Before GPS and Google maps, there were always jokes about men never stopping the car to ask someone’s help in getting directions to a destination. Asking for help was viewed as a failure of sorts because a competent person should be able to get to that destination using his own skill sets.
People vary in their “openness” to asking for help in a variety of venues. There is fear that asking for help shows weakness, concern that the person being asked for help may be burdened by providing the help or asking for help shows incompetence on the part of the asker.
Focusing on the weight control arena, receiving help from family, friends and co-workers is an integral component to success. If a spouse is constantly imploring you to eat/drink alcohol with him/her, friends always imploring you to join them in consuming derailing foods/drinks or co-workers dropping candies and cookies on your desk, your chance of success is much less.
The “help” can come in many forms, the most important being simply not offering up foods/drinks that will hurt your efforts. Perhaps asking someone to be a workout partner is a simple “help” as well.
During your long-term weight control efforts ask for help from all of the people that can impact on your efforts, both positively and negatively. You are not burdening them in the least. Think about how you would feel if someone asked for your help in having the person achieve better health and reduce his/her risk of disease: You would jump at the opportunity to help that person.
Ask for your loved ones and friends for help…they will be happy to oblige.