This Clinical Pearl comes from Justin Groce, NP-C, CSCS, co-author of the Definitive Medical Weight Loss Clinic Course.
Have you had a patient tell you, “I don’t know why I can’t lose weight! I eat clean all week, but I cheat a little on the weekend…” and is failing to make progress? Yep! We all have.
Let’s face it – when most people say they cheat on the weekends they are probably being VERY honest. I know that I do my best to consume varied, yet nutritious-dense meals during the week only to enjoy some off-plan foods on occasions.
It is human nature to gravitate towards things we like – in this case, food. There is nothing wrong with that. It is one of the pleasures of life!
However, it is the volume of what we are consuming that can offset our Monday through Friday endeavors. Think of it this way – Saturday and Sunday comprises 29% of the week. If you throw Friday nights into the mix, then “the weekends” makes up over 30% of the week.
Ask yourself this: “Would I be successful at my career if I slacked off 30% of the time?”
The answer should be a resounding NO! Being an Elite NP requires putting in hard work, staying on the grind, and busting tail to be the best version of yourself. No one will hand you success, same goes with weight loss.
There is no magic pill to lose weight. Yes, there are medications that HELP with weight loss, but ultimately, you must work for it. It requires day in and day out effort to get there!
Now, this is not to say that patients must be 100% on point all the time but being mindful that they are not offsetting five days of hard work during their weekend is crucial… It will make or break a weight loss program. Consuming 1500 calories 5 days a week and then consuming 3000 calories on Saturday and Sunday will result in almost a net gain of 1lb of body fat. You literally just threw away a large chunk of your weight loss progress…
As a health advocate for your patients, especially in terms of weight loss, it is our duty to keep these patients mindful and motivated! If you are unable to motivate your patients, their results will be lackluster. Try to motivate your patients NOT to cheat excessively. One cheat meal is okay, but an entire weekend of cheating will destroy their progress and only hinder their success.
Remember, The Definitive Medical Weight Loss Clinic Course has finally been released. We cover not only medication management, but also diet design, exercise programming, and how to MOTIVATE the patient to make change. For more information, check out the course before the sale ends!
