There is no question that having the support of a buddy while you're trying to change lifestyle behavior is a very successful strategy. They support you, encourage you, and sometimes even hold your feet to the fire. There's nothing like having to be accountable to someone who has your best interest at heart.
Buddies can be your walking or exercise partner, your confidant about stress in your life, or the person who you spend your evenings with who says "are you sure you want to eat that?". A recent study has shown that even a computer can be a supportive buddy.
In the CHAT study (Community Health Advice by Telephone), subjects were divided into three groups: one that received no phone calls, one that received calls from trained health educators, and one that received interactive calls from a computer. The groups who received calls were encouraged to continue their exercise regimen, and to increase their exercise time. The goal was to get them out walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes most days, or engage in some other medium-intense activity, for a total of about 150 minutes a week.
While the subjects expected that they'd need human support, both groups who received calls succeeded at topping 150 minutes per week. The group receiving a human call averaged 178 minutes per week and the group that received a computerized call reached 157 minutes per week. The group that didn't receive a call reached only 118 minutes per week.
So don't discount the impact of reminders and supportive interaction. I spend many hours a day sitting at my computer working. I program it to give me reminders every 45 minutes to get up and walk around, stretch, do a few jumping jacks, and clear my head. I feel better and I'm much more productive. I am certain that I gain more in productivity than I lose in time with these breaks. But I'm not sure that I'd take them if not for my computerized buddy reminders.
So enlist a human buddy, call a friend, or program your computer to help you make the changes that you'd like to make in your life, and accomplish your goals.
Yours in a Good Mood,
Dr. Susan Kleiner