Approximately 65 percent of American adults are overweight or obese, according to the National Institutes of Health. While these high numbers are troubling, you can use a variety of tools offered by public health organizations and medical providers to construct a weight loss plan and improve your chances of achieving healthy and lasting weight loss.
Educational Resources
Many health organizations such as the Mayo Clinic and the National Institutes of Health offer extensive educational resources regarding diet and weight management. These materials include written brochures, slideshows, online tutorials, and expert blogs. You can visit these websites and browse written materials. The websites also offer references and resources for written publications that you may wish to purchase for your own use.
Personal Dieting Support
A great deal of personal dieting support is available through community groups and peer networks. Support groups may meet in person or use an online chat format. Participants can use support groups to share questions and concerns about their diet plan -- peers offer valuable insight and motivation from their own dieting experiences. Peer support can add an additional level of accountability to your weight loss journey, encouraging you to make consistent progress toward your goals.
Online Tools for Weight Loss
There are a number of free websites that offer excellent tools for long term weight management. FitClick, BuddySlim, and FitDay are a few examples of websites that offer online meal planning, nutritional information, calorie counters, and food and exercise journals. These websites provide valuable resources for organizing and tracking your weight loss plans. You can total daily and weekly calorie intake and you can also view your progress in chart form, making it easy to monitor patterns or changes that occur in your overall body mass index.
Professional Assistance
The Mayo Clinic notes that many dieters benefit from psychosocial support in connection with a weight loss plan. If you have negative eating habits related to stress, anxiety or depression, you may want to consider consulting a professional counseling, nutritionist or coach for help with behavior modification. In addition, it is always important to have regular check-ups with your medical professional to monitor your general health and nutrition. A medical provider can help you assess your body mass index and adjust your weight management strategy to meet specific health-related issues.
Member Comments