If you want to lose weight and keep it off, become friends with other people who are doing the same. That's not only backed by science, but one local group is living proof.
At 7:30 a.m., on the City Park track, you will find a group of men and women of all ages getting in shape.
It's all under the direction of 57-year-old coach James Joseph. He's a former welder who leaves his overnight security job on a Mississippi riverboat to help people with his passion, weight loss and health.
"It's easy to take the weight off because that's what I do, but you have to be willing because it's not an easy job. It can be done," says coach James Joseph.
Group members have the before and after pictures to prove it can be done. At 24, Geni Taylor is 93 pounds lighter.
"I just got tired. Really you get to a point where it just gets old. You know after a while I realize I would say my turning point, I had just bought these jeans and I put them on and they were like skin tight and I looked at the tag and they were 18's. So after that it was like I've got to do something," says Geni.
Her life was so changed that she got the courage to go to college, and become a national medal-winning boxing amateur. At 23, Martin Jackson says Geni was his motivation to lose 35 pounds.
"I don't have my back problems from having a big stomach and big chest. I don't sweat as much. I can breathe better. You are always getting compliments, you can wear what you want to wear, everything looks good on you," says Martin.
Fifty-two-year-old Liz Keeney says gone are those same old frustrating 20 pounds.
"I have never been fitter and stronger and emotionally sane. I mean it's the best stress relief ever," says Liz.
And at 20, Shalacy Poche' says she lost 24 pounds in 2 months.
"Everything's better. I feel great. I'm healthier. I eat well. I'm able to diet and exercise and this is something I really love. It's part of my life now," says Shalacy.
The track workout is jogging, sprinting and exercises, but then coach James also mixes in his passion for a sport that can get anyone in fighting shape: boxing.
It's a workout program he started to help at risk youths have direction in life.
"A lot of them just want to relieve the stress and have something to do just to stay out of that madness in the street," he says.
His number one rule with teens is that they have to stay in school to be in his program. His rule with his college students and grown ups is a desire to better themselves.
"I'm not out here for nothing because like I say, 'I could go home and go to sleep and I do have a pretty wife that I miss a lot too,'" James adds with a laugh.
When they are not able to pay that's fine. Some of the college students sometimes will give him a little gas money. His grown clients pay him like a trainer. It's all based on the motivation to be with him and the group, something many scientific weight loss studies have proven over and over again. People with at least one successful weight loss partner lose more weight than people with no weight loss partner or an unsuccessful one. In fact, social networks are so important that the spouse of a person going through a successful weight loss treatment program will also lose significant weight even if he or she is not in the program.
This group says team work is why they are winning.
"With a group it motivates you to work harder," says Martin.
"I just saw the guys really working out hard and coach having his motivating spirit and I just wanted to join right a long and be a part of the team," adds Shalacy.
"Absolutely, there's nothing, nothing better than to have somebody pushing you encouraging you and just a buddy to come with you," says Liz.
For this "eight Loss Wednesday," it is the power of the pack with its alpha leader that is using that primal social instinct to take it off permanently.
Studies also show that social support can be used to promote the spread of weight loss among family members and social networks can also motivate overweight mothers to eat a healthful diet and to exercise.
