Is There One “Right” Way to Lose Weight?
By Kelly Thelen | Published on September 7, 2010 | 0 Comments
While some people seem to have no problem losing weight, others wage a lifelong battle against excess pounds. Is there one “right” way to lose weight? No, says Kelly Thelen, MSN, of Lincoln, NE weight loss clinic Healthy Essentials. “Every body is different,” she says, “and the weight loss techniques that work for one person won’t necessarily work for someone else.” Thelen believes that for a weight loss program to be successful, it must be tailored to an individual’s age, lifestyle, schedule, and metabolic factors. She explains.
Factors that Affect Weight Loss
While many people assume that losing weight is simply a matter of “calories in vs. calories out,” Thelen says that there’s more to it than that. There are a number of factors, she says, that can impact how quickly someone is able to lose weight, regardless of the effectiveness of the weight loss program itself. “While certainly you need to be active and watch what you eat,” she says, “there are many people who live healthy lifestyles but still find it difficult or impossible to lose weight.”
Some of the factors that affect weight loss, Thelen says, are age, hormones, work schedules, stress, sleep patterns and health problems. These factors and more, she says, can have a dramatic impact on metabolism (the amount of energy, or calories, your body naturally burns to maintain itself). Heredity, she says, can also have an impact. “There is such a thing as a ‘naturally thin’ person,” she says. “Some people simply burn more calories than others.”
The Healthy Essentials Approach
“At Healthy Essentials,” Thelen says, “we offer a 20-week medically supervised weight loss program that is designed to meet the needs of the individual.” The program, she says, includes monthly medical supervision, weekly meetings with a nutritional counselor, and regular sessions with a personal trainer. Each week, she says, patients bring in their food diaries, weigh in, and set goals for the following week.
In her role as nurse practitioner at Healthy Essentials, Thelen specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of nutritional deficiencies and hormone imbalances. These issues, she says, are often standing in the way of people who are struggling with weight loss. “But while these issues make it difficult for some people to lose weight,” she says, “they’re also very treatable. That’s one of the things that makes our program at Healthy Essentials different than other weight loss programs.”
If, for example, a hormone imbalance is found to be preventing weight loss, there are steps that can be taken to correct it. “Where hormones are lacking, we can replace them, or, if there are hormones that are found to be in excess, we can put a plan in place to bring them back to normal levels.” There are several imbalances that are known to interfere with metabolism, she says. Too much or too little estrogen, for example, can cause a number of problems, including weight gain or difficulty losing weight. Progesterone, if in short supply or too abundant, can have a similar effect.
“When we work with patients who are struggling with their weight,” Thelen says, “we take a holistic approach rather than just offering a one-size-fits-all diet and exercise plan. We take into account all of the factors that are causing you to be overweight, and then develop a plan to address each of them. This means you get just the right weight loss program for your unique body.”
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.