Weight Management

Losing Weight Permanently

Many people who have concerns about their weight have tried various "diets" which have either worked for a limited time, or have failed to help at all. The reasons why dieting doesn't work are complex and largely individual. They include:

	Your personal biology
	Emotional eating
	Flawed thinking
	Wrong information
	Motivation issues
	Lifestyle problems
	Relationships
	Nutrition problems

It is possible to lose weight permanently by first recognising and understanding our eating behaviour, by knowing more about how food acts on the body and then by making a number of small changes to attitude and lifestyle.

It doesn't mean being hungry; in fact if you're having difficulty losing weight, it may, in part, be because you're not eating enough.

After a detailed initial assessment, we may agree to work together to make the changes necessary for you to lose weight permanently. In the process you will learn to eat well, feel happier and lead a more balanced life.

Sessions are usually weekly to begin with, and may last for an hour or 30 minutes, depending on your needs. Frequency of sessions may be reduced to fortnightly, as appropriate.

How does it work?

This psycho-educational approach focuses on improving overall health, rather than simply promoting unrealistic weight loss through unsustainable dieting. It embraces the principles of weight management espoused by The National Centre for Eating Disorders and incorporates strategies that have been found to work in the US. These principles encourage you to plan, problem-solve, make small but significant changes, have no specific weight goal, to have breakfast every day, eat for health and to increase your levels of activity.

So it's about changing your diet, for good, rather than "going on a diet". Changing your diet can help to improve your health in many ways, including reducing high blood pressure and lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

It is acknowledged that some people have special dietary or physical considerations and in these circumstances it may be helpful for me to liaise with your GP to provide an all-round approach to your health. I may ask for your written consent to contact your GP to ensure that there is no clinical reason why this approach is unsuitable for you. I will also invite your GP to discuss any concerns, as they arise, with both of us.

Before you increase your levels of physical activity or begin to reduce or change your diet, you should see your GP for her/his guidance as to what is — and what is not — appropriate for you. This is particularly important if you have any health problems, particularly diabetes, heart problems, high blood pressure, asthma or joint problems.

My Role

	To help you understand your relationship to size, weight, eating and food, in terms of your attitudes, behaviour, thoughts and feelings
	To emphasise the importance of aiming for permanent lifestyle change, rather than dieting
	To give you information about the benefits of increased physical activity, the principles of weight control and healthy eating
	To help you identify realistic goals towards managing your weight
	To help you make decisions about what changes you want to make and what action you need to take
	To identify simple strategies which you might introduce immediately
	To encourage, motivate and support you while you take control of managing your weight