Custom Weight Loss
There are a number of barriers standing in the way of making your weight-loss goal a one-time trip. Many people don’t realize that there are no short cuts to slimming down but there are experts readily available to exponentially increase your chance for success. I am talking about real people working with you individually – not handing you a menu printout or weighing you in front of 100 people.
I used to help clients with an “a la carte approach.” I let them choose what level of service I would provide based on their perception of what they would need or how much money they wanted to spend. Knowing now that there is only one way to guarantee long-term success, I tell them if they’re in it for permanent weight loss, then I have only one program: A one-on-one consulting plan. Past clients of mine who’ve succeeded are the ones who had the greatest amount of time with me. In a very literal sense, they were the ones who didn’t just buy a program, but became students. The Internet has provided fast, easy accessibility so I can work with my clients daily even if they’re hours away.
The most current paths to weight-loss have their good and bad points. Although the first step is to be ready to commit to change and be an active participant in your progress, it is also important to be a good consumer and do your homework. Whether you’re thinking about spending big bucks on nutritional consulting or just visiting your local Weight Watchers, here are some black flags to look out for and some points on what you can do to see permanent results.
DIET BOOKS AND WEIGHT-LOSS CENTERS
I always ask new clients to describe their weight-loss and diet history. They often list about five books or programs they’d followed without seeing permanent success. The latest diet book might have a unique or extreme twist to make it marketable – and it might even work well for you. The national chain weight-loss center is often mainstream in its approach and thousands of people lose tons of pounds every year. Estimates, however, report that between 85 to 95 percent of people coast-to-coast regain that weight back.. I believe this gloomy statistic exists for two reasons. First, you learn to follow a plan, a diet, or even a menu but you don’t learn how to navigate every day life successfully. You can psych yourself up, suck it up, and “suffer” the inconveniences and bad taste of someone else’s program, but you’re not going to do it forever. When you’re done, you’re done. The second reason is that we just love food. I teach people how to eat and then how to cheat. You have to know how to splurge a little and fit it in your daily life. Both of these take a committed time of experiential learning with your nutritionist of choice. Whether you’re just getting started or you’re in the middle of a program currently, consider it an internship, on-the-job training, or being an apprentice, but if you’re serious, work with someone who’s serious.
NUTRITIONISTS
There are many people who call themselves a nutritionist. First is the registered dietician (RD). A dietician has completed at least a bachelor’s degree in dietetics, an internship program and has passed a standard examination. The clear advantage of an RD is their education in food sciences. The disadvantage is that most are quite a field from what is happening on the cutting edge of nutrition. I dare say as a group they’re always a step behind. They held to the doctrine that “a calorie is just a calorie” for decades and were proven wrong. They influenced the American Heart Association to avoid “good” fats for decades and were proven wrong. I must admit, however, that there are scads of good registered dieticians out there, and some are venturing out into private practices. But many RDs are the ones in charge of hospital nutrition programs offering tapioca pudding, Jell-o, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, one stalk of celery, two percent milk and a cookie for dinner. I don’t think so. You’ll find registered dieticians in private practice much like personal trainers in studios, private offices, and gyms, but also hospitals now have weight loss programs taught be their RDs. Hospital programs will be much less expensive but will likely be very general.
PERSONAL TRAINERS
On the other end of the spectrum, personal trainers are quick to tell people how to eat. Many trainers have no special nutritional education, no required education level of any sort and, if you’re lucky, a short CEU weekend course. They often parrot the latest diet fad book or articles they’ve read in popular magazines. To be fair, they do often get it. Call it common sense, street smarts, or just knowing their profession, but some trainers are very good at dishing out dieting advice. And there are also many trainers out there with nutritional education, real-world experience and a track record of success. Look at bios, ask for recommendations/referrals, and even ask references. Do remember one rule: You get what you pay for. An educated, experienced nutritionist is going to be worth the cost in results and competence.
The take home message is short and sweet. Hiring and working with a personal nutrition consultant can be the best investment in your health that you ever make. It can ensure you of achieving short-term goals but can also be your last stop. Become your own nutritionist. Find someone who can explain metabolic physiology so you can understand it, apply it to your own body-type specifically, listen and work with your likes and dislikes, your schedule, and your lifestyle, and monitor your progress. Modification is a normal part of your changing body. As you lose weight, you experience physiological changes. It is a big step, but one that can change your life and give you control once and for all.