Structure House - weight management residential facility in Durham NC

Ivona52
Ivona52 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I a considering enrolling into a one month program in Structure House. Is anyone familiar with a long term success of their approach? It is quite expensive so I am trying to find "graduates" that completed the program a few years ago. BTW, the program focuses on lifestyle changes and not a diet. I would appreciate any informed feedback!

PS.
I am not obese or even very heavy (149 lb at 5.5), but maintaining my weight consumes too much of my life...

Replies

  • NewGemini130
    NewGemini130 Posts: 219 Member
    Have you tried a good therapist? Maybe one specializing in eating disorders (not saying you have one but they will bring more targeted expertise). That seems more sustainable for real life (ie once you got home from your month--what then?).
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    You could ask the organization for references.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    It looks like a really cool place and the treatment seems to have good sound framework - but it should, at that price :#

    OP, hang around the forums for a while, and you get the same for free. And you don't have to move out for a month :D
  • oneoddsock
    oneoddsock Posts: 321 Member
    Ivona52 wrote: »
    PS.
    I am not obese or even very heavy (149 lb at 5.5), but maintaining my weight consumes too much of my life...

    What are you doing that is so time-consuming? Or do you mean a psychological or other type of impact?

  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    So you are managing to maintain your weight? What do you think this facility can do for you that you're not implementing yourself at the moment?
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
    I smell a scam.

    The Duke Fitness Center in Durham is a well known, well regarded weight loss assistance facility. Just from looking over the website I think Structure House is trying to take advantage of Duke's reputation (hoping people will confuse the two) just to make a buck.
  • lady_ghost
    lady_ghost Posts: 175 Member
    Eleniala wrote: »
    Ivona52 wrote: »
    I a considering enrolling into a one month program in Structure House. Is anyone familiar with a long term success of their approach? It is quite expensive so I am trying to find "graduates" that completed the program a few years ago. BTW, the program focuses on lifestyle changes and not a diet. I would appreciate any informed feedback!

    PS.
    I am not obese or even very heavy (149 lb at 5.5), but maintaining my weight consumes too much of my life...

    I just looked at their website. Over $11,000 for a 4-week stay, and more for optional programs. Wow! Saving all that money would be motivation enough for me to change my eating habits.

    Yeah or just use a fraction of that and invest in a good trainer and nutritionist
  • 4whirly
    4whirly Posts: 7 Member
    Apparently there is a book that will give you the Structure House plan if you are self motivated. https://www.amazon.com/Structure-House-Weight-Loss-Plan/dp/074328691X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    i dont know how weight maintenance consumes so much of a day - i did it for a year without a thought and without counting calories but .... ok.

    Well congratulations. It's wonderful that it's so easy and no-one would ever need any help with it, otherwise we'd all be using a calorie counting app and spending our time on a calorie counting forum and that wouldn't just be silly and unnecessary and...

    Oh, wait.

    OP, there's absolutely nothing wrong with seeking help for something you find difficult, but I'm with the others in thinking this place is at worst a scam and at best a cynical money-making outfit. A month is a very short time to learn life-changing habits, and going away for a residential course, far from making it more effective, will actually make it harder to apply the lessons when the course is over. If you want to change your day-to-day habits, you need to do it in the context of your day-to-day life.

    If you can tell us a bit more about how you're approaching things and what it is you're unhappy about, we can offer some advice and help right now. Also go and check out the maintenance subforum as there will be lots of experience and advice in there on how to maintain without letting it take over your life.

  • Eleniala
    Eleniala Posts: 87 Member
    OP, if you google "Structure House reviews" you'll find some statements from people who went there (or at least CLAIM they went there). Like all online reviews I would take them with a grain of salt since often they are written by or on behalf of people who benefit financially.

    That being said, they all sound very positive and talk about how great the place is and how much it helped them. However, many state that they went back for a "refresher" after their initial stay, and one even said she has been back several times. Several times? At a few thousand dollars a pop? How successful can it be long-term if you have to keep going back? It sounds like people thoroughly enjoy their stay (who wouldn't enjoy a spa-like retreat, being pampered and having your meals cooked for you), and I'm sure they drop some weight in the process (mostly water weight, no doubt). I'm sure they are taught some valuable information and strategies as well...BUT it all comes down to long-term individual compliance. Nobody can force you to do that. All those strategies you can learn for free right here on MFP. You just have to be willing to stick to it long-term. Whatever you choose to do, good luck to you!
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    I'm almost 4 years into successful maintenance and I don't understand why you think it's so time consuming? It takes like 5 minutes to figure out my eating plan for the day and then a few seconds at each meal measuring our portion sizes.

    OP what exactly are you struggling with? And what do you think this program is going to do for you?
  • mlinci
    mlinci Posts: 402 Member
    Ivona52 wrote: »
    I a considering enrolling into a one month program in Structure House. Is anyone familiar with a long term success of their approach? It is quite expensive so I am trying to find "graduates" that completed the program a few years ago. BTW, the program focuses on lifestyle changes and not a diet. I would appreciate any informed feedback!

    PS.
    I am not obese or even very heavy (149 lb at 5.5), but maintaining my weight consumes too much of my life...

    Are you so well off that you can easily afford it and not worry about it? Then go for it.
    Are you planning to take out a loan or spend your life savings to do it? Then I think the answer would be there are probably better ways to spend your money.
  • Ivona52
    Ivona52 Posts: 2 Member
    Dear All:

    I wanted to thank all of you who expressed interest in my plight and responded to my request. Thought I did not find any Structure House graduates to discuss specifically their experiences and long time sustainability of coping methods taught there (this is not a "diet" but cognitive\behavioral lifestyle change approach). The price is steep, but standard for this type of facilities, and Structure House is a well established, already 40 years in operations, and was started by a Duke doctor who did see limitation in diet approach and added lifestyle and psychology of overeating. But your responses were helpful (except a couple of sarcastic jibes), as there was an overwhelming thread of skepticism in all comments that, in conjunction with other research, made me take a pause and think of self directed alternatives. Still, I learned that myfitnesspal has a terrific forum and a great group of supportive members.

    Ivona

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