Hospital Weight Management program
earlnabby
Posts: 8,171 Member
Have any of you done a hospital weight management program? First of all, I am NOT talking about an ultra low calorie Medifast type program. I am talking about a whole person comprehensive program that combines medical doctors, dieticians, therapists, group therapy, and fitness specialists in order to achieve sustainable loss.
If you have:
Did you find it was helpful?
Did you lose throughout the program?
Was it expensive?
Have you kept the weight off?
If you have:
Did you find it was helpful?
Did you lose throughout the program?
Was it expensive?
Have you kept the weight off?
5
Replies
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I'd like to see the insurance plan that covers that in the US, or what the out of pocket cost is.10
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I believe the question, maybe even the whole idea, is wrong. You can regain after weightloss surgery. You can buy junk food in the weightloss ward. People who really want to lose weight, make it happen, and they can only make it happen themselves.18
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I am in Canada and did one a few years ago. It was covered by our health plan in Canada but for me it was really a waste of time. They covered all the things I had studied my whole life and I lost no weight. I only lost weight when I came here and learned what worked for me. Other places may have programs that are more useful but for me I had to learn my own way. Good luck.9
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kommodevaran wrote: »I believe the question, maybe even the whole idea, is wrong. You can regain after weightloss surgery. You can buy junk food in the weightloss ward. People who really want to lose weight, make it happen, and they can only make it happen themselves.
It's quite literally the opposite of learning sustainability and self responsibility.4 -
kommodevaran wrote: »I believe the question, maybe even the whole idea, is wrong. You can regain after weightloss surgery. You can buy junk food in the weightloss ward. People who really want to lose weight, make it happen, and they can only make it happen themselves.
I think you might have misread the question. The program is basically Weight Watchers on steroids. You get all kinds of labs done, you meet with therapists to figure out why you overeat, you meet with a dietician to learn good nutritional habits, you meet with a fitness specialist to work out a personal exercise program.
Basically, the idea is that if a person can't lose weight or keep weight off, this program is designed to find out why.
Yes, ultimately it is up to the individual to get it done but some need more handholding than others on the way.
No, I have not decided to do it. It was recommended to me by my both my psychiatrist and my PCP because I have yo-yo'd by 100 lb. several times in the last 5 years.19 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »I believe the question, maybe even the whole idea, is wrong. You can regain after weightloss surgery. You can buy junk food in the weightloss ward. People who really want to lose weight, make it happen, and they can only make it happen themselves.
It's quite literally the opposite of learning sustainability and self responsibility.
How is a program that teaches you what to eat and how to gain physical fitness the opposite of self responsibility? Again, this is NOT weightloss surgery or a set meal plan/liquid diet.
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My friend did one through OSU here in Ohio. She was very successful with it, lost a LOT of weight and is now going to school to be a dietetic technician. She really enjoyed the experience. She did not have health insurance at the time and I believe she told me it was pricey, like 600-800 a session. (3 or 6 month sessions I cant really remember). She didn't have a lot of money but felt it was the right thing to do for herself, and she was right. She has *mostly* kept it off but that's like anyone on a diet program once they stop it it can be hard to keep motivated. She stayed motivated throughout the course of the program.5
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What to eat, is up to you. (Being told what to eat, is what makes people resentful, dependent, and rebel.) To lose weight, you have to eat less. To gain physical fitness, you need to use your body (more). You don't need a program for those things, you need to do those things.MelanieCN77 wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »I believe the question, maybe even the whole idea, is wrong. You can regain after weightloss surgery. You can buy junk food in the weightloss ward. People who really want to lose weight, make it happen, and they can only make it happen themselves.
It's quite literally the opposite of learning sustainability and self responsibility.
How is a program that teaches you what to eat and how to gain physical fitness the opposite of self responsibility? Again, this is NOT weightloss surgery or a set meal plan/liquid diet.10 -
I'm surprised people are so against the idea of getting help. I went to therapy for depression and it really taught me so many strategies and coping mechanisms so now I can self-manager my moods and I am a much happier person for it. I also used therapy to quit smoking with great success years back. I've definitely thought of going to therapy for weight loss as it's equally a psychological battle, but i haven't taken the plunge yet. I'd argue that therapy can not only teach sustainability and self-responsibility, but that it's usually the main objective.33
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My husband had this program offered through his employer and he did great, he lost 55 pounds. But, unfortunately, he put it all back on. Ugh. Maintaining weight loss is the hard part.11
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Have any of you done a hospital weight management program? First of all, I am NOT talking about an ultra low calorie Medifast type program. I am talking about a whole person comprehensive program that combines medical doctors, dieticians, therapists, group therapy, and fitness specialists in order to achieve sustainable loss.
If you have:
Did you find it was helpful?
