Published: Wednesday, 20th January, 2010 4:30pm

Treat of the Week

It's the annual New Year's resolution for most - to lose a few pounds, but for some it can be a struggle and so with this in mind I headed along to the newly opened Motivation Weight Managment Clinic in Inis Oir to see what exactly the programme offered.

There I was greeted by a smiling Ruth O'Malley, who operates the clinic, and explained to me the principles of the programme, which is built around identifying not only what you eat that's causing you to gain weight, but also why you eat and addressing those behaviours.

Explaining that many dieters fail because they feel hungry and deprived on the diet they are doing, Ruth said the Motivation programme is based on a high protein, low carb diet that involves eating three meals a day and snacks between meals, ensuring you never go longer than four hours without eating.

So with this in mind we began the initial analysis, which Ruth explained takes about half an hour and involves analysing your height, weight and body composition, and filling out a brieft mental weight questionaire, which gives the consulatant an idea of your lifestyle and the triggers that make you eat, be they stress or reward eating.

After taking note of my height, it was time to step on the scales, which Ruth explained doesn't simply measure your weight, but also gives you an analysis of your body composition, letting you know what percentage is made up of muscle, fat and water, and also letting you know your BMI, as well as including targets. As Ruth explained my analysis to me I had the opportunity to sample some of the protein snacks that are included in the programme and I must say they were delicious. With two different types of chocolate bars and sweets to choose from it's a diet you certainly wouldn't feel deprived on.

When you've completed your analysis you can then decide whether you want to sign up to the 20-week, or five month, programme. So what exactly does the programme involve?

Well firstly you would have a consultation, which takes about an hour and a quarter and involves a much more detailed exploration of your mental weight, identifying why exactly you eat, what foods you reach for at these times and establishing what sort of lifestyle you lead.

Ruth will then design a nutrition plan for you, but she explained that it will involve eating a lot of foods that are familiar and you are used to eating. The diet will see you eat higher protein foods, while also reducing your intake of carbohydrates and sugars. The Motivation programme, which was designed by French Canadian doctor Maurice Lerocque, will also see you eat protein snacks between your meals, such as protein bars or soups. The idea is that you shouldn't go any longer than four or five hours without food as your blood sugar levels will drop and the cravings will kick in, meaning you will reach for the very foods that are causing the problem in the first place. Ruth also explained that proteins will keep you full for longer and are also hugely important for your muscles, particularly the muscles that support and protect your vital organs.

"A lack of protein is more detrimental than more protein," she said.

However, the Motivation programme is much more than simply a diet. While your first one-on-one session with your consultant will last about an hour and a quarter, you will then hold weekly 15 minute sessions to discuss your progress and any slips you may have had that week.

Ruth explained the programme is a 'guilt free' one and said many people feel guilty about food and the aim of the programme is to get rid of this guilt.

"This is a guilt free zone, guilt is a very negative emotion," she said. "We say if you have a bad breakfast, then just make sure you have a good lunch. People will have bad weeks."

She added that people often learn more from their bad weeks than from a good week, in that they can clearly identify what their triggers are and what causes them to eat and what foods exactly they will reach for.

When you join the programme you will receive a starter pack, which includes week by week plans, a food diary, a motivation CD, a booklet outlining your nutrition plan and a book by Dr Maurice Lerocque, which details case studies of people who successfully followed the programme.

And while a food diary may not sound like an exactly unique approach to weight loss, this is a diary with a difference in that you not only keep track of what food you intake, but also any vitamins or supplements, exercise and if you read any of the book or listened to the CDs.

"We want to make people aware of what they are doing," explained Ruth. "Motivation gives you the tools to manage and cope better."

However, she added the person must also be motivated and want to lose weight, saying they can't simply expect to hand over money to the clinic and lose weight, they have to be prepared to do the work themselves and change they're behaviour.

She added that the programme is not simply about weight loss, but also maintaining that loss and people have the option of maintenance visits with their consultants. The Motivation Clinic has also carried out research of its clients and found that 86% of them have maintained their weight loss.

For more information you can contact Ruth O'Malley at the Motiviation Weight Management Clinic, Unit 13 Inis Oir, Golden Island, Athlone, on 090 6479748 or 087 8528637 or log onto www.motivation.ie

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