Weight loss programs provide people with a structured routine that takes the guesswork out of the process of losing weight.
With so many people struggling to control their weight these day weight loss programs are more popular, and some would say necessary, than ever.
Below our team of experts look at the benefits of signing up for a weight loss program.
20 Benefits Of Weight Loss Programs
Weight loss programs have helped countless people gain control over their weight and for that they are to be commended. Here are 20 more benefits of weight loss programs.
1: Weight loss programs can help you achieve your goals.
Losing weight is not easy. If you have ever been on a diet yourself, you know that. Some people are able to bite the bullet and will themselves through the process. But they are the exception, not the rule (1). Most people need some type of help to help them achieve their weight loss goals. Weight loss programs can provide that help.
2: Weight loss programs are easy to join.
The internet has made a lot of things easier, including signing up for a weight loss program. Whereas 20 years ago you would have had to sign up by phone or even snail-mail, today it can be done in just a few minutes via the internet. You can also open several weight loss program websites simultaneously and compare them before making your decision.
3: Weight loss programs have a proven track record.
Most of the best weight loss programs boast huge numbers of satisfied customers. Quite simply put, if they did not work, they would not be as popular as they are or last as long as some of them have. Do some of the people who lose weight end up putting that weight back on? Yes. Some of them do. But in most cases, that cannot be laid at the feet of the weight loss program.
4: Weight loss programs provide safe and nutritious meals and snacks.
Weight gain can almost always be linked, at least in part, to poor food choices. If someone is going to lose weight, they need to get in the habit of eating low-calorie, nutrient-dense food. Most commercial weight loss programs provide that. Some actually send a supply of meals to you on a regular basis. Others provide pre-made shakes and snacks.
5: Weight loss programs provide more than just meals and snacks.
Losing weight often requires more than just having the right food in front of you. It also requires support (2). Some weight loss programs provide access to diet and nutrition experts. Others put you in touch with a network of other members who have been where you are. That kind of support can go a long way when it comes to ensuring your success.
6: Weight loss programs offer useful tips.
The process of losing weight encompasses more than just eating low-cal food and aerobic exercise. Sure, those things are crucial. But sometimes you need more than that. You need tips on how to avoid that bedtime snack, or what to do when you are feeling emotionally fragile. Most weight loss programs have a section of their website dedicated to useful tips.
7: Weight loss programs help build good habits.
This is one of the most important benefits of a weight loss program (3). There will come a time when you have reached your goal and the job switches from losing weight to keeping it off. By the time that happens, you will have hopefully internalized many of the new behaviors necessary to reach your goal. These new, healthy habits will enable you to avoid regaining the weight you lost.
8: Weight loss programs are easier than relying strictly on willpower.
Trying to go it alone with weight loss, relying solely on willpower, is not going to work for the vast majority of people. Not because they are weak. But because most people have a complicated relationship with food (4) that encompasses personal, emotional, and societal components. Weight loss programs can help compensate for that complex relationship.
9: Weight loss programs can save you money.
On a national scale, obesity costs the US economy more than $100 billion per year, just in healthcare expenses. On an individual basis, being overweight or obese can cost a person thousands of dollars per year due to related health problems (5). When looked at from that perspective, joining a weight loss program may actually save you money when all your expenses are accounted for.
10: Weight loss programs can be tailored to your situation.
The impression that weight loss programs are one-size-fits-all take it or leave it propositions is not entirely accurate. Most weight loss programs allow a certain amount of customization. This enables you to tweak the program based on your current weight, weight loss goal, health conditions, age, and more.
11: Weight loss programs will help you look better.
Let’s be honest. While the best reason to lose weight is to improve your overall health, most people also want to look better. They want to cut a more active, attractive figure and get back into some of those favorite clothes they had to abandon as their weight increased. Is that vain? Sure. A little. But if vanity can be the engine that drives a push toward better health, there is nothing wrong with that.
12: Weight loss programs can decrease the risk of diabetes.
Most people know about the obesity epidemic. What they don’t know is that the obesity epidemic is causing a type 2 diabetes epidemic. Being overweight is a major risk factor for diabetes (6). Losing weight can greatly reduce the chances of developing that chronic, debilitating disease (7) and save you untold money and suffering in the long run.
13: Weight loss programs lead to better health.
This is, or should, be the number 1 reason why someone wants to lose weight. And a weight loss program can help them achieve the higher degree of overall health they are after. While they might also love the way their new, slimmer body looks, chances are the thing they will enjoy most is how they feel.
14: Weight loss programs can provide unexpected benefits.
Everyone wants to feel and look better. And those are the two biggest motivations to sign up for a weight loss program. But weight loss has other less obvious, but very real benefits, including lowering a person’s risk of developing dementia (8). The notion that being overweight puts the brain at risk is a disturbing one. But losing weight can neutralize the threat.
15: Weight loss programs can reduce the stress on your knees and hips.
Being overweight puts enormous stress on the knee and hip joints. It not only increases the risk that a person will need to undergo knee or hip replacement surgery at some point, but it also increases the chance that a person will develop osteoarthritis in the knee or hip (9). That can lead to decades of pain and restricted movement.
16: Weight loss programs can help improve your sex life.
No, they cannot find the perfect partner for you. But studies show that when a person loses weight, they experience an uptick in sexual desire (10). They also experience more fulfilling sex because they are more nimble, more mobile, and have more energy. The weight loss does not have to be dramatic either. Just 10 pounds should make a difference.
17: Weight loss programs are good for your heart.
Being overweight is a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease (11) or suffering a stroke. If you join a weight loss program and stick to it, the resulting weight loss will likely reduce your risk of developing heart disease by a significant degree. Even losing only 5-10% of body fat can reduce a person’s risk of heart disease and stroke.
18: Weight loss programs can help improve your mood.
People who feel better physically also feel better mentally and emotionally. Carrying around a lot of extra weight is physically stressful and can be an emotional drain. Conversely, using a weight loss program to slim down can remove that physical stress and improve one’s outlook. We are not saying weight loss alone will cure depression, but it will likely help lift your mood.
19: Weight loss programs do not require a big commitment.
If you are not sure whether a weight loss program is for you, don’t worry. Most weight loss programs do not require a long commitment. Many will offer a trial period. Some will allow for monthly renewals. And others only require you purchase their food products but do not require that you spend X amount per year.
20: Weight loss programs encourage exercise.
Of course, some do a better job encouraging it than others. Mayo Clinic, for instance, provides an array of workout routines that are customized to the individual. This has a multitude of benefits since regular exercise is one of the keys to keeping weight off permanently (12) once you lose it.
Conclusion
The best weight loss programs help people gain control over their weight which produces a cascade of other benefits including reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, relieving pressure on hip and leg joints, improving people’s sex lives, making them less susceptible to illness and injury and bolstering their self esteem.