Why Weight?

By Tamela Thomas, Wellness Manager

They're out there—from Atkins, The Zone and Protein Power to Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig—weight loss programs galore. The amazing thing is that I know people who have lost weight on each of these programs—you probably do, too. But, and I've been known to overstate the obvious, a program that works for one may not work for another. So the most important question is what program will work for you? And once you have lost the weight, will you keep it off? Will you feel denied each time you sit down to a meal or will you have learned to change your relationship to food forever? Have you learned to consume without being consumed about its affect on your weight? The WAC has focused its energy to put together a very powerful program—a program unlike those found in infomercials, books or in the community. The WAC's Why Weight? program incorporates several success strategies. This multifaceted approach maximizes your potential for success because it doesn't assume that everyone in the program needs the same things to reach their goals. WAC Nutritionist Shana Hopkins heads up the WAC's Why Weight? program and is our guest columnist. Please don't hesitate to call her if you want more information. She can be reached at 206.839.4782.

Why Weight?

By Shana Hopkins, MS, CN, WAC Nutritionist

Losing weight is almost a national pastime—everyone is interested and everyone wants to know how. Exercising and eating well is more easily said than done with our busy lifestyles. But with the right coaching it can be accomplished. Why Weight? at the WAC is a comprehensive weight and wellness management program that focuses on healthy weight loss in an enjoyable and supportive environment. The Why Weight? program not only provides members with nutrition and exercise coaching to promote weight loss, but offers a third component that is essential to lifelong weight loss and maintenance: awareness.

Simply put, implementing awareness on a daily basis can bring success to those who may have failed before. As we gain weight, we tend to gradually become disconnected to our bodies. Subsequently, there can be a growing loss of awareness of our bodies, as well as our food and movement. Awareness is the core of Why Weight?—it creates a mind-body-spirit approach to weight loss. Why Weight? introduces the participants to three valuable resources that teach awareness: Feldenkrais^®, hypnotherapy and life coaching.

Feldenkrais, Hypnotherapy & Life Coaching

Feldenkrais is a method of learning greater body awareness by recognizing the inherent interconnection between the physical, emotional and mental aspects of behavior. Janice Vincent is the Why Weight? Feldenkrais Practitioner. Through her classes, Janice helps you discover new options for moving, thinking and feeling while gaining capacity for intentional action. Janice says, "We move and act in the world according to our image of self. Seldom are we aware of these habitual patterns, yet they limit our capacity to respond to changes both within ourselves and our environment." In other words, unknown habitual patterns can prevent positive change, such as weight loss.

Janice never assumes anything with her students. She first asks why they want to lose weight. "If it is to improve your quality of living or accomplish a function, then you can begin to do that by opening up options for movement in your world before any weight is lost. In doing so, you can change your image of self, which can naturally manifest in a loss of weight."

Why Weight? also integrates hypnotherapy sessions into the program. The Why Weight? hypnotherapist Mary Lee LaBay, CI, CCHt, helps participants discover what may be holding them back from losing weight or why they may be sabotaging their good efforts on a subconscious level. "As a hypnotherapist, my role is to gently guide the client into awareness of the root causes affecting their weight retention, and to find clarity in the most efficient manner which will allow them to shed unwanted pounds." She believes that helping to remove the emotional or psychological roots of any deep-seated issues a person may be dealing with allows the weight to come off more quickly and to stay off permanently.

While hypnotherapy focuses on self-limiting patterns developed in our past, the life coaching aspect of Why Weight? approaches how we act in our lives right now. Why Weight? life coach ANKE van de WAAL puts it this way: "I function as a life coach and teach the five Golden Rules of feeling good about yourself and your body. I show you how you can change the shape of your future. I help you find what behaviors, attitudes or thoughts may be weighing you down and help you discover what you really want."

People who want to lose weight become solely focused on their weight; ANKE diverts their attention away from the weight issue and encourages them to focus on their whole being. "I make people aware of what they are actually doing. Once they are aware, they are able to make a conscious choice of what they want their life to be like."

Nutrition and exercise

Awareness does not stop there; it is also integrated into the nutrition and exercise segments of Why Weight? The food we put in our mouths three times per day, every day of our lives has a huge impact on how we look and feel. Establishing a healthy eating pattern that you can live with the rest of your life is essential to any lasting weight loss. The nutritional foundation of Why Weight? centers on quality food choices. Specifically, this means food choices that are as natural and whole as possible. If you can consistently, over time, make quality food choices, then you will win 80 percent of the battle.

What makes Why Weight? nutrition different from other programs is that it specifically teaches participants about the hormonal effect of food. We take participants to the grocery store, provide meal plans and recipes, and help them track their food in order to assess current intake.

Believe it or not, exercise makes Why Weight? a blast. Whether participants have a history of exercising or are first-timers, there is always something new to learn and always some exercise that will take their bodies to the next level. The Why Weight? coaches, Kamini Fonseca and Lorri Albin-Raines MS, ACSM, are phenomenal in their vast knowledge of exercise and exceptional in how they approach people.

Kamini is excellent at working with a group of individuals with different fitness levels. She sees exercise as only one part of a total wellness program. "There is no doubt that regular exercise is an integral part of total wellness. Through exercise you can alter your biochemicals (hormones) and increase your metabolism (the rate at which you use energy)."

When Lorri was asked about her role in the Why Weight? program, she responded, "I encourage a small group of people to move in new 'planes' of movement that help to strengthen and tone their muscles, and improve their posture, flexibility and balance." Lorri emphasizes the importance of balance to her students: "Many (people) put limitations on themselves, their bodies, their capabilities, their minds. I try to erase limitations, and, in the same breath, try not to have unrealistic expectations (of my students)."

Sharing experiences

The most powerful learning in Why Weight? comes through the experiences of fellow participants. Understanding that others are facing similar challenges while sharing each other's tried-and-true advice can broaden a participant's options for successful weight loss. Most importantly, fellow participants provide the moral support to give others the incentive to make lasting changes.

The next Why Weight? program will begin at the end of this month. It is a wonderful opportunity for you to improve your health through an innovative program that uses a mind-body-spirit approach to weight loss and wellness. The question is: Why Weight?