Leveraging Your Social Circle to Accelerate Weight Loss Habits [WIP]

I've been at this only a little less than 2 years, so I think of myself as a noob. When I started, I talked and talked and talked about it at my workplace, and several people decided to give it a try if big old Jerome is so excited about it. One of those who already had mfp on her phone was a young wife and mother of 3 who decided to try once more to get those last 12 lb off. I haven't seen her checking in for several months but she does post photos on facebook so I can see that she's still doing great. Anyway, her 2-month journey involved transforming her pantry into an optimum source of healthy foods, and transforming her life into one of physical activity. As each of these transformations accompanied the typical ups and downs of fluctuating weight in a woman, she and I frequently talked. We talked about the things she was changing, doing, and dealing with in her family. We talked about her weight loss frustrations. I think I consistently urged her to "stay on the plan", "get all your macros", "be patient". One sweet day, she reached her goal. I do think that I was a key part of her success. Since then she's continued to transform, not only herself but her whole family, as her mother, husband, and children are all on board with her 'great health through better eating' lifestyle change. Another was a young father with much excess baggage who struggled to make progress for a whole year. I made the intentional point of visiting him occasionally to discuss his efforts and the issues he was dealing with in his large, hospitable, food sharing family. One day it occurred to me that everything I was doing wasn't working for him, so I had to think outside my little box. I suggested to him that he 'use a smaller plate'. Was that the secret to his success? Maybe. At that point he'd lost 20 lb in a year. As of today he's lost another ~50 lb since then.

Use your social network, but be used, too.