Fat 2 Fit: The Limits of Independence

When it comes to weight loss, it's tough to play the lone ranger, Carole has found. She started seeing results when she switched to the team model—and she's never looked back.

By: Carole Carson | Source: AARP.org | 2008-11-03

Growing up on a farm in Iowa, I was taught the value of self-reliance and independence. We had a cow that provided milk, a garden that provided vegetables, and a few scraggly apple trees that gave us fruit. My mother cut our hair, sewed our clothes, and made soap out of lard and lye. When something broke, there was no telephone to call a repairman. And even if we did have a phone, there was no repairman to call.

Given my upbringing, perhaps it is understandable that as an adult, for more than 40 years I tried unsuccessfully to lose weight on my own. The independent, self-reliant Carole was in charge.

It was only when I realized the limits of self-reliance and switched to the team model that I succeeded.

I had two different teams. One was a team of professionals: my doctor, a physical therapist, a personal trainer, and the lifestyle counselor at the local, hospital-based wellness center. I got help from each of these people, as I needed it.

The second team was equally important, perhaps even more so. This was my emotional support team: my husband, children, grandchildren, best friend, and neighbors. They cheered me on when I made my resolve public and lifted my spirits when I wanted to quit.

That's why today I encourage people who want to lose weight and get fit to announce their decisions broadly and to create teams of supporters. I want others to realize the success I did, without going through the repeated failures. If through sharing this insight, I can move you closer to your goal and spare you wasted effort, then I’ve once again affirmed the value of teamwork.