THINKING OF JOINING A WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM? READ THIS FIRST!

Weight loss programs have become very popular in Kenya over the past 5 years. This has probably been informed by the unfortunate drastic increase in Non-Communicable Diseases like Cancer, Diabetes and Heart Diseases. As a Nutritionist I feel frustrated every time I watch some weight loss programs, especially those that entice people with money for most cumulative weight loss over the program period.

I often feel sorry for people who go to these programs without in-depth knowledge of how the body works and how one gains or loses weight. It’s a big shame for any trained and licensed Nutritionist and Fitness expert to show the entire nation weight loss or gain progress in terms of the total amount of weight a person has. That said; if you use the common weighing scale to monitor your weight loss progress that only shows a cumulative number, brace yourself for unnecessary stress and disappointment.

The one thing that most fitness experts and Nutritionists don’t tell you is the fact that your cumulative weight is a combination of different weights in your body. There’s water mass, muscle mass, bone mass and fat mass. All these weights contribute to the value you read on weighing scale and their increase or decrease consequently affect your total weight.

Have you ever measured your weight after a hot day out in the sun, then after taking a few glasses of water?   Your weight will be less on a hot day, due to dehydration and heavy perspiration, then increase after taking a couple of drinks, due to increase in water mass. Your weight fluctuates from time to time due to such very normal body processes.

I therefore always advice people to join a Fat Loss Program as opposed to Weight Loss program. Fat loss is a gradual but very effective process of proper weight management and achieving optimal health. Weight loss can however be very drastic and not necessarily healthy. Have you ever had diarrhea and or vomiting for a day or two? You inevitably lose weight, but not for the right reasons; and as you already know by now, the weight is gained back once you’re back to good health.

Healthy weight monitoring calls for better assessment, which goes beyond a cumulative number or Body Mass Index (BMI). There’s need to assess all the weights within the body, so as to figure out which one is above the normal figures. Each person has a healthy range of body fat mass, muscle mass, water mass and bone mass depending on age, gender and height. If the figures go above or below the healthy range, then there’s cause for alarm and immediate action, but if the figures are in the normal range, then the goal is to maintain them in the ‘healthy’ range.

That said; I feel that most weight loss programs in the country are simply bogus; they don’t properly guide Kenyans and are not as objective as they should be. Each person’s body works differently and different people have different Basal Metabolic Rates. A thorough analysis and evaluation is therefore required before and during the entire program.

Lastly, there are many reasons why a person could be very active, not over eating but gaining weight. One of these reasons is Hormonal Imbalance, especially among women. We will discuss this on another article but ladies, if you’re on a healthy diet, not eating more than you’re spending, working out but still gaining weight, you need to consult an endocrinologist/OBGYN for a hormonal balance evaluation.

Remember Your Health is Your Responsibility. Always do research and make thorough enquiries before joining a weight loss program.