January is the month of health-kicks, new gym memberships, detoxing and the latest fad diets. Many of us start the year in high spirits with plenty motivation to lose weight and get more active, only to hit the wall after the initial burst of motivation drops. New to Aberdeen however, there is now a new way to lose weight, get active and to keep up these new habits all year long. Welcome Change Welcome Life (WCWL), brought to you by Global Health Promotions, is a 12 week weight-loss programme professionally designed by dietitians and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) certified Weight-loss Counsellors to help you to not just lose weight, but to manage that weight.
Rachel Kidd, WCWL’s Group Leader, says: “The world is full of expensive fad diets, juice detoxes and magic supplements (especially at this time of year) promising everyone the quick fix to weight-loss that they desire. What is most irritating is that most do tend to work; they do usually provide large and fast weight-losses. However, anyone who is taking in less than they are expending will lose weight – that is how weight-loss works. The most important thing, and often the most difficult aspect, when it comes to losing weight is how you manage it. Most of these types of diets don’t look into the ‘after the weight loss’ part of life. Probably because it is that hard bit – it means changing our mind-set and our habits for the better and change is one of the most difficult things we can deal with in life.”
It is this idea of managing weight that differentiates WCWL from most other diets you are likely to come across. Throughout the 12 week programme you have weekly group and one-to-one sessions with your weight-loss group leader where you learn CBT techniques designed to help you with your mind-set and habitual changes that will lead you to successful weight management. Some of the main aims of the programme are to help each individual with:
challenging negative self-talk
being mindful about eating patterns
creating more helpful communications and relationships with self and others
creating and achieving realistic and helpful goals
creating new and helpful habits
enjoying living a healthier life
Recent scientific research suggests that weight loss programmes involving CBT, nutritional & activity advice in a group setting is proven to create healthier weight-losses and management of those losses than those programmes that don’t.
Registered Dietitian, Claire Chernouski, who created the nutritional programme of WCWL states “Many people look at January as the month of ‘New Year New Me’ and so make extravagant changes to their lifestyle to become healthier. In most cases these changes are so drastic that it is unreasonable to expect that it can be a lifelong change. This is why most people give up after a few days/weeks/months. WCWL is safe, healthy, consistent and durable. Based simply on a slight calorific reduction of a healthy, balanced diet there is no food off limits and no need of feeling deprived or starved throughout, making a long term change a lot easier. We have carefully created the programme so that each individual receives a personally tailored plan to their own likes, dislikes and lifestyle. If you find something that has little restriction and suits your own enjoyment you are much more likely to stick to such a change. Every client has the potential to lose at least 1stone in weight during the programme as well as maintain that weight-loss.”
Current WCWL clients have given the following testimonials about the programme:
“Welcome Change Welcome life has had a massive impact on me – my relationship with food and my relationship with me. I feel fitter and have so much more energy and no longer feel the need to eat for the sake of eating anymore. I am so happy with the progress I have made on the programme”
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“The group sessions are great – they really make you think about food differently and help you to realise that there are other ways to spend your time without eating. Having tried most ‘diets’ available, Welcome Change Welcome Life was a breath of fresh air. It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change. It’s so unique and positive, and really gets you thinking and understanding yourself so you can manage your weight-loss.’
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“Welcome Change Welcome Life has been such a positive experience, I find myself thinking so much more rationally about food and make my meals count. The group leaders really challenge you to think about your relationship with food, helping you to make much healthier decisions.”
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“The programme is really enjoyable, informative, helpful and nothing like I have ever experienced before. I no longer binge eat, I have more energy, sleep better, am less bloated and I’m only halfway through! I can’t wait to see how much more I can progress.”
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“The programme has helped me to realise a whole new perspective around eating and it’s so easy to apply the programme in all aspects of life; not just weight-loss!”
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“Since participating in Welcome Change Welcome Life, I have a whole new zest for life – so it really is aptly named!”
If you are interested in participating in Global Health Promotions’ latest Welcome Change Welcome Life groups and finding out the latest offers available then you can sign up by emailing info@globalhp.co.uk or phoning 01224 953653. This programme is available WORLDWIDE via conference call.