According to the U.S. government, one of the most consistently popular New Year’s resolutions is to “Lose Weight”. That is a great goal when it is based on the desire to live a healthy life. Once the decision is made to drop the pounds, the “how” part of the equation comes into effect. To help, I asked various parents for their referrals regarding nutrition and exercise weight loss programs in New York City. Rebekah K., a friend and former personal trainer, was initially blunt in her answer: “Burn more calories than you consume and you’ll lose weight. People don’t need anything fancy, they just need to be disciplined.” It’s a simple calories in versus calories out equation.
While Rebekah’s assessment is true (most of the people who need to lose weight would agree with it in theory), some people need more personalized support in the weight loss arena. When I explained that, she recommended Weight Watchers combined with Curves specifically for women…especially if they are new to weightlifting. Rebekah also encouraged weight loss hopefuls to explore the option of hiring a personal trainer if they can afford one. She reiterated though that “without a good diet, exercise is futile”. I appreciate her honesty and direction, so below are a few top nutrition and exercise based weight loss programs in the New York City area.
Nutrition:
Weight Watchers
Multiple locations in NYC and Tri-State area
(800) 651-6000
www.weightwatchers.com
Have you seen the most recent photos of Jennifer Hudson since she has been on their new Points Plus program, which emphasizes unprocessed foods? The “before” and “after” photos are enough to make a believer out of the biggest weight loss skeptics. Besides the celebrity angle, several personal friends have had great success on this program and sing its praises. I thought that it was primarily for extremely overweight people. It turns out that it is for them, but it’s also for people trying to lose 5+ pounds. They offer two different food plans – Points Plus and Simply Filling Technique. The Points Plus plan is what most people associate with Weight Watchers (counting points). If counting calories doesn’t appeal to you, they also have a Simply Filling Technique plan where you can eat as much as you like (within reason of course!) of low-calorie foods. Lastly, they also have an online program in addition to the traditional weekly group meetings with the confidential weigh-ins. One of the most cost-effective programs on the market, Weight Watchers is currently allowing new members to join for free (normally it costs $20) and only pay weekly meeting fees. Visit their site to find your nearest location.
Jenny Craig
Multiple locations in NYC and Tri-State area
(800) 597-Jenny
www.jennycraig.com
Another top option for weight loss, this program involves individual counseling and prepackaged meals. Although the individual support and meal factor makes it more pricey than other programs where you prepare your own food, it can be the perfect jumpstart to a healthier way of life. They even have a new “Metabolic Max Program” where they personalize your weight loss program according to your metabolism. If you prefer the one-on-one approach this is a great option. You can meet with your support person and pick up your meals at one of the local Jenny Craig Centers. They also have the option of weekly phone consultations and having your meals delivered to your home. You also might want to give Jenny Craig a try if you are intrigued by scientific technology. (Their new program has a BodyMediaFIT™ self-monitoring technology – a menu log combined with a specialized armband – that allows you to track your calorie intake against your calorie burn.) As with most other programs, Jenny Craig also encourages its participants to aim for a consistent moderate daily exercise routine. Call or visit their site for more localized information.
Exercise:
Curves
Multiple locations in NYC and Tri-State area
www.curves.com
Both trainers and friends sing the praises of this gym that is geared towards meeting the health goals of women. For busy caregivers, the appeal lies in the fact that a total body cardio and strength training workout is done in only 30 minutes. Curves has even incorporated the popular Zumba Fitness as part of one of their workout options. In addition to their popular circuit training program, Curves also offers a complementary weight management program. Focusing on raising your metabolism through eating 5 small meals a day combined with strength-training, there are no “off-limits” foods. You can learn more about the workout and nutrition offerings at Curves by visiting their site to find the contact information for your local center.
Lastly, when it comes to weight loss, one of the things that trainers emphasize is to find an exercise program that you will actually do! That’s a personal decision. My current favorite exercise is kickboxing. I do it in the comfort of my home on Exercise TV. The first three days were painful, but by Day #4, it was smooth sailing :-).
You can read about two other NYC local exercise programs (Pure Power Boot Camp NYC and Bar Method Soho) as well as a local nutrition company (Foodtrainers) on the Keep Your New Year’s Resolution To Lose Weight In 2011 post that I wrote for CBS New York.
Have you tried any nutrition and/or exercise programs that have worked really well?
(Post Image Courtesy of my-favorite-weight-loss-tips.com.)