Weight Loss Programs
Being Careful about Your Weight Loss:
Here are some general points to keep
in mind when thinking of loosing weight and starting in a weight
loss program:
- Any claims that you can lose weight effortlessly are false. The only
proven way to lose weight is either to reduce the number of calories
you eat or to increase the number of calories you burn off
through exercise. Most experts recommend a combination of both.
- Very low-calorie diets are not without risk and should be
pursued only under medical supervision. Unsupervised very low-calorie
diets can deprive you of important nutrients and are potentially dangerous.
- Fad
diets rarely have any permanent effect. Sudden and radical changes
in your eating patterns are difficult to sustain over time. In addition,
so-called "crash" diets often send dieters into a cycle of
quick weight loss, followed by a "rebound" weight
gain once normal eating resumes, and even more difficulty reducing when
the next diet is attempted.
- To lose weight safely and keep it off requires long-term changes in
daily eating and exercise
habits. Many experts recommend a goal of losing about a pound a week.
A modest reduction of 500 calories per day will achieve this goal, since
a total reduction of 3,500 calories is required to lose a pound of fat.
An important way to lower your calorie intake is to learn and practice
healthy eating habits.
What You Should Know About Weight Loss Programs:
Approximately 8 million Americans a year
enroll in some kind of structured weight-loss program involving liquid
diets, special diet
regimens, or medical or other supervision. Before you join such a program,
you should know that according to published studies relatively few participants
succeed in keeping off weight long-term. Recently, the FTC brought action
against several companies challenging weight loss and
weight-maintenance claims. Unfortunately, some other companies continue
to make overblown claims.
Before you sign up with a diet program, you might ask these
questions:
- What are the health
risks?
- What data can you show me that proves your program actually works?
- Do customers keep off the weight after they leave the diet program?
?
- What are the costs for membership, weekly fees, food, supplements,
maintenance, and counseling? What's the payment schedule? Are any costs
covered under health insurance? Do you give refunds if I drop out?
- Do you have a maintenance program? Is it part of the package or does
it cost extra?
- What kind of professional supervision is provided? What are the credentials
of these professionals?
- What are the program's requirements? Are there special menus or foods,
counseling visits, or exercise plans?
Related Links
Fraud Clues
Program Characteristics
Program Types
Weight Loss
Expectations
Types of Diets
Program Selection
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