increases by 40%.

If your spouse becomes obese, you're 37% more likely to become obese.

This effect wasn't only present in people who saw each other daily.

It's also true for those people who were thousands of miles apart.

Sound like the blame game?

Nope, it's the science game.

Small and regular dietary choices over a long enough timeline can significantly impact your eating.

These are more powerful when they're socially acceptable within your circle.

But don't start scratching names off your Christmas card list yet.

There's another way.

This study highlighted the negative side of how those around us influence us.

Instead, it also proved that we're social creatures who love to copy one another.

And it serves to reason that this will also work with positive reinforcement.

Mirroring your peers is true no matter how far away you may be from one another, especially considering how technology shortens the distance.

So, when you start taking better care of yourself or just look better in a picture you post, you positively impact those closest to you.

Use this as motivation.

Share the tips you've learned, especially the ones that have been the most successful.

Try foods such as It's Skinny pasta and rice, which only offer you 9 calories, are high in fiber, low glycemic, and have zero net carbs.

Most of the It's Skinny sales are from recommendations from friends who've shared the easy low-carb hack.

These small steps make a significant impact on everyone you're tight with, including yourself.