Family Motivation | Motivation comes not only from within but also from those with whom you surround yourself. A recent study reinforced the idea that criticism isn’t an effective motivator when it comes to weight-loss and typically applies to the people you are most closely related to — your family. 

College-aged women who participated in this study were asked several times how they felt about their height and weight over an eight-month period. Those who received positive messages from family members about their shape and size were usually able to maintain or lose up to an average of one pound. Younger women who received less-than-positive remarks about their weight gained an average of four and a half pounds during the course of the study. 

While it’s important to let family members know about your weight-loss goals, you may not want to do so if they’re good at doling out criticism. Your family members may believe they are helping you by using critical remarks to motivate. To keep yourself on track, it may be wise to let these family members know that you need positive messages to continue with your progress and that negative messages aren’t helpful. In addition, always remember to surround yourself with friends and other individuals who are going to support you throughout your journey. 

To learn more about this recent study, read Your Family May Be Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Efforts from HuffingtonPost Healthy Living.