Weight Loss Program (NAPS)—Some people lose weight on their own; others like the support of a structured program. If you decide to join any kind of weight control program, here are some questions to ask before joining: * Does the program provide counseling to help you change your eating, activity, and personal habits? * Is the staff made upofa variety of qualified counselors and health professionals such as nutritionists, registered dietitians, doctors, nurses, psychologists, and exercise physiologists? * Is training available on how to deal with times when you may feel stressed and slip back to old habits? Checkit out before you sign up for any weight loss program. * Is attention paid to keeping the weight off? How longis this phase? * Are food choices flexible and suitable? * Are weight goals set by the client and the health professional? Remember, quick weight loss methods don’t usually provide lasting results. Weight loss methods that rely on diet aids like drinks, prepackaged foods, or pills often don’t work in the long run. No matter how much weight you have to lose, modest goals and a slow course will increase your chances of both losing the weight and keepingit off. Learn more from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at the “Aim for a Healthy Weight” Web site at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gow/health/ public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/inde x.htm, or from the NHLBI Health Information Center at (301) 592- 8578.
