LEARN - The Lifestyle Company (American Health Publishing)

P.O. Box 610430, Department 80

Dallas, TX 75261-0430

In the U.S.: 1-888-LEARN-41

Outside the U.S.: 1-817-545-4500

Website: www.thelifestylecompany.com

LEARN is an acronym that stands for five essential components of the lifestyle behavior-change programs: Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships, and Nutrition.

Whether you are interested in weight loss, stress management, healthy eating, or physical activity this program can help you. This manual and program continues to be one of the most comprehensive, state-of-the-art behavioral approaches to weight control. Sixteen lessons address lifestyle, exercise, attitudes, relationships and nutrition (LEARN) aspects for controlling weight. Nationally known obesity research expert, Dr. Kelly Brownell, developed the program.

The LEARN Institute for LifeStyle Management is a division of American Health Publishing Company, in Dallas, Texas. The LEARN Institute was founded in 1990 as AHPC’s training and education division. The LEARN Institute offered health professionals one-, two-, and three-day training courses in weight management from 1990 through 1993. In response to a growing need among health professionals, The Institute, in cooperation with The American Association of LifeStyle Counselors, developed the first LifeStyle Counselor Certification Program in 1994 with the first training program offered in January 1995. This program was the first training and certification program to offer state-of-the-art, multi-disciplinary training in weight and stress management.

Since 1995, more than 2,000 health professionals have completed the program. The certification is currently being offered in the U.S.; however, individuals from around the world have taken it and are recognized as Certified LifeStyle Counselors. These individuals may be non-degreed people, registered dietitians, MBAs, nutritionists, etc.—a wide variety of backgrounds.

You may ask your healthcare professional if he or she is a Certified LifeStyle Counselor^Ò . Not many in the nation have actually gone through the program. However, if you want to try to locate a Certified Lifestyle Counselor in your area, you may visit the American Association of LifeStyle Counselors (AALC) website (www.thelifestylecompany.com). If you do not have access to the Internet, you can call this Association in Dallas at 1-817-545-3220.

Listed below are some self-assessment tools used by this plan, that help you identify your health risks.

• Binge Eating Questionnaire

• Calculate Body Mass Index

• Daily Calorie Requirements Calculator

• The Weight Loss Readiness Test

The following materials and services are available to you from LEARN:

• The LEARN Program for Weight Management 2000

• The LEARN program for Weight Control – Special Medication Edition

• The LEARN Walkmaster^Ò (pdf) file of The WalkMaster Instructions

• The LEARN Program Cassettes – 2000

• The LEARN Program Master Monitoring Forms

The 2004 edition of The LEARN Program includes an Introduction and Orientation Lesson, followed by 16 weekly lessons and a Commencement Lesson, a Master List of 158 lifestyle change techniques, The Weight Loss Readiness Test, a comprehensive index, and more.

The LEARN Program is designed to be used in a number of settings, including self-help programs, group programs with a professional instructor, one-on-one counseling, and as a supplement to other weight management programs, including all commercial programs.

The LEARN Program for Weight Management 2004 is a collage of well designed worksheets, monitoring forms, tables, charts, illustrations, photographs and cartoons. The price: $22.95 plus shipping and handling.

The Special Medication Edition of The LEARN Program is a 12-month, comprehensive, weight control program specifically for patients taking the anti-obesity medication MERIDIA^Ò.

The first 16 lessons of this program are weekly lessons, followed by 8 monthly lessons and a conclusion lesson. This Special medication Edition of the LEARN Program incorporates the key principles of LEARN and has been designed for individuals who have been prescribed MERIDIA^Ò by their physician. It may be used as a self-study program, in a group setting with a professional counselor, or in one-on-one counseling with a health professional.

This edition is written by Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D. and Thomas A. Wadden, Ph.D. The price of this book is $24.95 plus shipping and handling.

The LEARN Program Cassettes or CDs are motivational and inspirational supplements to the LEARN Program for Weight Management. The cassettes and CDs do not repeat the program, but provide additional material to clarify and reinforce key principles addressed in The LEARN Program.

Dr. Brownell’s straightforward and supportive style provides the opportunity to learn from the expert himself. In this 4-cassette album or set of 4 CDs, Dr. Brownell discusses topics such as setting realistic goals, staying motivated, the power of constructive thinking, dealing with cravings, the meaning of food, body image, crisis intervention and much more. Cassettes cost $29.95 plus shipping and handling.

BestDietForMe.com analysts feel that this is a very good self-help program in several respects. First, an obesity research expert with a proven reputation — Dr. Kelly Brownell, developed it. Second, it has been around for a while, and has been updated and refined. Third, it addresses all the components of weight management that research has shown are essential to success. In particular, the LEARN Program helps the reader sort through psychological issues that may affect his or her weight, develop healthy, flexible eating patterns, and establish enjoyable exercise routines that stand the test of time. Finally, it’s very affordable.

If you prefer to do it on your own, this may be a very good self-help manual to use. However, do not expect to locate specific LEARN counselors. It may sound as if the training to obtain certification is more professional and in-depth than that of counselors employed by a commercial weight loss center, for example. But in reality, this training is now provided via the Internet or through a mail order course that takes but a few days to complete.