Did you lose throughout the program?
Was it expensive?
Have you kept the weight off?
I haven't but I'm interested to see what others who have say. While a program like that isn't "necessary", some people do for whatever reason need more structured education and guidance, and for someone whose overeating has stronger emotional/psychological components I'd bet a program like that could be beneficial. As long as the goal is to set you up for moving from that support to out on your own in the real world, of course.
If you do decide to do it, best of luck and please let us know how it goes!8 -
I am not against the idea of getting help. On the contrary, getting adequate help, including therapy if you have any psychological issues, is a great idea, often even necessary. But this thread seems to, in my personal opinion, to center around diet and exercise and blood tests, for people who have decided they "can't lose weight".I'm surprised people are so against the idea of getting help. I went to therapy for depression and it really taught me so many strategies and coping mechanisms so now I can self-manager my moods and I am a much happier person for it. I also used therapy to quit smoking with great success years back. I've definitely thought of going to therapy for weight loss as it's equally a psychological battle, but i haven't taken the plunge yet. I'd argue that therapy can not only teach sustainability and self-responsibility, but that it's usually the main objective.8 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »I believe the question, maybe even the whole idea, is wrong. You can regain after weightloss surgery. You can buy junk food in the weightloss ward. People who really want to lose weight, make it happen, and they can only make it happen themselves.
It's quite literally the opposite of learning sustainability and self responsibility.
How is a program that teaches you what to eat and how to gain physical fitness the opposite of self responsibility? Again, this is NOT weightloss surgery or a set meal plan/liquid diet.
I'm not averse to reaching out and getting advice and help and whatnot but "being taught what to eat" is the issue - every single person is going to do best on a very personally nuanced diet, instead this way they get hung up on advice they paid for instead of gleaned from free resources. You've got a lot of participation in this forum so you know that the general "culture" here is that "he who eats most while losing weight, wins" basically, and "eat what you like within a calorie deficit" the broad and basic idea. I'm in return surprised that you are surprised that the idea might be seen as unnecessary and overworking the issue.3 -
kommodevaran wrote: »
What to eat, is up to you. (Being told what to eat, is what makes people resentful, dependent, and rebel.) To lose weight, you have to eat less. To gain physical fitness, you need to use your body (more). You don't need a program for those things, you need to do those things.MelanieCN77 wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »I believe the question, maybe even the whole idea, is wrong. You can regain after weightloss surgery. You can buy junk food in the weightloss ward. People who really want to lose weight, make it happen, and they can only make it happen themselves.
It's quite literally the opposite of learning sustainability and self responsibility.
How is a program that teaches you what to eat and how to gain physical fitness the opposite of self responsibility? Again, this is NOT weightloss surgery or a set meal plan/liquid diet.
So going it alone is better than getting medical, dietary, mental health, and personal trainer advice. Good to know. The National Weight Control Registry will need to revise its findings since right now their findings are that 55% of those who have lost at least 30 lb and kept it off used some kind of program.12 -
I haven't done it, but I think it sounds like a really good idea. It is an efficient use of time, you use the experts for their advice, just like using a personal trainer - I can't see how it would do anything other than help. I definitely can't see it hindering progress.
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I think some of you are being awfully judgmental. Sure, it's entirely feasible to lose weight using your own resources and with no outside help. I did it, and many of you did it. But, some people do need professional medical advice. Yes, they still have to do it themselves, but for some people, a personalized road map can make all the difference.
Most of these hospital programs are NOT for people who are just overweight and looking to drop a few pounds. They are aimed at people who are morbidly obese, most of whom have serious health issues related to their weight. A team of medical doctors, registered dieticians, and clinical psychologists can help people who have physical problems related to their weight such as diabetes and hypertension, as well as mental health issues like eating disorders and depression. Many insurance companies will cover this treatment in situations such as these.
These programs DO try to teach the skills needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the rest of these patients' lives. That is the point of the programs.27 -
These posts sum up my position:I'm surprised people are so against the idea of getting help. I went to therapy for depression and it really taught me so many strategies and coping mechanisms so now I can self-manager my moods and I am a much happier person for it. I also used therapy to quit smoking with great success years back. I've definitely thought of going to therapy for weight loss as it's equally a psychological battle, but i haven't taken the plunge yet. I'd argue that therapy can not only teach sustainability and self-responsibility, but that it's usually the main objective.SuzySunshine99 wrote: »I think some of you are being awfully judgmental. Sure, it's entirely feasible to lose weight using your own resources and with no outside help. I did it, and many of you did it. But, some people do need professional medical advice. Yes, they still have to do it themselves, but for some people, a personalized road map can make all the difference.
