How to Encourage a Friend to Lose Weight ~ Natural weight

Jackie Raha, former manager of group service development for Weight Watchers International, says you can't motivate someone else to lose weight. No matter how much your friend's weight affects his health, job or relationships, long-lasting weight loss comes from personal, internal motivation. You can offer encouragement when he decides to lose the weight for himself by being what you already are: a caring friend.

Step 1

Ask your friend how she'd like to be encouraged. She may want a cheerleader to celebrate with her when she drops those first 5 lbs. She may just want you to hold her accountable by looking over her food choices each day, or perhaps she just wants a walking buddy or workout partner. Your friend is the expert at what she needs.

Step 2

Lead by example without being "holier than thou." If the two of you eat together, choosing a lower-calorie option can enable your friend to make better choices. If you order the double burger with fries and a shake, it might be harder for your friend to order the salad with dressing on the side. If your friend decides to order the double burger, you could opt for a single burger with no cheese and ask your server to add extra lettuce and tomato. Offer to split a dessert if he really wants something sweet -- then savor every bite.

Step 3

Invite your friend to make better choices by asking her to walk or attend a fitness class with you. Dr. Mehmet Oz says working out together helps prevent loneliness and builds accountability. Start out by exercising for 30 minutes a day, three days a week, and build from there. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults get at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week.

Step 4

Encourage every good behavior and overlook bad ones. Listen to what causes your friend to overeat and offer kindness rather than criticism. Offer kudos for every exercise attempted, every calorie avoided and every healthy choice made.

Tips and Warnings

Try not to reward good behavior with bad. Offering to go out for ice cream after a workout could just end up reinforcing the idea that the only good things in life are edible.
Refrain from shaming. Shame is a poor motivator since it can keep a person from attempting a goal for fear of failure. If your friend orders the double burger with extra cheese, making a face or lecturing about the number of calories in each patty could backfire by triggering feelings of shame and powerlessness. The goal of encouragement is empowerment. Avoid competition. Starting a "Biggest Loser" contest could lead to unhealthy attempts at weight loss and cause the "smallest loser" to feel like a failure, which could lead to an eating binge.