Weight Loss Online - Does It 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.

But now the stats are in, and an entirely different picture has emerged. The first thing we see is that weight loss programs that rely on diets or food plans simply don't work anyway. Less than 2% of people manage to maintain a healthy weight using that type of weight loss approach, and most people in fact actually put weight on because of dieting.

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.

Remember for any support to be effective, it should foster self reliance, and although online programs take place in a cyber community, the person interacts as an individual and learns to be personally accountable.

Not all online weight loss programs are equal. Be careful to avoid charlatans (use Google to discover their background) and disproven methods like hypnosis, dieting or eating plans, or new-age hocus pocus. Choose only those programs with proven results, run by qualified health professionals.

Just as new-age approaches are mostly ineffective, not every conventional treatment is worthwhile either. Talk therapy is all but useless in most cases, and the "gold standard" of therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, has almost no scientific proof behind it. In fact some studies show it to be no better than placebo.

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 are testimonials not worth the paper (or screen) they're written on? Because they are in no way representative of the total population. They can be made up or paid for, and they can also represent purely a placebo factor. Protect yourself by totally ignoring testimonials.

Because of the evidence, we strongly encourage you to investigate a self-help, online weight loss program, but similarly encourage you to do your research to make sure the method's proven, and that the support facilities are run by qualified professionals.

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.

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