While fad diets, weight-loss gimmicks, exhaustive calorie-counting plans and diet supplements come and go, the desire to slim down never seems to fluctuate.
Even one of the most popular weight-loss programs, Weight Watchers, seems to be going through some growing pains. As new spokesperson Oprah Winfrey continues to tout the program’s recent overhaul, Weight Watchers’ stock lost more than two-thirds of its value in less than a year. Investor Winfrey saw her shares shed about $116 million. On Monday, Weight Watchers CEO James Chambers announced he was stepping down.
While more dieters turn to Fitbits and free weight-loss apps to tip the scales in their favor, one local hospital is gaining traction dispensing a sensible, short-term plan to win the battle of the bulge.
At Slidell Memorial Hospital, Paula Brown, MS, RD, CDE, and Ideal Protein Clinic Coordinator, said the Ideal Protein program is more than just learning how to reduce your girth. “It’s about learning new life skills,” she said, “and it’s about changing your habits so that not only do you lose weight, but you improve your health.”
Slidell Memorial Hospital (SMH) researched and tested Ideal Protein and now teaches and monitors the method through its own clinic.
Hospital staff explained Ideal Protein is a 4-Phase, medically designed and professionally supervised, muscle-sparing weight-loss protocol facilitating trimming down and teaching healthy lifestyle education.
In Phases 1 and 2 an Ideal Protein coach helps clients set weight-loss goals and lends support until the goals are met. In Phases 3 and 4 the focus shifts to weight stabilization and post-diet living, teaching weight maintenance habits that assist in keeping the pounds off for good.
Expect to lose 3-5 pounds a week, SMH reps said, and learn how to maintain your success.
“Ideal Protein is a low carbohydrate, moderate protein diet protocol that includes meal replacement and weekly coaching,” Brown said. “The dieter is going to have 3 Ideal Protein products a day, but they are also going to have 8 ounces of meat, 4 four cups of vegetables and salads. We encourage healthy fats. It’s a very structured meal pattern that you’re asked to eat.”
Ideal Protein has been evolving for more than 2 decades and was originally developed by Dr. Tran Tien Chanh.
“The cause of many weight issues in a modern society is insulin dysfunction,” Dr. Tien said. “A diet grossly disproportionate in its share of saturated fats and sugars, such as in breads, cereals, muffins, cakes, pastries, pasta, pizza, rice, corn – very much like the North American diet – causes the pancreas to produce an overabundance of insulin, which stays in the system and puts the blood sugar level in a negative balance.”
To reverse this process, Ideal Protein trains the body to live off its own fat reserves, getting energy from carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
“I wanted to go through it, so that I could help my clients and be able to refer them to something that was doable,” Rebecca Stubenrauch, RN, SMH Cardiac Rehab Supervisor, said. “While it’s challenging, it is doable and you have all the help you need with professional staff, which makes the biggest difference. You’re losing inches, you’re losing body fat and maintaining lean muscle.”
Today, Ideal Protein’s protocol is the recommended weight-loss method in more than 3,000 professional establishments worldwide, SMH reps said. Doctors report results with the Ideal Protein Weight-Loss Method are repeatable and sustainable, and after losing the pounds they report seeing a reduction in hypertension, hyperinsulinemia, and other heart risks and an improvement in lipid profiles and other risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome.
To encourage the body to burn its own fat reserves while maintaining its muscle mass at the same time, you need to ingest foods that help with protein absorption, and the quality of protein used in Ideal Protein diet products does just that, SMH reps said.
Those who sign up for the program also use nutrient-rich supplements including Natura Multi-Vita, Natura Calcium & Magnesium, Natura Potassium and Natura Omega-3 Plus, which are all key ingredients in muscle building and maintaining a healthy level of electrolytes, they said.
“Slidell Memorial’s program is absolutely the best,” Kasey Courtney, an Ideal Protein client who lost 67 pounds, said.
Gary Frisard, who lost 50 pounds following the Ideal Protein Weight-Loss Method, said “I can’t say enough about the diet. I recommend it to anyone.”
When you sign-up, you’ll get:
• Support from medically trained SMH professionals throughout the program with weekly one-on-one coaching
• Lifestyle education and guidance
• Body composition analysis for eight weeks
• Creative recipes
• Maintenance planning with a Registered Dietitian
• Daily emails with motivation and education
• An understanding of how food affects and is utilized by the body, including what causes fat storage
• A personalized approach to setting weight-loss goals based on your health profile, with focused goals to improve blood sugar, cholesterol levels and blood pressure
SMH reps said to expect to pay for supplies, food and vitamins, and the costs of food will range from $4 – $12 per day for the first 3 Phases of the program.
Ideal Weight is not covered by insurance, SMH reps said.
Ideal Protein products include:
• Classic Morning Selections
• Creamy Puddings
• Crunchy Bars
• Fruity Drinks
• Hearty Soups
• Meal Replacements
• Pasta
• Popular Desserts
• Ready-to-Serve Selections
• Rich & Velvety Drinks
• Soft and Chewy Bars
• Specialty Selections
• Sweet and Salty Snacks
• Traditional Savory Favorites
• Triple-Layer Wafers
• Gluten Free Products
Canadian Chef Daniel Verati teamed with Ideal Protein to provide users recipes with a minimum of two cups of vegetables and 5 – 8 ounces of protein. His website offers cooking tips, a toolbox with BMI, calorie and calcium calculators and other free web-based tools to support healthy eating.
“Our goal is to help you lose weight and improve your health with permanent weight-loss,” Ideal Protein Clinic Coordinator Brown said. “Ideal Protein is about so much more than weight-loss.”
Ideal Protein Clinic
Slidell Memorial Hospital
Main Campus – 1001 Gause Blvd.
Slidell, LA 70458
(985) 280-1554
