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SLIMMER SUCCESS
exceeds all the standards
for a safe and successful weight-loss program with recognized innovations*
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Choosing a weight-loss program may be a difficult task.
You may not know what to look for in a weight-loss program or what
questions to ask. This fact sheet can help you talk to your health care
professional about weight loss and get the best information before
choosing a program.
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You may want to talk
with your doctor or other health care professional about controlling
your weight before you decide on a weight-loss program. Even if you feel
uncomfortable talking about your weight with your doctor, remember that
he or she is there to help you improve your health. Here are some tips:
- Tell your provider that you would like to talk about your weight.
Share your concerns about any medical conditions you have or
medicines you are taking.
- Write down your questions in advance.
- Bring pen and paper to take notes.
- Bring a friend or family member along for support if this will
make you feel more comfortable.
- Make sure you understand what your health care provider is saying.
Ask questions if there is something you do not understand.
- Ask for other sources of information like brochures or websites.
- If you want more support, ask for a referral to a registered
dietitian, a support group, or a commercial weight-loss program.
- Call your provider after your visit if you have more questions or
need help.
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| Find out as much as you can about your
health needs before joining a weight-loss program. Here are some
questions you might want to ask your health care
provider:
About Your Weight
- Do I need to lose weight? Or should I just avoid gaining more?
- Is my weight affecting my health?
- Could my excess weight be caused by a medical condition such as
hypothyroidism or by a medicine I am taking? (Hypothyroidism is when
your thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone, a
condition that can slow your metabolism—how your body creates and
uses energy.)
About Weight Loss
- What should my weight-loss goal be?
- How will losing weight help me?
About Nutrition and Physical Activity
- How should I change my eating habits?
- What kinds of physical activity can I do?
- How much physical activity do I need?
About Treatment
- Should I take weight-loss medicine?
- What about weight-loss surgery?
- Could a weight-loss program help me?
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If your health care provider tells you
that you should lose weight and you want to find a weight-loss program
to help you, look for one that is based on regular physical activity and
an eating plan that is balanced, healthy, and easy to follow.
Weight-loss programs should encourage healthy behaviors that help you
lose weight and that you can stick with every day. Safe and effective
weight-loss programs should include:
- Healthy eating plans that reduce calories but do not forbid
specific foods or food groups.
- Tips to increase moderate-intensity physical activity.
- Tips on healthy behavior changes that also keep your cultural
needs in mind.
- Slow and steady weight loss. Depending on your starting weight,
experts recommend losing weight at a rate of 1/2 to 2 lbs per week.
Weight loss may be faster at the start of a program.
- Medical care if you are planning to lose weight by following a
special formula diet, such as a very low-calorie diet.
- A plan to keep the weight off after you have lost it.
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| Gather as much information as you can before deciding
to join a program. Professionals working for weight-loss programs should
be able to answer the questions listed below.
What does the weight-loss program consist
of?
- Does the program offer one-on-one counseling or group classes?
- Do you have to follow a specific meal plan or keep food records?
- Do you have to purchase special food, drugs, or supplements?
- Does the program help you be more physically active, follow a
specific physical activity plan, or provide exercise instruction?
- Does the program teach you to make positive and healthy behavior
changes?
- Is the program sensitive to your lifestyle and cultural needs?
What are the staff qualifications?
- Who supervises the program?
- What type of weight management training, experience, education,
and certifications do the staff have?
Does the product or program carry any risks?
- Could the program hurt you?
- Could the recommended drugs or supplements harm your health?
- Do participants talk with a doctor?
- Does a doctor run the program?
- Will the program’s doctors work with your personal doctor if you
have a medical condition such as high blood presure or are taking
prescribed drugs?
How much does the program cost?
- What is the total cost of the program?
- Are there other costs, such as weekly attendance fees, food and
supplement purchases, etc.?
- Are there fees for a follow-up program after you lose weight?
- Are there other fees for medical tests?
What results do participants typically have?
- How much weight does an average participant lose and how long does
he or she keep the weight off?
- Does the program offer publications or materials that describe
what results participants typically have?
If you are interested in finding a weight-loss program near you, ask
your health care provider for a referral or contact your local hospital.
For additional, general information, contact:
Weight-control Information Network (WIN)
1 WIN Way
Bethesda, MD 20892-3665
Phone: (202) 828-1025
Toll-free number: 1-877-946-4627
FAX: (202) 828-1028
Email: WIN@info.niddk.nih.gov
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These publications from WIN offer more information on weight-loss
programs, healthy eating, and physical activity:
Active at Any Size, a brochure from WIN to help very large
people become more physically active. National Institutes of Health
(NIH) Publication No. 04-4352. Updated April 2004.
Better Health and You: Tips for Adults, a brochure on healthy
eating, part of the series Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Across
Your Lifespan.
NIH Publication No. 04-4992. Updated June 2004.
Very
Low-calorie Diets, a fact sheet for health professionals. NIH
Publication No. 03-3894. January 2003.
Weight Loss for Life, a brochure offering sensible
weight-control advice. NIH Publication No. 04-3700. June 2004.
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Federal Trade Commission
Consumer Response Center
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20580
Phone: (202) FTC-HELP (382-4357)
Toll-free number: 1-877-382-4357
Internet: www.ftc.gov/index.html
For the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) publication Weight
Loss: Finding a Weight Loss Program that Works for You, go
to
www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/health/wgtloss.pdf.
For the FTC publication Weighing the Evidence in Diet Ads,
go to
www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/health/evidence.htm.
International Food Information Council Foundation
1100 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 430
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 296-6540
Internet: www.ific.org
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Weight-control Information
If you have any questions about Slimmer
Success email:
info@slimmersuccess.com or call
843-795-1025
Website questions or comments may be directed to:
webmaster@slimmersuccess.com
Copyright 2006. Slimmer Success, Inc. All rights reserved |
DISCLAIMER: ALL
ADVICE MUST BE REVIEWED BY YOUR LOCAL MEDICAL PROVIDER. THIS WEBSITE IS INTENDED TO GUIDE
THE READER TOWARD A HEALTHIER FUTURE
AND DOES NOT
REPLACE DIRECT MEDICAL SUPERVISION. ENROLLMENT AT THE
SLIMMER SUCCESS WEIGHT
CENTERS WILL
ESTABLISH A PHYSICIAN-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP. DIRECT PHONE :843-795-1025 |
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NIH Publication No. 03-3700
May 2003
Revised February 2006
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