Do Online Weight Loss Programs Work?
People used to believe that self help was something of a joke, that online weight loss couldn't possibly work, and that live diet meetings were the best approach to successful weight loss.
With the benefit of modern scientific analysis, we now know that these old beliefs couldn't have been more wrong. It's become very clear that dieting and eating plans are a recipe for disaster (even so-called "healthy" diets), with experts saying that dieting adds, on average, an extra 6 lbs per dieter every year!
Secondly, studies also show very clearly that people DO get results from online help, and that those results are very similar to the effect of having your own personal therapist!
Certainly some people who undertake weight loss online will still require the close support and supervision of a mental health specialist, but likewise online programs are proving their value across a range of issues: depression, anxiety, weight loss, smoking cessation, relationship problems, chronic pain, etc.
Any program, if it's to be effective, must build self reliance and individual accountability - online programs utterly depend on those factors and work to enhance those in each individual.
So how do you choose a self-help program for weight loss? Avoid methods which have been proven not to work, like hypnosis, dieting or eating plans, or new-age visualisation. These are a waste of your time, money and effort! Instead, look for programs that have a scientific basis and have been tested in clinical trial. They will be run by experienced psychologists or other qualified health practitioners (but remember that these days ph.d.'s can be purchased and are not necessarily bona fide). Google the name of the developer of the method and make sure they're not a fraud.
Likewise be aware that not all conventional approaches to weight loss are worthwhile either! For example cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is often regarded as highly-effective, and many studies claim that this is the case. But analysis of those studies shows that the conclusions are not valid, and that CBT is little better than placebo (sugar pills). So you do need to do your research.
Also, do not be sucked in by sites which provide copious testimonials in an effort to part you with your money. Professional therapists or clinicians don't use testimonials because it's regarded as unethical and a betrayal of the client/therapist relationship. In the world of health, testimonials shout out "amateur"! So instead of testimonials, look for a single modest statement, or a small set of case studies, and most definitely look for actual clinical research!
Why should you ignore testimonials? Because it's very possible that there are thousands of unsatisfied clients for every one testimonial. When was the last time you saw a site publish letters of criticism?
So the evidence is sufficient for you to feel deeply confident about using an online weight loss program, provided you check the research that underpins the program, and you check to make sure the support forum is run by qualified professionals, not just moderated by members of the general public who are also trying to lose weight.
Have you read enough to feel interested in a refreshingly different, yet proven approach to weight loss online? Without spending money or risking money? At TopLifeSolutions.com you'll find 2 great free books that comprehensively describe the simple lifestyle mistakes that lead to weight gain, and the solutions to those, as well as giving you an amazing technique that can actually switch off a food craving permanently. You'll have to actually join TopLifeSolutions.com to get those (and other) freebies, but that's free too. Why? Because TopLifeSolutions.com is part of the Kind Communities Initiative and its aim is to help people live bigger, better and brighter through sharing proven health strategies.