How Wellspring Compares To Other Weight Loss Plans
Many parents are hopeful that their child’s weight loss problem will improve on its own over time. Others are considering sending their child to a traditional weight loss camp or “fat camp”, or trying a weight loss program at home this summer.
At Wellspring Vancouver, our highly-trained weight loss experts are focused on the long-term success of your child. Losing weight at camp is great, but if that’s all there is, than the program is simply a fat camp or diet camp. Ultimately, it’s what happens when campers return home that really matters. Most fat camps simply don’t have the level of expertise and commitment to long-term care for which Wellspring is renowned.
And if you’re like most parents, you’re probably wondering—can’t my child lose weight at home this summer? After all, there’s plenty of time to be active. Maybe your child will join a gym, work out with a personal trainer, or engage in one or more other teen fitness activities.
If this is where you are, think about this: Has your child tried these things before? Have these methods worked?
For many families, the answers are: “Yes, we’ve tried other methods. But no, unfortunately, they haven’t worked.” And this is for a very good reason: sustained weight loss is incredibly challenging and, ultimately, requires a permanent change in behavior and habits.
In addition, for many children, not only have weight loss efforts proven unsuccessful, but such failures have had a negative impact on mood and confidence. Now your child may not want to try something else – even a scientifically based program proven to be effective – because they think they’re likely to fail again.
The good news is that Wellspring can help.
When most people think of “fat camps,” they envision a camp where children are forced to exercise, eat small amounts of food, and lose weight quickly, only to regain it all again when they return home. Wellspring is most definitely not a fat camp or a diet camp, or even a weight loss boot camp. Rather, Wellspring is a next generation scientifically-based weight loss treatment program that makes its home in a fun summer camp environment. The Wellspring Plan is a comprehensive and scientifically based program that has worked for thousands of young people just like your child – they have not only lost weight, they have continued losing weight and kept it off in the long run.
While there are many summer camps in Canada and the Pacific Northwest that focus on various activities, none of these camps are likely to make a material difference in your child’s weight six months after camp ends. If your child is struggling with his or her weight, wouldn’t it be preferable to have a fun summer while at the same time resolving the weight issue once and for all?
In February 2007, the publication Consumers Digest reviewed weight loss camps and profiled Wellspring programs. Consumers Digest concluded that Wellspring Camps are more effective than traditional weight loss programs. To read this article, click here.
10 Questions to Ask if You’re Considering Weight Loss Camp
If you’re thinking about weight loss camp this summer, think about asking these questions:
- What was last year’s average weekly weight loss?
- What are the camp’s long-term results? What percent of campers maintains or continues weight loss at home?
- Who designed the weight loss program? What are their credentials? Is the program design scientifically based? Or is it simply a diet camp, fat camp or a boot camp?
- Is counseling or behavior modification offered? By credentialed therapists?
- If so, do the therapists work full time at the camp during the summer? Does each camper have an individual therapist assigned to him or her? Do therapists continue to work with campers after campers return home?
- How are families involved?
- How many campers return each year? Did they regain weight? Will new campers feel left out because of cliques from prior years?
- How large is the Camp? Is it a manageable size where the Camp Director knows each and every camper?
- Can we talk to several families of campers who have maintained or continued weight loss from last summer?
- Does the camp demonstrate improvements in self-esteem and overall well-being?
