Weight Loss Blog
The Weight Loss Blog offers news and information about nutrition and fitness as well as actual weight loss success stories as told by students at Wellspring Academies, formerly Academy of the Sierras, the first boarding school for overweight teens. WSA is part of Wellspring, which also runs Wellspring weight loss camps.
The Blog started with entries by 15-year-old Jahcobie who graduated from WSA after losing 176 pounds in seven months. Then Brooke, a 17-year-old from Prescott, Arizona, took over. Our latest student blogger was Melissa, a 17-year-old from Orange County, California. Melissa recently graduated and we wish her success and she continues down her path as a "long-term weight controller."
Andy D. a 17-year-old student at Wellspring Academy spent a few months sharing his adventures in weight loss, healthy eating, and fitness fun with us before he graduated the program in June.
Now we'll continue to update you with news and information about weight lose, healthy living, and childhood obesity. We'll have a new WSA student share their stories with us beginning in the Fall.
Wellspring programs are the most effective weight loss solutions for teens available today. But don't let us tell you. Let Andy, Melissa, Brooke, and Jahcobie tell you. Read about their journeys toward successful weight management in their own words.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Finding Your Routine and Being Honest with Yourself
After practicing for a while, every weight controller will eventually find a routine that suits him. Whether it be having one Jolly Rancher a day to take care of a sugar craving, or having a fat free fudge bar to take the edge off that chocolate craving, all successful weight controllers eventually find healthy ways to keep their unhealthy food cravings under control.
Similarly, weight controllers must learn to structure their time in order to support their weight control habits. I know that in order to be successful, I must have a very busy schedule, as to dissuade snacking out of boredom. So, as the summer is quickly upcoming, I have found myself looking for ways to keep busy. I plan on working six days a week and establishing a routine. After I wake up and go to work, I will work out, watch my baseball game, and go to bed. I know for me to be successful, all of my time has to be highly structured. Other weight controllers can have more flexible schedules. The key is for people to be honest with themselves and choose a schedule that suits their individual needs so that they can have the most success in weight control as possible.
Labels: control, cravings, weight_controllers
Friday, March 30, 2007
Why do I eat?
That is the question that many weight controllers, myself included, are constantly asking themselves. This question has been in the forefront of my mind for the last several days. This past Tuesday I went home for an "Off Campus Challenge." In addition to seeing my family, going home provided me the opportunity to take a look at my current relationship with food. I had felt on top of my weight control efforts here on campus. But when I left the comforts of Reedley, California, I found it exponentially more difficult for me to control my food intake. When I asked myself why this was the case, I realized that I was eating only because the food was there. Here at AOS, we stick to a diet of healthy, wholesome foods. When I was off campus, and saw the high-fat, high-sugar foods that I used to love, I let the sight overwhelm me, and did not use what I had learned.
I did learn a valuable lesson, however. Next time I am in a situation where I am face to face with a cookie, I know how important it is never to underestimate the power of how strong just seeing some thing can make you want to eat it.
Labels: healthy_eating, relationships, weight_controllers
Friday, March 23, 2007
Basketball and Team
As the great ex-UCLA Bruin basketball coach John Wooden once said, "The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team." Although the concept of teamwork may be pushed into the minds and hearts of children with the likes of posters telling us that, "There is no I in TEAM," the importance of this concept can never be understated.
I would like to look at this quote as it relates to weight controllers. As an overweight person starts his journey, several things influence his success. They include support, determination, and knowledge, amongst others. But one aspect of successful weight control that can sometimes be overlooked is what sort of people a weight controller chooses to surround himself with. A weight controller's supporting cast can help influence what sort of decisions he makes. The "rest of the team" can help the weight controller stay focused on his weight loss program. A friend or acquaintance who is also working on losing weight can be a huge support if the weight controller has hit a roadblock in his program. Having somebody to lean on that understands what the weight controller is going through is invaluable.
Personally, I am working on developing my supporting cast of fellow weight controllers. Although it is a process, I know that finding people that can help me through my struggles is vital to my success.
Labels: support, teamwork, weight_controllers
