New Sustainable Weight Loss Class Begins in August

LOMA LINDA >> The weight loss industry is a $20 billion industry – it is most definitely a path well-traveled by many people – 108 million in the US alone to be exact, but who’s counting? Apparently ABC News is; according to a story they ran in 2012, most dieters make four to five attempts per year. Wow! If diets were so successful, why do people need to keep repeating the exercise? Is there a way to healthy, sustainable weight loss that does not involve food deprivation, shots, shakes, surgery or tasteless meals? Sam and Ashleigh Benavides, owners of Better Life Fitness, believe there is a better way. “A lot of people are going down this path of quick-fix weight loss and ending up worse off than they were before,” Sam said. “People have bought into this notion that thin automatically means healthy, and this drives people, and most weight loss diet programs, to focus on the scale as a measure of success. The scale is not the measure of success because excess weight is not a gravitational malfunction of the body, it is a metabolic one.” “Furthermore, these programs fail because they don’t address the real cause of being overweight," Sam continued. "Most diets treat the 'calories in vs. calories out' problem as the issue. Whereas eating too much of the wrong foods is a problem, the underlying problem is nutritional imbalance and/or excessive exposure to toxic substances. We developed the 20/40 Project to address this very issue. That is, a six-week weight loss program to help overweight individuals lose 20 pounds in 40 days by focusing on health instead of calories or weight. Now, this might seem odd to some, but it works. This strategy encourages people to take back control of their weight by focusing on their health first, because once you bring nutritional balance back into the picture, the weight takes care of itself." Although easier said than done, this can be empowering and self-motivating. So the path less traveled is a new perspective on people's relationship with food – and it’s one whose time has come as obesity rates are at an all-time high. It is time for people to change the way they think about weight loss by changing the way they understand food, physical activity and stress – the primary factors affecting healthy weight. The 20/40 Project does just that. “We take a hard look at why we gain weight to begin with so as to help people adopt a new perspective on the true and most common causes of weight gain,” Ashleigh said. She described it this way, “This is a lifestyle change program – first by looking at those lifestyle factors that contribute to weight gain, and second by teaching people which lifestyle habits promote healthy and sustainable weight loss. It’s about making better choices and owning them.” Maria Seager of Redlands, who lost 23 pounds during the 40 days of the program in 2014, was surprised it worked so well. “Overall it was a good experience," Seager said. "I was skeptical in the beginning, but in the end it was very worth it. Once I started losing the weight it was awesome, I was excited that I could continue – excited that I started liking the foods. This was a very positive experience. I am very stoked that I lost the weight." Individuals participating in this project can expect to experience more energy, better sleep, improved mood and clearer thinking as they work toward the goal of losing the 20 pounds. It is recommended individuals enroll with an accountability buddy to make the experience even more rewarding and enjoyable. They can also expect to devote 8 to 10 hours per week in doing the work. When asked about her experience, Cindyl Carpenter of Redlands said, “It was hard. It was changing what you think and what you do, and adding in exercise or adding more exercise if you already do exercise, and going grocery shopping...more regularly, which I don’t normally do.” Carpenter, who lost 15 pounds, was skeptical at first. "Because of all the weight loss things out there, you doubt yourself and doubt the program," Carpenter said. "But once I started the program, I got so much energy from just eating healthy and eating right – I’m going to continue this – I think it is sustainable.” The project starts with a free information seminar Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016 at 5 p.m. at Redlands Church located at 520 Brookside Avenue in Redlands. During this one-hour presentation, you will learn: 1) why our bodies put on fat, 2) the health risks of being overweight, 3) how our food landscape has changed, 4) why diets fail, and 5) the only true way to healthy, sustainable weight loss and healthy weight maintenance. Subsequent weekly meetings will be held there every Sunday evening at 5 p.m. for seven weeks, and the exercise classes meet weekly on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. at Brookside Park. For more information, email Ashleigh at ashleigh@blfhealth.com or contact her via phone at 909-222-5462. To enroll or reserve your spot for the free seminar, go to www.eventbrite.com, search “The 20/40 Project” and click on “Buy Tickets."