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Weight Loss: Self Help vs Commercial Programs

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Weight Loss: Self Help vs Commercial Programs
According to The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), in the 2009-2010 2 out of 3 adults living in the United States are considered to be overweight or obese. More shockingly, about one-third of children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are considered to be overweight or obese (1). Why are these statistics significant? “These statistics are important because there are a lot of health related problems that come with being overweight and obese. Health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, some forms of cancer, and other health problems are linked to overweight and obese adults (1).” It is mindboggling 2 out of 3 Americans are overweight and obese. Although it seems like more people would be concerned about their health and well-being, it seems obvious that many are not.

On the flip side, many people are doing something about their health, whether it involves going on a certain type of diet, working out more, or both. When a person decides he or she needs to lose weight, there are several options. The two that I am going to focus in this discussion are self-help and commercial programs. Trying to lose weight with self-help techniques involves all of the things a person is going to do to help him or herself lose weight. This might include looking up diets, finding workout plans, exploring other resources that are going to help them achieve their fitness goals. When people take the self-help approach, they do not rely on others to help them reach their fitness goals. On the other hand, some people seek commercial programs such as Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. Commercial programs involves people using resources provided to them that may include pre-planned diets, workout plans, personal trainers, health coaches, and other resources. Commercial

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