Carole Carson

Unite Your Fitness Team and Win the Battle of the Bulge

For many years, I viewed my inability to lose weight and get fit as a personal failure. Each day I would wake up and gingerly step on the bathroom scale. An impossibly high number would appear, followed immediately by distress over my weight.

Each day I began with good intentions and a willingness to continue, even in the face of repeated defeats. And each night I ended the day with the same ritual: I would promise myself that tomorrow would be better; tomorrow would be a new day.

After what seemed to be about the ten-thousandth time of going down the same tunnel and finding no cheese, I finally realized that perhaps I needed some help. So I reached out and created two kinds of fitness teams—a team of healthcare professionals and a team of supporters.

The first person I put on my healthcare team was my physician, followed by a physical therapist, who helped me figure out what exercises I could safely perform with a torn hamstring. A personal trainer in my local gym supervised my initial workouts to make sure I didn’t reinjure myself. I also consulted with my cardiologist, who reduced my medication following the weight loss.

The coordinator for the local hospital wellness center, Debbie Wagner, RN, helped address questions about nutrition, the kinds of exercises I should undertake and the psychological impact of making such dramatic lifestyle changes.

I first recruited my husband, Dick, to be on my cheerleading team. Then I added my best friend, Dale, who shared an interest in exercise and nutrition. Next, I added my offspring and a close neighbor. Before long, I had surrounded myself with people who, besides cheering me on, were also committed to become more fit.

I don’t think it is a coincidence that the outcome from this effort was different than the outcomes from my prior ten thousand or so attempts.

In retrospect, I realized I was smart enough to apply the same skills that had helped me in my career to my pursuit of fitness. That is, I created a company called Fit Carole. As the CEO, I defined my mission—to lose weight, become fit and adopt permanent, healthy lifestyle habits.

Then I recruited team members to help me realize my goals.

Of course, I relied on myself to set priorities and measure results. But as important as my tasks were, I couldn’t have succeeded without the support of my team.

I urge others who are beginning their fitness journey to create their own team. You may be one of those exceptional people who can achieve their dreams on their own; the rest of us mortals, however, need each other. United we succeed. Go team, go!

Is Obesity Contagious?

As coach for the AARP Fat 2 Fit online community, I ask experts to share their insight on issues involving fitness. One such expert is Nedra Weinrich, a nationally recognized pioneer and expert in social marketing, a field that promotes healthful changes in behavior.

 

I asked Nedra, “Is obesity contagious? If it is, how do we make fitness contagious?” Her answer follows:

Yes. Obesity is contagious. A 2007 study found that if your friends or family members are obese, you are up to 171 percent more likely to be obese yourself. The reason is not just that you share genetics or eat the same foods if you live together; this effect is found even among unrelated friends living across the country from each other.

 

So what’s going on? Our norms and expectations about concepts like appropriate body size, normal food portions and exercise habits come from what we see our friends and family members doing.

 

The good news is that the social side of this epidemic means that we have control over whether we “catch” obesity ourselves, and we can turn the situation around to spread fitness and other healthy behaviors through our social networks.

 

If you decide to lose weight, exercise regularly and surround yourself with others who are getting fit, the people in your life are more likely to catch the fitness bug as well. These effects were found to extend to three degrees of separation—meaning that even friends of your friends’ friends can be affected by your losing weight. So break out of your unhealthy habits and set off an outbreak of fitness!

 

Nedra’s perspective suggests that we are highly social animals; consequently, we are connected to one another in ways we may not fully understand. Nedra’s comments also underscore the adage that “We are our brother’s keeper.” Armed with this insight, we are encouraged to become role models for others and to use our influence in a positive way wherever and with whomever we can.

Nedra Kline Weinreich
Nedra Kline Weinreich, the president and founder of Weinreich Communications, consults with nonprofits and government agencies to promote changes in health and social behavior. She is the author of Hands-On Social Marketing: A Step-by-Step Guide. A lecturer at UCLA, Nedra earned her master’s degree in health and social behavior from the Harvard School of Public Health and has served on several federal expert advisory panels and committees.