Counting Calories as an Approach to Achieve Weight Control

Convince patients to consume fewer calories as an approach to achieve weight control. Successful long-term calorie reduction is most likely to result when patients decide for themselves which dietary changes to make and when. Essential to any effort is a clear understanding that dietary change is a slow process that requires ongoing vigilance. Individuals often choose trendy, nationally advertised diets when seeking to lose weight. This approach generally fails because many of these diets encourage unnatural eating habits that cannot be sustained. Counseling patients to do this involves provision of simple handouts detailing the calorie content of common foods, suggested meal plan options, an explanation of a nutrition label, and a list of websites with more detailed information.