In college, I noticed that I had gained the freshman 15. My roommates and friends were constantly baking treats and the dorm food we ate was not nutritious. I decided to start running. The running jump-started my weight loss and I started eating healthier meals. My friends started to follow suit. Four years later, I am still running and so are my friends. We have completed multiple half marathons and one marathon. It is hard to keep motivated, especially in the cold, rainy Seattle climate, but running with my friends helps me stay on track. There have been times when I planned early runs on dark, cold mornings; I know that I would have hit the snooze button if I didn’t have plans to meet a friend.

So I wasn’t surprised when I recently read an article based on a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which showed that social groups influence weight and obesity, regardless of geographic locations. People who spend time together tend to have similar interests and lifestyles. The study shows that when a friend is obese, your risk of becoming overweight or obese increases by 57%, and when the friendship is of the same sex, your chances of gaining weight increase to 71%. The good news is that your social groups can also influence weight loss.

Staying motivated can be easy with social support. Instead of meeting for coffee or a meal, get together for a walk at your favorite park or make a plan to meet at the gym once or twice a week after work. Set a fitness challenge with a friend and reward yourself when you have reached your goal. You and your friend(s) will be more likely to achieve your goal together.

Be a leader and inspire your friends to live a healthy life.