Women and Weight Loss
Fundamentally, we all know how to eat a healthy diet. Every woman knows that reaching for that second cupcake is a bad idea or how wrong it is to eat almost the entire half gallon of ice cream in one sitting. How does she stop it, though? How does a woman say that she has had enough and wants to lose weight? Here are explanations of several weight loss options and/or companies. Maybe the perfect one is out there. Or, maybe every woman needs to find the right weight loss method for herself.
1. Weight Watchers (a registered trademark of Weight Watchers International, Inc) is a very popular choice for many women. With Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, as the most recent spokeswoman, Weight Watchers has maintained its popularity throughout the years. In business since May of 1963, Weight Watchers has helped women lose weight through a variety of methods. For a time, weighing food was the key. In addition, there were legal and illegal foods.
Weight Watchers has come a long way since its inception. Now, members are encouraged to eat all foods in modification while counting point values. The point value of a food is measured using the fat, fiber and caloric content. Obviously, foods that are known to be healthy (such as vegetables) will have a lower point value than foods that are known to be unhealthy (such as pizza).
The Weight Watchers method encourages a slow and steady weight loss while correcting poor eating habits. It is known that a woman is more likely to maintain a weight loss if the weight came off slowly. Weight Watchers also requires a weekly weigh in and encourages members to stay afterwords for a group meeting.
2. Jenny Craig, which has Kirstie Ally as its spokeswoman, is another very popular choice. Founded in 1983, Jenny Craig is another method that encourages slower weight loss. Unlike the behavior modification options, however, Jenny Craig offers pre-packaged meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are also pre-packaged snacks and desserts, although some snacks can be purchased separately.
The Jenny Craig program seems to work very well for women who need strict guidance while attempting weight loss. With all of the meals planned and packaged, a woman just needs to reach into her freezer when she is ready to eat.
While some argue that this method is expensive, others say that it is no worse than purchasing the fresh produce and meats needed for other, more relaxed weight loss methods.
3. LA Weight Loss is a well-liked program that recognizes that all women need a different approach to weight loss. They do not sell pre-packaged meals nor do they have group meetings. Instead, counseling is key with this program as are supplements and bars that are sold separately.
The LA Weight Loss method does well for woman who desire one-on-one encouragement. There are many women, however, who claim that the high cost of the sessions and supplements (which seem to be necessary for weight loss success) does not make this program worth the money.
4. e-Diets enjoys immense success as so many women are too busy to be going to a separate center or meeting to gain support and diet information. Once you are a member, you receive online meal plans, a virtual fitness trainer, online nutrition counseling, and more. In addition to offering basic low-fat plans based on the food pyramid, it has expanded to include weight loss methods such as the Atkins Diet and The Zone.
The inexpensive price makes eDiets a favorite among women. With work and family taking up most of the day, being able to access weight loss information online at any time is extremely attractive. By creating a personal plan for each woman, eDiets encourages flexibility and health.
Another interesting offering from eDiets are plans for those who have special sugar needs or maybe are allergic to dairy or wheat. In fact, there is a long list of plans to choose from for all types of eaters.
There are certainly many more weight loss options to choose from. And, once a woman chooses a method, she must decide how much assistance she would like from family and friends. Will she tell anyone? Or, is this attempt a secret? It has been proven that having support is a key ingredient in weight loss success. Perhaps enlisting a buddy to share dieting tips with each day will keep a woman motivated. Also, when the bad days happen, a buddy can be the one to pick a woman up and get her back on her feet. With the internet so accessible, a buddy can even be someone from another city, state, or country that converses via email. Or, a buddy can be a neighbor who is not only emotionally available but physically as well.
Weight loss has been linked to fitness as well as diet. However, it has been noted that attempting too many behavior modifications at one time can hinder the entire process. So, a woman should probably focus her attention on either diet or fitness for weight loss before attempting the other.
If diet is chosen as the beginning method for weight loss, fitness should be introduced a few weeks into the plan. There are many options for fitness, including gym memberships, exercise DVDs, and more. Again, enlisting a buddy to help with exercise motivation as well as diet motivation can make weight loss a little more pleasant.
Lastly, a woman should always consult a doctor before attempting any weight loss plan. Although something may seem harmless, a doctor can give specific instructions for women in general as well as for each specific person. Overall health is the goal, with weight loss being just one component. Let a doctor be a partner for weight loss and maintenance.