Most of these hospital programs are NOT for people who are just overweight and looking to drop a few pounds. They are aimed at people who are morbidly obese, most of whom have serious health issues related to their weight. A team of medical doctors, registered dieticians, and clinical psychologists can help people who have physical problems related to their weight such as diabetes and hypertension, as well as mental health issues like eating disorders and depression. Many insurance companies will cover this treatment in situations such as these.
These programs DO try to teach the skills needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the rest of these patients' lives. That is the point of the programs.9 -
Have any of you done a hospital weight management program? First of all, I am NOT talking about an ultra low calorie Medifast type program. I am talking about a whole person comprehensive program that combines medical doctors, dieticians, therapists, group therapy, and fitness specialists in order to achieve sustainable loss.
If you have:
Did you find it was helpful?
Did you lose throughout the program?
Was it expensive?
Have you kept the weight off?
This sort of sounds like a well designed alcohol/drug rehab program, but for food issues.
Sorry to hear you are yoyoing
If you've already tried CBT to no avail, this might indeed be beneficial to you.3 -
I think anyone who has yo-yo'd 100 pounds several times in five years has something that isn't getting resolved.
What that something is? Could be a lot of things. I lost my weight and have kept it off. I also quit smoking and drinking alcohol without any support groups or therapy but I know that isn't the way everyone succeeds.
This site was perfect for my weight loss. I do much better without advice from people or so-called professionals in my life to coach me, but I am amenable to reading forum posts and learning from them. That's what I did with my weight loss and with quitting alcohol. Read read read. Everything I could find. Books, websites, forums.
People talking at me overwhelms me, but if I can read about it I'm golden.
I say keep trying everything until something sticks. @earlnabby, maybe it's the fish oil.
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kshama2001 wrote: »These posts sum up my position:I'm surprised people are so against the idea of getting help. I went to therapy for depression and it really taught me so many strategies and coping mechanisms so now I can self-manager my moods and I am a much happier person for it. I also used therapy to quit smoking with great success years back. I've definitely thought of going to therapy for weight loss as it's equally a psychological battle, but i haven't taken the plunge yet. I'd argue that therapy can not only teach sustainability and self-responsibility, but that it's usually the main objective.SuzySunshine99 wrote: »I think some of you are being awfully judgmental. Sure, it's entirely feasible to lose weight using your own resources and with no outside help. I did it, and many of you did it. But, some people do need professional medical advice. Yes, they still have to do it themselves, but for some people, a personalized road map can make all the difference.
Most of these hospital programs are NOT for people who are just overweight and looking to drop a few pounds. They are aimed at people who are morbidly obese, most of whom have serious health issues related to their weight. A team of medical doctors, registered dieticians, and clinical psychologists can help people who have physical problems related to their weight such as diabetes and hypertension, as well as mental health issues like eating disorders and depression. Many insurance companies will cover this treatment in situations such as these.
These programs DO try to teach the skills needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the rest of these patients' lives. That is the point of the programs.
That was my thought as well. To use a not terribly adequate comparison - some people are able to treat mild depression with exercise. Others are only really able to treat their mild-moderate/severe depression with medication. Yet others need medication and psychotherapy and still others need just therapy. To complicate matters, some forms of therapy are going to work better for one person than they are for another.
I am able to lose weight without the help of medical professionals. I'm not morbidly obese, I don't have any actual metabolic issues (as in ones that you would be diagnosed with from a responsible medical doctor), etc. On the other hand, my depression is such that exercising or spending time outside wouldn't come close to touching it (it's laughable when people suggest exercise to me specifically) and meds don't work either - I need to be in therapy multiple days a week.
The psychotherapeutic care that I need for my depression is what I would liken to the health care that people who are admitted to hospital weight management programs need.
edit: I really wish the nesting of quotes was better on this platform...13 -
cmriverside wrote: »I think anyone who has yo-yo'd 100 pounds several times in five years has something that isn't getting resolved.
What that something is? Could be a lot of things. I lost my weight and have kept it off. I also quit smoking and drinking alcohol without any support groups or therapy but I know that isn't the way everyone succeeds.
This site was perfect for my weight loss. I do much better without advice from people or so-called professionals in my life to coach me, but I am amenable to reading forum posts and learning from them. That's what I did with my weight loss and with quitting alcohol. Read read read. Everything I could find. Books, websites, forums.
People talking at me overwhelms me, but if I can read about it I'm golden.
I say keep trying everything until something sticks. @earlnabby, maybe it's the fish oil.
LOL. Maybe that’s it!!!1 -
That sounds a lot like the Duke University Program. Like any program, you have to be motivated and be committed to making a life style change. If you do the program and return to your old eating habits, you'll gain the weight back.0
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I don't think anyone can be helpful unless they have undergone the exact program (same location and staff) you are considering. Any medical program is only going to be as good as the people running it. The quality of healthcare professionals can vary greatly.
