Three considerations for selecting a weight loss program
How you choose to lose weight is important in sustaining results.
The most attractive way to lose weight is quickly before your next beach vacation, wedding or doctor visit. But as you know and may have experienced, these programs that make big promises often fail to help you maintain your results.
When you work towards losing weight, it is important to learn to maintain results. Learn:
what your body needs
how to maintain your favorite foods
what to do when you hit a roadblock
What you learn is crucial for a lifestyle change or long-term results.
How do you select a teaching program, so you don’t have to repeat this process?
1) Do you get to learn about food?
We eat food to nourish our bodies, but many do not know how much food our bodies need. It is important to know which foods help us feel satisfied, which foods provide energy, and what portions our bodies require. Often, weight loss programs hide these learning opportunities with a point system. It is important to know what nutrition labels mean for you so you can enjoy a variety of foods.
2) Does the nutrition plan align with your food preferences?
Studies have shown that dietary adherence—the degree to which someone ‘sticks’ to a diet—is a more important factor in weight loss success than the diet itself. In other words, if the nutrition plan is significantly different from your food preferences, it will be difficult to maintain in the long term. Food is designed to be enjoyed. I understand how nice it feels for meals to be planned for you, but this can lead to boredom, often the elimination of your favorite foods, and a lack of skills in planning. You need knowledge and practice in planning meals; otherwise, your reliance will cost you.
3) Does the program offer accountability and support?
Dietary and lifestyle change is not like changing your brand of toothpaste. This type of change requires uprooting some habits you have practiced for years and uncovering the reasons behind those habits. Counselors and coaches need to have the time and skills to sit with you in your struggles and learn about you in order to offer support. Accountability reminds, encourages, and provides practical steps toward change, as our lives are often filled with distractions.
If you want to learn more about how our weight loss programs meet these criteria and more for sustainable results, click below. We’re here to help.
