The Duke University diet and fitness center in a comprehensive residential treatment facility for weight loss and weight management. The center's weight loss plan integrates medical interventions with healthy nutrition, behavioral counseling and physical exercise. Clients are educated about meal planning, food selection and preparation with the intention that they will use this new knowledge in their own homes, thus creating a lasting change in their diet and weight management. Duke also offers a modified online program to allow users to follow the weight loss plan at home.
Nutrition
The nutritional component of the Duke University weight loss program coaches you on healthy food choices that promote safe and effective weight loss. Meal options include low fat, medium carbohydrate, and low carbohydrate; a nutritionists works with you to select three meals and one snack each day. The meals are structured on common nutritional guidelines such as those outlined in the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid. Instead of creating a new and complex system for eating, Duke's weight loss program uses basic researched-based food guidelines to create meal plans that you can easily replicate at home. For online dieters, meal plans, recipes, shopping lists, and food logs replace some of the services provided by the residential program.
Fitness
Duke's Diet and Fitness center includes daily exercise as a critical part of your weight loss plan. After an initial physical evaluation with a doctor, you are given a variety of exercise options that allow you to safely increase your physical endurance and strength. While you are in residence at the Duke program, you learn to master new exercise techniques such as using gym equipment or water-based exercise for your workouts. The online program offers a customized fitness program based on your current fitness levels and needs. An exercise video library offers information about exercising correctly and a fitness calculator allows you to easily calculate the calories you are burning during your workouts.
Behavioral Health
Duke's plan also incorporates behavioral strategies for use with weight loss. You attend activities and lectures to address topics such as goal setting, motivation, stress management and self-confidence. You learn how each of these behavior topics are directly related to weight management, and learn skills to address any issues that may impact your own weight loss and weight management plan. For example, if you tend to overeat when you are stressed or unhappy, you learn healthy techniques for stress management, such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing. The online program sends you weekly exercises to explore your behavior. You do weekly assessments regarding your behavioral health and mood, all of which are aimed to make you more aware of the role that your behavior plays in eating.
Medical Management
Duke's diet and weight loss plan also integrates your personal medical information. You are given a thorough medical evaluation to note your height, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood glucose levels. Doctors use this information to rule out any serious medical diseases, and they also use it a baseline from which they can measure your overall changes and improvements during the program. When you register for the online program, you are asked to provide some basic information regarding your weight, gender, and age. You are then given a customized weight loss evaluation. It's important to note that the online program does not offer any medical advice or services, and suggests separate consultation with a physician. This differs from the residential program, which is staffed by medical doctors, nurses and nutritionists.
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