We all know that the principle of weight loss is to burn more calories than what you consume.   That is simple, right? Not really! Most people find it challenging to maintain a regular exercise schedule and to stay within a daily caloric budget. The trick is to keep yourself motivated and to adopt a long-term personalized weight management plan through behavior modification.

Behavior modification is never easy. However, it can be achieved more effectively through Weight Loss Coaching, which is based on personal coaching techniques that focus on lasting behavior changes. Coaching is the pillar of the holistic weight loss approach that we adopt here at Florida Aesthetics in Brandon.

It starts with making patients self-aware and convincing them that being overweight is caused by their own unhealthy eating habits and insufficient physical activity. More importantly, it puts the responsibility squarely on the individual. Once an individual accepts that responsibility, a mind-body connection is established, which makes the coaching approach holistic.

Behavior coaching is designed to alter the behavior pattern to increase the chances of sustaining a long-term healthy weight through small changes. Using the stairs instead of the elevator at work is one example.

After patients become self-aware and establish the mind-body connection, coaches can help them set small goals. The reason why goals have to be small is to make them easier to achieve. When a patient sets a hard goal, chances are that he or she won’t be able to achieve it. Failing to achieve goals at an early stage of the weight loss journey can be very devastating and may discourage patients from continuing their weight loss efforts. However, setting and achieving small goals creates a positive feedback loop that encourages and motivates patients to stay the course and to reach the end goal.

Patients need to keep in mind that behavior coaching is just a means and not a magic bullet. In the end, patients themselves need to accept the responsibility of their own behavior, become self-aware of the impact of their actions on their health and weight, and set and achieve goals.