Weight loss programs have gained popularity, but their flaws contribute to clients’ lack of long-term success. Learn why the business model of the most popular weight loss programs contributes to the lack of success for clients. Many of the most popular “best weight loss programs” fall short of what consumers really need. As a result, consumers may find themselves experiencing temporary results only to end up back where they were before starting the program.
Some of the most popular weight loss programs include:
- Nutrisystem: “America’s #1 Solution for Home Delivery Weight Loss”
- Noom: “Customized Programs from Diet Specialists”
- DietToGo: “Pre-cooked Meals Delivered to Your Door”
- BistroMD: “Doctor Designed Meals Delivered to Your Door”
- Freshology: “Premade Meals, No Cooking Required”
- Home Chef: “Healthy Vegetarian Meals”
- Sun Basket: “18 Recipes Each Week”
Sounds good? Convenient. Ready-made. Healthy. Delicious.
The Flaws of These Popular Weight Loss Programs
One reason for the frequent relapse is that many weight loss programs encourage dependency on the program. Special meals are prepared, sold, and conveniently delivered to the doorstep.
A top dietician may design the pre-packaged diet plan, the taste may be inviting, and sticking to the convenient, pre-packaged meals may create immediate results. What’s wrong with that?
The problem is that these plans do not promote the change in knowledge, belief, attitude and lifestyle necessary for a permanent healthy body transformation.
The problem is that these plans do not promote the change in knowledge, belief, attitude and lifestyle necessary for a permanent healthy body transformation.
Yes, they do teach all these important things. However, their business model itself encourages dependency on the program vs. transformational, self-empowering lifestyle change.
Think about it: If you, their customer, continues to be dependent on purchasing their pre-packaged meals, their business grows and thrives.
On the other hand, if you, their customer truly becomes self-empowered, no longer needing their pre-packaged meals, their business diminishes.
Flawed Business Model
Their business model itself encourages dependency on the program vs. transformational, self-empowering lifestyle change.
This business model is great for the weight loss company, not so helpful for the consumer. The truth is that the most convenient way to lose weight and achieve the total health you desire is to empower yourself.
It does take some personal re-education as to how to eat, think and move, but once you’re past the initial phase, YOU are in control, YOU are confident, YOU know what you need to do and are not dependent on anything external.
What’s a More Effective Business Model for the Weight Loss Consumer?
The ideal body and mind transformational program will have a business model that promotes self-empowerment, not dependency.
What might this business model look like?
1) Low Financial Investment:
You make a one-time investment just enough to cover the true production and maintenance cost of the program. This underscores that the true winning investment is in your own activity, not in the program.
2) Self Empowering Knowledge and Guidance:
The focus is on re-education that will promote your transformation.
3) Customized to YOU the individual consumer:
You learn the key knowledge and concepts that enable you to make changes in a way and at a pace that fit you uniquely.
4) Self-Paced:
YOU are in control of your progress.
5) Comprehensive Total Body and Brain Makeover Approach:
Since the program is not based on food alone, but on knowledge, attitude, lifestyle and movement, it is more comprehensive and complete.
Important elements in a comprehensive Body and Brain Makeover:
I. Core nutritional science concepts:
Education on nutritional best practices. When you know the basics of good nutrition and why they are important, you are empowered to integrate best nutritional practices into your nutrition plan.
II. The mental and emotional factors of nutritional and lifestyle changes:
Your mindset can make or break any attempts to make a change. No program can be successful without total self buy-in on the mental and emotional level.
III. Food sourcing habits and practices:
The food that is in close proximity (i.e. in your pantry and around the places you frequent) will eventually end up inside of YOU. Surrounding yourself with healthy choices is crucial to real and lasting transformation.
IV. Dining out habits:
A large percentage of the food we consume is not from our pantry, but at restaurants, take-out and fast-food establishments.
Until we come to terms with how to make healthy choices in these venues, our total body and brain transformation will be an uphill battle.
Creating everyday healthy habits: Our daily behavior will drive our health results. Much of our behavior is on automatic.
We don’t think about it because it has become natural. Behavioral change is a science in itself and must be a part of any true transformation.
V. Moving throughout the day:
Yes, daily exercise is important, but long hours of inactivity can become a barrier to true change. Designing strategies to break up periods of sedentary inactivity with movement can give our transformation a huge boost.
VI. Exercise strategy:
Exercising effectively enlivens the brain, boosts physical transformation and improves emotional outlook. Exercising ineffectively can actually work against you. Athletes spend years perfecting their exercise strategy, typically with a trained coach. The rest of us may have little knowledge of the science behind effective exercise. Successful transformation requires this piece.
VII. Dealing with sleep and stress issues:
A stressful life with inadequate sleep will work against any program of health transformation. Getting stress and sleep right is essential.
VIII. Inspiration:
Many attempts at weight loss and health transformation dead end before the goal because there was not a compelling “why”. Without a strong purpose you can find yourself doomed to initiate program after program hoping to find success in the nature of the “next program” when success can only be found by tapping into your own source of inspiration.
So, these are the components of a successful health transformation:
- Low Financial Investment
- Self-Empowering
- Customized
- Self-Paced
- Comprehensive
The true total body and brain transformation we all seek may not come in the form of an ongoing monthly investment of meals delivered to your door or a program that drip-feeds the necessary knowledge and guidance you need for a successful transformation.
A Weight Loss Option Designed to Work and to Last!
