Healthy Weight For Life Program Introduction

Welcome

Congratulations on taking the next step on your journey towards a healthy weight for life. We are excited to work with you over the next 18 weeks as you navigate the road towards a healthier you.

The Healthy Weight for Life™ program aims to give you the education and tools that will help you achieve your weight loss and lifestyle modification goals. The education modules include advice on healthy eating and meal portion planning, increasing activity levels and maintaining motivation. There are also tools to help you keep track of your progress, assist you in selecting the right portion sizes of healthy and tasty food and to guide you in building healthy new habits.

Long term change starts with a single step. You have taken this first step by enrolling in the Healthy Weight for Life™ program.

Embrace the program components - use your Week by Week Guide, the tools provided, and the support team to help cultivate the changes you want to see in your life.

Your Healthy Weight for Life™ Team are on hand to help you achieve your goals - we want to ensure you feel confident as you progress through the 18 weeks of your program and beyond. We are available to help with questions, to work through difficulties, as well as to celebrate your successes along the way.

Program overview

The 18 week Healthy Weight For Life™ program is broken up into three phases, each six weeks long. Your Week by Week Education Modules are designed to be read week by week throughout the program to assist you to lose weight, improve your health and learn lifestyle skills that will help you control your weight for life. By working towards a healthier weight, you will also minimise many of the chronic illnesses that are associated with being overweight.

The main components of the Healthy Weight For Life™ program are:

Eating Plan

A large part of the Healthy Weight For Life™ program is dedicated to helping you choose the right portions of the right food and drink, in order to help you reach and maintain a healthier weight for the long term.

The program includes the use of KicStart™ VLCD - a thoroughly researched, high quality and nutritionally complete Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) meal replacement. KicStart™ is included initially to significantly reduce daily energy intake whilst still maintaining optimal nutrition, to 'kick start' your weight loss and boost motivation.

As you move through the three phases of the program, the number of meals replaced with KicStart™ are reduced as you progressively build up the new, sustainable, healthy eating and lifestyle habits. All the

portion planning tools and education material you need to build up these new habits have been provided in your Phase One kit.

Phase One - KicStart™ is used for two meals a day, and a portion control plan for one meal.

Phase Two - KicStart™ is used for one meal a day, and a portion control plan for two meals.

Phase Three - A portion control plan is used for three meals a day, KicStart™ is only used intermittently, as required.

The meals that are replaced with KicStart™ in each phase can be swapped around as required to fit in with your work and social commitments.

Activity Plan

The Healthy Weight For Life™ program will help you progressively build up your activity levels, including both planned activity and incidental to your everyday living. The aim of the program is to increase your level of planned activity to 30 minutes on most days of the week. Intensive exercise is not required. You are encouraged to choose a form of activity that suits your own physical circumstances.

Educational Modules

Phone Support

Personalised telephone support and advice is available by calling 1800 226 180 (free call from land lines) or sending an SMS to 0429 200 622.

Your Healthy Weight for Life™ Support Team are on hand to answer queries, proactively track your progress, assess goals and to help you with strategies for overcoming challenges. The Support Team are very experienced and will assist you find a simple solution to any problem or challenge that may present itself.

Online Support

Preparing for Healthy Weight For Life™

Before starting the 18 week Healthy Weight For Life™ program, you will need to take some practical steps such as removing temptation from your fridge and pantry, in addition to gathering the necessary equipment for your healthy lifestyle.

1. Clearing out your cupboards

Now is the time to clear all the unhealthy, refined food and drink out of your kitchen cupboards, pantry and fridge in order to clear the way for healthy alternatives.

What to get rid of:

sugary cereals - breakfast cereals should have a maximum of 1.5g of fat and approximately 800 kilojoules (200 calories) per serve.
processed foods such as biscuits, chips, lollies, cakes, muesli bars and corn chips - they are all high in refined sugar and / or saturated fats.
soft drinks, cordials and fruit juices - these all contain unnecessary calories.

You may need to explain to your family why the contents of your pantry and fridge have changed. Your whole family will benefit from your new, healthy eating strategy. More information regarding healthy eating strategies will be covered in future modules.

2. Stocking the necessary equipment

Items provided in your Phase One kit:

Portion Planner Disc
Shaker (to mix KicStart™ sachets)
HWFL lunch and snack cooler bag
Water bottle
Tape measure.

In addition, in order to take accurate measurements every week, you will need:

A set of bathroom scales for weighing in or access to scales at your local GP or pharmacy.

Items that you may want to gather to help with your new portion controlled, healthy eating:

Kitchen scales
Measuring cups and spoons.

Exercise gear that will help get you moving:

Comfortable clothing
A pair of well-fitted sneakers
An exercise bag to make it easy to organise yourself.

3. Looking after you

Your doctor has approved your participation in this program, however it is important to remember that you must view the detailed safety Information before you start.

It covers:

Pre-existing health conditions and medications
Avoiding and managing low blood sugars
Exercise precautions
Dietary precautions
Avoiding and managing gastrointestinal symptoms
VLCD potential adverse effects and how to manage them

4. Personal reflection

What is your personal motivation for wanting to achieve the long term changes needed to improve your health and wellbeing?

Are there any challenges or barriers you can identify that could prevent you making the changes needed to improve your health and wellbeing?

5. Getting started

On the day you start your program, it is important that you activate your program calendar. This is done by entering your starting weight and waist measurements.

You will be able to review your weekly progress. It is important for you to provide your weekly waist and weight measurements to keep a track of your progress. At a minimum please provide your updated measurements every fortnight.

You can view the educational modules at any time online. The full educational modules are also provided in a hard copy Week by Week guide where there are areas for you to complete your personal responses to questions throughout.