It really isn't for me to say what is good or bad on someone else's journey if it isn't unhealthy and doesn't appear to be a total sham.3 -
Haven’t gone through one but I’ve worked at facilities that had programs like this. Ime quality and results varied wildly based on how engaging and knowledgeable the facilitators are. If this is something your pcp is recommending and you trust them and the hospital has a good reputation it might be a good idea if it sounds appealing to you.2
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I have a friend that did lose over 100 lbs on a hospital plan around 14 years ago. She was an employee of that hospital and after losing the weight was refunded her cost of the program. I want to say there were 2-3 payments of $700 each. Labs and other medical tests were included in the program. The first three weeks was a liquid only diet including nutritional shakes provided by the hospital. She said the first few days were hard but after three weeks of shakes she became desensitized to foods she normally had binge issues with. After the first three weeks the plan was extremely similar to Weight Watchers. She kept the weight off for several years but eventually gained it back. We’ve chatted about it a few times over the years and she still feels it was a positive experience for her.8
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kommodevaran wrote: »
What to eat, is up to you. (Being told what to eat, is what makes people resentful, dependent, and rebel.) To lose weight, you have to eat less. To gain physical fitness, you need to use your body (more). You don't need a program for those things, you need to do those things.MelanieCN77 wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »I believe the question, maybe even the whole idea, is wrong. You can regain after weightloss surgery. You can buy junk food in the weightloss ward. People who really want to lose weight, make it happen, and they can only make it happen themselves.
It's quite literally the opposite of learning sustainability and self responsibility.
How is a program that teaches you what to eat and how to gain physical fitness the opposite of self responsibility? Again, this is NOT weightloss surgery or a set meal plan/liquid diet.
True, we choose what we eat. And, the emotional and behavioral factors in our lives which influence our diet and exercise sometimes take the help and support of others to untangle so we can truly change our behaviors to healthy and sustainable ones.
OP, the program sounds like it’s a very supportive one with lots of expertise to help you build the habits you need to make your weight loss sustainable.7 -
I participated in a similar program- in this program, they introduced me to MFP! While the visits with the dietitian weren't that helpful- as I already had a good knowledge of nutrition- the sessions with the Dr were extremely helpful. I have also found MFP extremely helpful.
I was at the stage where I didn't really believe that it was possible for me to lose weight.
I lost 50 pounds over a year and maintained for a year and a half. I gained 15 pounds- over a very stressful time, but I am back on track now and losing that.
The key is that what works for some people doesn't work for others and I think it's important to find what works for you.
Good luck!13 -
I would go further.I don't think anyone can be helpful unless they have undergone the exact program (same location and staff) you are considering. Any medical program is only going to be as good as the people running it. The quality of healthcare professionals can vary greatly.
It really isn't for me to say what is good or bad on someone else's journey if it isn't unhealthy and doesn't appear to be a total sham.
I don't think anyone can say what's going to be helpful for any idividual unless they are that individual.
The usefuless of the same exact program with the same exact professionals can be extremely variable, depending on the patient.
What's special about this kind of treatment, is that it's not about taking pills or being cut open and stitched up - it's the patient who does the job. (Or not.)6 -
kommodevaran wrote: »
I would go further.I don't think anyone can be helpful unless they have undergone the exact program (same location and staff) you are considering. Any medical program is only going to be as good as the people running it. The quality of healthcare professionals can vary greatly.
It really isn't for me to say what is good or bad on someone else's journey if it isn't unhealthy and doesn't appear to be a total sham.
I don't think anyone can say what's going to be helpful for any idividual unless they are that individual.
The usefuless of the same exact program with the same exact professionals can be extremely variable, depending on the patient.
What's special about this kind of treatment, is that it's not about taking pills or being cut open and stitched up - it's the patient who does the job. (Or not.)
I agree with this which is why I never asked if anyone thought I should do it. My starting this thread was to get information about the program from the perspective of a patient who has done something similar since the only information I have is from the perspective of the provider. One can only make an informed decision after gathering as much information as possible.
My question was simple: Did you do one? How much did it cost? Did you find it was helpful? Too bad it got derailed16 -
kommodevaran wrote: »I would go further.
I don't think anyone can say what's going to be helpful for any idividual unless they are that individual.
The usefuless of the same exact program with the same exact professionals can be extremely variable, depending on the patient.
What's special about this kind of treatment, is that it's not about taking pills or being cut open and stitched up - it's the patient who does the job. (Or not.)
Some will, some won't. That is what every weight loss avenue has in common including anything that has been successful for anyone here or anywhere.
Being ready to lose the weight and maintain can sustain a person through methodology failures until they find their path. Not being ready will lead to failure regardless.
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