Weight Loss CoachIs a weight loss coach necessary? A good coach can offer accountability, support, knowledge and expertise on weight loss issues. As a certified weight loss advisor, I can appreciate the value of a professional coach if if that person has up-to-date, science based knowledge on how to lose fat and keep it off. I will also tell you that accountability is absolutely essential for success! So, the answer is it depends on how heavy you are, whether or not you've had too many failures in the past and whether you can find the right person.
Being fat can lead to serious health problems! The medical profession today recognizes that being overweight is not a cosmetic issue but a very serious health epidemic. An incredible two thirds of the American population is now overweight and one third is obese. Not only that but the U.S. Centers for Disease Controls has linked excess body fat to 20 different health issues including some of the leading causes of death: heart disease, certain cancers, stroke, diabetes, hypertension and gall bladder disease. Carrying excess fat on your body is a health risk and requires a serious approach. For many people having structured support can make the difference between making real changes or slipping back into bad habits.  The best weight loss plan must have four components to be successful which we call the Plan: good nutrition, support, increased, consistent activity and low glycemic eating. Maintaining weight loss requires all four. If a prospective weight loss coach is missing any of these you may want to keep shopping. The support, if you need to lose just a few pounds, could be like minded friends, a supportive husband or the objective professional who can provide more accountability and motivation. However, if you have health problems due to excess fat or if you have been struggling with your weight for years or you know that you need someone to keep you accountable, seek out a professional! What is essential to sustain the changes in your lifestyle that are necessary, is to be around people who support what you are doing. Often people are sabotaged by well meaning friends who encourage poor habits because they have unhealthy habits themselves. You may need to join a health club, a hiking club or take a pilates class to find real support. The more educated you are about the health benefits of what you are doing the more assertive you can be about your new, healthy lifestyle. The more fat you need to lose, the more ingrained the bad habits, the more necessary it is to have a weight loss coach. My experience as a weight management advisor has been that people with a lot of weight to lose must have the support of a professional weight loss coach or weight management advisor. There are too many big changes to make in one's life and the expertise and knowledge of a professional is essential for success. However, everyone can benefit with support tools like the glycemic indexing, a food diary, the clicker kit, the calorie counter, even a support call of like minded people. If you are going to pay for coaching be sure that the person is certified by an accredited nutritional and science based weight management program. It can be as easy as filling out our weight loss survey and you can get started on your own Plan to live at your goal weight and experience a lifetime of fat loss!
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