weight loss and support

A very frequent question I get from a potential patient during a consultation about our program is this: "How many of your patients keep the weight off once they lose it?".

The answer to this is I cannot provide an exact percentage because many people when they leave our rpgram do not stay in touch with us to keep us up-to-date on their weight. I do know that weekly we have patients who return to us for help because they did put weight back on since they left our program.

As I tell everyone when they enter the program, it takes NO effort to gain weight...do what is fun and do what the body tells you to do, and almost everyone of us would gain weight. To lose weight requires planning, strategizing and going somewhat against human nature. We are naturally and instinctually "wired" to be a weight gaining specie. Least you doubt that, ask yourself whether a piece of cheesecake tastes better than a carrot stick or ask yourself whether you find yourself craving chocolates and carbs or craving broccoli.

To lose weight and keep the weight off requires a behavioral change and not just a "diet". There is no finish line to your efforts and this is a frustrating concept because quite frankly the act of losing weight is not "fun". Your reward is being healthier, perhaps getting off of some medications, looking yournger, having more energy, wearing more fashionable clothes etc. But these are not immediate gratification rewards and to an extent, we as humans look for immediate gratification...and eating a high-caloric food source is an immediate reward.

The Serotonin-Plus Weight Loss center offers a number of supportive tools to help you maintain that weight loss. One of these tools is what you are reading now...I am trying to use this blog to get into your head daily....if I can make you think about weight loss issues, you will be more apt to plan and strategize your efforts. When we stop thinking about it is when we get into trouble bcause we will find ourselves drifting back to old behavior patterns. Another tool is the fine and dedicated staff we have to answer your questions or concerns. Send us an e-mail or call and Robin, our Johns Hopkins trained registered dietician or Donna, oru excellent PA or me (the old doctor) will answer you. More tools will include a chat room that we are setting up at: www.spdiet.com. We are trying very hard to create a supportive community where you can exhange ideas, recipes, get guidance from Robin, etc. We also strongly encourage you to come to our clinic and use our scale. This doesnt cost you a penny, yet it may produce a psychological "accountability" that will help you stay focused.

Also, as I have mentioned numerous times before, record your weight once a week and if that weight ever goes up by more than 6 pounds from when you left out program, pick up the phone and call us. This would be a one time visit...not another 12 week program to help you refocus and retool. If you do this, there is no way than any of our patients could ever put back on 10, 20, 30 or even more pounds back on.

Sorry for the long blog this morning...just wanted you all to know that we are trying our best to ensure that all the effort, time and $$$ you put into your weight loss efforts will not somehow go to naught by losing focus. We are here for you in lots of ways!!!!