In the past month, I’ve had THREE couple clients. Meaning, both husband and wife were in on the session. I’ve done a few of these over the years, but to have so many in such a short time has been really fantastic. People are really starting to understand that accountability and support are what make changes sustainable.
If you read my blog, follow me on social media or know me in IRL, you know that my husband and I eat TOTALLY differently. Comically so. I’m gluten-free (and mostly grain free save for the occasional brown rice I can’t resist here and there) and dairy-free and he seems to survive on white bread, pizza and processed meat. He will eat two meals that I make: chicken or burgers. I do my burger without the bun, he does his without the side of broccoli. While we eat differently a lot of the time, we’re not immune to the others’ influence. He now gets vegetables in his diet and I’ve been known to eat the occasional candy bar. This works for us for a number of reasons, the biggest one being that neither of us is struggling to meet any goals.
But for those of us who ARE trying to make a noticeable change, having a kitchen full of temptations or a partner who brings home french fries can derail us. I’ve seen a lot of people bump up against friends or partners who quash their goals, either because they don’t want to have to change something themselves or jealousy rears it’s head. Even if said partner is trying to be supportive, when their actions subvert their intentions, it’s trouble.
So it’s awesome to hear couples on the intake call championing each other. I’ve had a husband desperate to know what to cook for his wife that she’ll enjoy, a wife who wants to support her husband’s weight loss efforts though she’s not trying to lose weight, a couple who were at a loss for what to snack on and a couple working through their second pregnancy to be healthier and stronger for baby #2 than they were in their pre-parenting days. I get to help them with the outline, but they will provide the accountability and support for each other.
I say this time and time again: everyone does better with support. I see a body worker regularly, have done years of therapy, participate in business mastermind groups every month and lean on my friends daily. If YOU are ready to make a change in your lifestyle, recruit a support network. It can be your partner or best friend, it can be a therapist or body worker, or it can be me! One of the programs I offer is weekly coaching, where we get on the phone every week and talk about successes and challenges and how to keep moving forward.