There are a lot of different types of weight loss programs out there. One of them is weight loss coaching. Given that weight loss coaching is a time and money investment you might be wondering if it really works. I haven’t tried it myself, so I reviewed the medical studies available.
Do Weight Loss Coaching Programs Work?
Based on data yes weight loss coaching is an effective way to lose weight. If you’re having trouble losing weight on your own, it’s worth trying at least once. The most effective type of program lasts at least six months, and the coaching sessions are at least twice a month. More frequent coaching sessions seem to correlate with more weight loss. The studies showed that if you’re speaking with a coach once a week, you’re likely to lose more weight than someone who is speaking with a coach less frequently.
If you’ve had trouble maintaining weight loss, studies have also shown that coaching could help with that too. So if you’re one of those people who can lose weight on your own, but then you have trouble keeping it off long term, it may be worth trying weight loss coaching.
What About the Cost?
Several health insurances have started their own weight loss programs in the last couple of years that are free for their members. However, if this isn’t an option for you, weight loss coaching can be expensive depending on the program. Think of it as an investment in your long-term health. If you’re losing weight by eating healthier and a weight loss coach helps you do this, it can help you prevent and/or reverse long-term health problems like diabetes and high cholesterol. So even though it’s expensive up front, long term it can help you save money.
How Long Should You Try a Weight Loss Coaching Program?
In the medical studies I reviewed on average people lost 10-20 pounds in the first six months. So if you’re not losing weight effectively in the first six months of a program, consider that maybe this isn’t the right program for you. Even though it may have worked for other people you know, the same program is not going to work for everyone; different people have different lifestyles, different work schedules, etc.
What Type of Weight Loss Coaching Program Should You Try?
It’s worth thinking about how you’ve accomplished things in the past. One approach is to think of it as how you best learned in school, in group settings versus individual settings, online versus in person, etc. That may help you figure out what type of weight loss coaching program would fit you the best.
If you try a weight loss coaching program for six months and it doesn’t work for you, move on to something else. Again because people have different lifestyles, jobs, and even different genetic backgrounds, all of this can affect what will work for you. But don’t give up, sometimes it just takes time to find what will work best for you!