Be motivated, join a weight loss support group

Monday mornings start with my alarm going off. I take a deep breath and hear my reminder on my phone. Scale time, I hop on my Fitbit scale and weigh in, take a picture and post in my weight loss Faceboook group. It all started in November when a friend posted a note on her wall about joining a mom’s weight loss group. I have been with them ever since.

I really felt like I was stuck in a rut with my weight and couldn’t really lose it the way I was able to in the past. After having my first child, it took me about two years to lose most of the pregnancy weight gain and so I felt like I needed a jump start after having my second child. I know it is going to be a slow journey to get back to where I was before getting pregnant.

Every six weeks I pay into a pool to help me lose weight, it keeps me motivated and I have peer support from other mothers who are struggling just like me.  When I was pregnant with my second child,  I  discovered that I have hypothyroidism and was put on medication to help me normalize my thyroid. So I feel like I have a couple strikes against me.

I am also nursing a 14-month old so my weightloss journey has been slow (my body holds onto fat when I am nursing). But even losing a little weight every week keeps me motivated. That is why I like being part of this group.

Every Monday we weigh ourselves and have a tracker sent out to us and the person who loses the most wins money at the end of six weeks. It really isn’t about the money for me, it is about the support and giving me a reality check. We support one another when we struggle to keep on track. Every time I want to cheat, I think about having to step on the scale on Monday morning and opt for a healthier snack.   If you are struggling like me, seriously think about finding a support group to help you manage your weight loss. You will feel so much better.

Shari Nelson is an advertising sales rep at City Parent and a contributor to the magazine's social media, including Facebook and Twitter. She has a background in Early Child Care Education. She has two daughters a 6-year-old, a 1-year and 10-year-old dog. She aspires to not have too much “Stuff”.  She challenges herself and her amazing, talented carpenter husband to be fit and healthy.