Do I need a commercial program? Consider the rest of the story.Consumer Reports recently polled 95,000 readers who had attempted to lose weight in the past three years. Most tried to lose weight on their own. Twenty-four percent used liquid diets, and 20 percent joined a commercial weight-loss program. Those who lost weight on their own dropped an average of 10 pounds, compared with 15 to 30 pounds lost by individuals who had joined commercial programs. If you think a commercial program may be right for you, consider the rest of the story. None of the top five commercial weight-loss programs--Diet Center, Jenny Craig Jenny Craig (born Genevieve Guidroz in 1932 in Berwick, Louisiana) is an American weight loss guru who founded Jenny Craig, Inc. Raised in New Orleans, Genevieve Guidroz married Australian Sidney H. Craig. , Nutri-System, Physicians Weight Loss Centers, or Weight Watchers--emerged as better at helping individuals lose weight or maintain their lower weight. The average dieter on one of these five programs gained back ha|of what he or she had lost in just six months, and two thirds of it in two years. Individuals not attending programs to lose weight also had difficulty with maintenance, but felt more satisfied with their ability to keep weight off. Among the 24 percent who tried liquid diets, major objections included an average of only three to four percent weight loss, feelings of being hungry, that the drink was a poor substitute for food, and regaining weight as soon as they stopped using the meal-replacement products. The survey also reported on medically supervised su·per·vise tr.v. su·per·vised, su·per·vis·ing, su·per·vis·es To have the charge and direction of; superintend. [Middle English *supervisen, from Medieval Latin liquid fast programs--such as Optifast and Medifast--that require clients to give up food for a time under the supervision of a physician. Liquid fasts helped clients to lose weight more rapidly than commercial weight-loss programs, but did not score any better at helping people maintain their weight loss. Before you choose. Some individuals on programs do maintain all or some of their weight loss. Why? They may differ in motivation, skills, knowledge, or in other ways. To determine whether a program or a selfhelp method may best fit your personality, answer the following questions: 1. Do I lack knowledge or understanding about food labels, food preparation methods, or nutrition? 2. Do I lack meal preparation and planning skills for a low-calorie, lowfat diet? None of the top five commercial weight-loss programs emerge as better at helping you lose. 3. Do I need group support and encouragement? 4. Do I need help in keeping motivated? 5. Do I enjoy structure? 6. Do I need accountability? 7. Do I lack the time to put a program together by myself? If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, a commercially based program might be a good option for you. These programs in particular offer group support, structure, accountability, and motivation schemes that are more difficult to achieve on your own. Which one is best? When evaluating a weight-reduction program, don't be swayed sway v. swayed, sway·ing, sways v.intr. 1. To swing back and forth or to and fro. See Synonyms at swing. 2. by advertising claims or exaggerated weight loss results. Consider the cost of the program. Beware be·ware v. be·wared, be·war·ing, be·wares v.tr. To be on guard against; be cautious of: "Beware the ides of March" Shakespeare. v. of programs that require large sums of money up front instead of a pay-as-you-go system. Are there any additional costs for company food or supplements? The food plan should emphasize a high complex carbohydrate complex carbohydrate n. A polysaccharide consisting of a chain of glucose molecules; starch. and lowfat diet and contain a minimum of 1,200 calories. Does the food plan include a variety of foods that are readily available? Weight reduction should be gradual, one to two pounds per week. Nutrition education, behavioral counseling, and exercise in proportion to your needs should be part of the program. And what are the credentials CREDENTIALS, international law. The instruments which authorize and establish a public minister in his character with the state or prince to whom they are addressed. If the state or prince receive the minister, he can be received only in the quality attributed to him in his credentials. of the staff?. Staff should be more than salespeople sales·peo·ple pl.n. Persons who are employed to sell merchandise in a store or in a designated territory. and should have special training in nutrition and behavior change Behavior change refers to any transformation or modification of human behavior. Such changes can occur intentionally, through behavior modification, without intention, or change rapidly in situations of mental illness. techniques. A registered dietitian registered dietitian, n See dietitian, registered. should be involved in the planning and evaluation of a weightreduction program. No one optimal weight-reduction program exists, so when trying to find the best strategy to use to take weight off and keep it off, start with evaluating your own individual needs. Use the chart on pages 16 and 17 along with issues discussed in this article to help make the best choice for you. | Diane Butterworth, D.H. Sc., M.P.H., R.D., is a professor of foods and nutrition at Appalachian State University History Appalachian State University began in the summer of 1899 when a group of citizens of Watauga County, NC, under the leadership of D.D. Dougherty and B.B. Dougherty, began a movement to establish a good school in Boone, NC. Land was donated by D.B. in Boone, North Carolina Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. Boone is the county seat of Watauga County. The population was 13,472 as of the 2000 census. . |
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