There is an interesting article in Businessweek titled "Sympathy Pounds". The article gives an overview of the direct correlation between having obese friends and becoming obese yourself.
What's revolutionary about this article is that they studied people for prolonged periods of time so they were able to isolate some major variables.
For example, if a best friend becomes overweight, you're 117% more likely to become overweight. That's most likely due to people engaging in similar sedentary lifestyles with excess caloric intake.
The best way for people to change something about their life is for them to begin controlling the environments they put themselves in. It's often easier for people to control their environment than to control their actions. Think about it. If you have a drinking problem for example, it will most likely be easier for you to stop drinking if you avoid going to places where you would be inclined to do so or spending time with people who you would regularly drink with.
Most people can plan ahead and keep themselves out of a situation they know may lead to something else but have little control over impulsive decisions like eating desert and fried food. Solution - don't go to restaurants with deserts and fried food.
However, this correlates to most of life. Health, wealth, emotions, the quality of our relationships, etc. I'm sure a lot of people think that an approach to choosing your friends with such high standards is somehow not right. Well, standards are what define our lives. It all comes down to how bad you really want change. When you hit bottom, you're usually triggered to rise back up to your identity. What's yours? A condition, such as being overweight is not your identity. Realize that.
It's a condition that you can change. You may be overweight, depressed, but that's not who you are. You are an amazing being that can transform into what your mind envisions. Raise your standards and be persistent. The pursuit itself will send you into a more proactive life state and higher consciousness.
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