5 Ways Your Friends Influence Your Health

1. Food Choices

Oftentimes people get together and socialize over food. This food can be different depending on who you are hanging out with. Chances are if you are hanging out with someone else on the Mindful Living protocol then you will be meeting over healthy food. On the other hand if you are meeting your friends at the movie theater and are planning on eating there, then you will likely be exposed to carb heavy snacks. So its not only a matter of who you hang out with, but also where you choose to hang out. Some environments are less healthy than others.

2. Idea Of Fun

Currently my idea of fun is walking 5Ks with my community, eating meat and veggies at Korean BBQ, and walking my dog Max. Most would say these are healthy ways of having fun. Therefore anybody that hangs out with me is also likely to participate in these healthy fun activities. It works both ways though. For example if my idea of fun were to drink beer and eat pizza all day, then my friends would be likely doing the same thing. It’s safe to say that changing your friends can also change your idea of fun.

3. Sleep Patterns

If your friends only hang out at night, why would you want to feel left out? You would stay awake late at night too. My point is straight forward. You can only hang out with people who are awake at the same time as you. So there is no doubt that your friends will impact your sleep schedule. We suggest you choose wisely because sleep can influence weight-loss.

4. Health Goals

We like our friends because they are similar to us. We usually have something in common with out friends. That is why we get along. This makes it important that we pick friends who take their health seriously. We need to associate ourselves with friends that work hard towards their health goals. Surrounding ourselves with these types of people will lead us to see our self as health conscious too. This is the first step in following them on the path to great health.

5. Fitness Routine

If your friends do not meet up until after working out, chances are that you will want to follow that same standard. Our friends set our standards. If your friends think working out is fun, they are the type of people you want to hang out with. While the benefits of working out with a friend are endless, its is important to go at your own pace. Please do not get overly competitive. Doing so can cause serious injury.