“It’s a prescribed program with a clear end point,” says Jonathan Bonnet, MD, MPH, a clinical associate professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and a member of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. “The meetings are more frequent, and there’s more being asked of patients and what they’re changing.”
These programs are offered by a variety of different organizations, including government initiatives, academic hospitals and weight loss clinics, private health networks and telemedicine businesses, and some larger health insurance providers.
ILIs can be an especially smart choice for those who are trying to manage or reverse a condition related to obesity like diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.
“ILIs are probably more appealing to someone who has chronic conditions and who is frustrated with the results they’ve been able to achieve on their own,” says Dr. Bonnet. “They may want to choose a more lifestyle-centric approach that’s still rooted in science, but still want some autonomy and control over how they lose weight.”
What ILIs Offer
These programs may call to mind boot camps or Biggest Loser–style weight loss, but they don’t involve extreme diets or punishing exercising plans.
“We tend to focus on the overarching health goals that you want to achieve and finding the lifestyle-based strategies we can use to support that,” says Ryan Kane, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of nutrition at Tufts University in Boston.
Meetings with your care team can include activities such as:
- Education, including how to make healthy food choices, combat feelings of deprivation, and fit exercise into your regular schedule.
- Progress tracking, including private weigh-ins.
- Troubleshooting, where you’ll talk to experts about topics such as managing challenges, staying motivated, or eating healthy while traveling or at social events.
- Peer-to-peer-support, such as support groups where you meet with others who are in a similar situation.
That said, motivation matters. ILIs can give you a plan to lose weight in order to improve your health, and your team will guide you along the way. But you’ll still need to do the work to reach your goals.
“You get out of it what you put into it,” says Dr. Kane. “For folks who aren’t ready to engage, it might not be the right time to try one.”
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