6-Week Slim-Down: Share your slim-down goals and motivation

Photography: Getty Images

There are many theories on the best ways to lose weight, but there are some recurring themes (in addition to the exhaustively spread advice to eat less and exercise more).

Experts recommend that you share your goals, tell others about your progress and even work out with a friend. When you talk to a friend or family member about a goal, it helps keep you accountable. In the age of social media, studies have shown that boasting your healthy accomplishments online can actually help you lose more weight. The praise and social rewards we reap when we share with others gives us that extra boost to keep going. And though having a traditional workout buddy who will meet you at the gym at 6 a.m. without fail is irreplaceable, our current capacity for connectivity means we can get some of those motivational benefits from chatting with others online.

Part of the secret to weight-loss success seems to lie in making your healthy undertaking a social endeavour. That’s why, in this year’s 6-Week Slim-Down, we’ve decided to make sharing part of the program. Every other week, we’re asking you to share something about your healthy efforts amongst the community of fellow health-seekers,  then we’ll share the results the following week.

This week, we want to know:

What’s motivating you to get healthy in 2016?

Tell us in the comments form below, and share your 2016 goals with someone in your life this week. And if you aren’t already signed up for Canadian Living’s 6-Week Slim-Down, sign up now for all kinds of healthy and helpful weight-loss advice.