When people set out to lose weight, they decide whether to go at it alone or recruit help. If they take the “help” route, they typically choose between individual and group coaching, and usually base their decision on comfort and preference. But what if regardless of preference, one of these methods proves far more effective than the others? Might that dissuade them to switch trajectories from their initial inclination to the superior route, leaving them healthier and happier in the long-run? The studies are in, and we’d love for you to share the good news with your clients.

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People who connect with, and receive support from a health professional lose more than twice the weight as those who go at it alone.

Web-based weight loss programs are a dime a dozen. Claims that participants will shed pounds by implementing their strategies abound, but only a few will make good on such promises. The major factor that determines their ultimate success or failure? Human interaction.

Human interaction can take place in person, over the phone, or via the internet, and each modality can support weight loss. Since people spend more time than ever before on their smart-phones, particularly on social networking apps, we’ll focus on app- and web-based nutrition interventions in this post.

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A growing body of research supports photographing meals as an effective alternative to recording meals via pen and paper. In one such study, 33 ladies in the Women’s Health Initiative photographed their meals for one month. Their fat intake decreased significantly and their total caloric intake dropped modestly. The study’s authors concluded, Findings support the largely untapped potential of hand-held computers for improving diet monitoring and diet adherence. Continue reading →

Complimenting in-person nutrition appointments with app-based support grows businesses by synergistically:

• Increasing the volume of clients health professionals can take on
• Improving the quality of nutrition counseling
• Making advertising easy, as clients photograph meals regularly and field questions by friends and colleagues about what they’re doing

The market for app-based nutrition counseling and support networks grows larger every year. As smart phone usage grows, the health professional’s ability to extend their reach and offer more effective counseling grows along with it. Take a look at the medium through which more and more people are looking to connect:

• Over 64% of adult Americans own a smartphone.
• Over 73% of teenagers (13-17 years) have access to a smartphone.

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