Weight loss is a hot topic in the summer. Everyone looks for ways to shed those extra pounds in the shortest time possible, whether through lipodissolve fat-dissolving injections or diet. For some, it's a little more than just the extra helpings of stuffing they want to get rid of. No matter what your reasons, there are places that can help.
While losing weight is a goal for many people, the way we take it off is just as important. Yearly, weight loss clinics crop up that promise customers the moon-and that they will shed the pounds. Before becoming a member of a weight loss clinic, do your homework to find out what they can realistically do for you.
There are weight loss clinics that we've all heard of before, but there area also many others that do not have the same reputation. The hard sell can draw in the world's toughest consumer. Before signing anything, ask a few questions of your own and get a straight answer.
1. What is the success rate? Salespeople just love this question. Marketing is all about playing to the successes of the program. Ask about the average weight lost and how much time it took. Be wary of programs that pride themselves on clients losing large amounts of weight in only a few months' time. This could raise a red flag about the safety of the program.
2. Are there physicians on staff? Weight loss clinics need some type of medical representation to discuss issues with patients. Clinics that offer Vitamin B injections or do physical exams should use qualified professionals for the job. Don't waste your time if this is not the case. Losing weight is not just about the fat loss but the overall health of the dieter.
3. Do you offer counseling services? Patients may have reasons beyond the physical that are hindering their weight loss. Counseling by a professional gives practical advice to clients on combating stressors and working through them so you won't sabotage weight loss efforts. After losing weight, counseling helps to manage the new thinner lifestyle.
4. What about exercise? Any weight loss clinic that promotes weight loss without exercise is doing their clients a disservice. Permanent fat loss is a combination of healthier eating and getting active. Exercise increases cardiovascular health and muscular endurance. Both help to fight the effects of aging and disease on the body. Eating habits alone won't provide these benefits. Exercising for thirty minutes most days of the week will yield a healthier body as the weight comes off.
5. What will I be eating? The newest trend in weight loss programs is pre-packaged food. This is fine for the beginning if you can afford it, but what happens after the weight is off? Do you keep spending hundreds of dollars a month on these meals? What if you have a family to feed also? Clinics that offer food products that you can't get anywhere else may be setting their clients up for failure. Learning to eat in a new way is a part of losing weight.
6. What program options are offered? All bodies are not created the same. Men lose weight faster than women. Health risks can change your weight loss dynamic. Cookie cutter programs that believe "one size fits all" don't work. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other health problems, they need to be taken into account during weight loss. Realistic weight loss goals may not support losing twenty pounds in a month, but they will result in weight loss that lasts.
7. Do you have weigh-ins? Some programs charge a fee and give out supplements and pre-packaged food but don't require weigh-ins or meetings. If you want to keep track of your weight loss, choose a clinic that monitors client progress and offers a support system.
8. What other services do you offer? Some centers may offer other treatments to help you lose excess fat. Lipodissolve, an injection treatment that claims to melt fat cells, is meant to eliminate small pockets of fat from hard-to-exercise areas of the body such as the buttocks, abdominal area ("love handles") and behind the arms. Most weight loss clinics that offer this treatment inject a mixture of substances, the most common being a combination of phosphotidylcholine and sodium deoxycholate (PCDC) that they claim bursts fat cells. Once released, the fat is purportedly flushed out of the system through normal metabolic processes. These treatments are very popular despite the facts that there has been little research on the efficacy and safety of the drugs and that they lack of FDA approval. The FDA has said, "...these are unapproved drugs for unapproved uses and we cannot guarantee consumers' safety." Furthermore, there is no evidence to demonstrate it is effective as a weight loss treatment.
Choose your weight loss program as carefully as you choose your food and the types of exercise that work for you. The difference could be more money in your pocket and less weight on your body.
