A recent study undertaken by the revolutionary weight loss franchise, Healthy Inspirations, has indicated that women who received individual support together with an exercise and personalised dietary plan over a four-week period increased their ability to lose weight and confidence to continue with the program.

The study took place across 13 Healthy Inspirations centres in Australia and New Zealand that saw a total of 518 women self select one of three groups in which to participate. None of the women were members of Healthy Inspirations centres.

Group 1 - participated in is a structured exercise three times a week only;
Group 2 – participated in the same exercise plan, plus a personalised diet plan and support and coaching sessions over the phone three times per week;
Group 3 participated in the same exercise plan and personalised diet plan as well as individual face-to-face support and coaching sessions three times per week.

According to Managing Director of Healthy Inspirations, Jamie Hayes, Group 1 (exercise only) lost the least amount of weight with an average weight loss of 1.118kg compared to an average of 2.421kg for Group 2 (once a week coaching), and an average of 3.0kg for Group 3 (three times a week coaching), which supports the well-documented theory that exercise without any dietary intervention will not result in desirable weight loss.

Mr Hayes said that a “quality of life” questionnaire completed by the participants both before and after the study period indicated that participants who received individual support (76.6%) were the most likely to experience an improvement in confidence to exercise (compared with 67.1% reporting an increase in Group 2 and 63.7% in Group 3).

In addition, and not surprisingly according to Mr Hayes, the Group 3 participants who took part in face to face support sessions three times per week reported a higher level of accountability to the program, and were more likely to complete the four week program (72.9% in Group 3 completed the program, compared with 67.5% in Group 2 and 59.4% in Group 1).

“The study indicates that weight loss results will be faster and more reliable when exercise is complemented by both dietary intervention and high-frequency face to face support, and this supports our approach at Healthy Inspirations centres,” Mr Hayes said.

“The study indicated that exercise alone yields very low level of average weight loss and this may have been a cause of a higher drop out level. Some actually put on weight.”

“We plan to repeat the study in Australia and New Zealand in July 2010 – specifically to compare and validate the results of having the coaching once a week versus three times per week. Where most studies are subsidised by governments, universities or drug companies, we could only partially fund the study costs for each participant and ask those who choose to participate in the coaching groups to contribute $19.95 per week (receiving face to face coaching once a week) or $24.95 (receiving face to face coaching three times per week). They receive all the dietary information (books, journals and audios) and have unlimited participation in a structured and supervised exercise regime. Those choosing to be in the control group get measured at the start and finish, and do not make any contribution. We leave the choice up to each participant, until each of the three groups is full. The study will be run at the New Plymouth, Napier and Lower Hutt centres. Women participating in the study at the Lower Hutt and Napier centres will be asked to come in on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays to ensure that the service to existing members is not compromised. Study participants at New Plymouth will be welcome Monday to Saturday.”

“More studies around Australia will work slightly differently, with Group 1 being involved in exercise three times a week only; Group 2 involved in the same exercise plan, plus a personalised diet plan and support and coaching sessions over the phone three times per week; while Group 3 involved the same exercise plan and personalised diet plan as well as individual face-to-face support and coaching sessions three times per week.”

“Those wishing to participate in Group 1 (exercise only) will not incur a fee.  Group 2 (tele-coaching, diet plan plus exercise) will only be charged a nominal fee of $19.95 per week to cover the support materials and Group 3 (exercise, personalised diet plan plus one on one coaching) will need to contribute $29.95 per week.  Both of these prices are heavily discounted for the purposes of this study.  The study will be running in Blackwood, Sale and Golden Grove.”

There are 31 Healthy Inspirations centres across Australia and New Zealand, delivering the revolutionary 3 in 1 weight loss solution for women, called The Great Shape Program. Of all the weight loss programs available to women, only Healthy Inspirations integrates the three essential strategies for effective weight loss: diet, exercise and high frequency coaching. Members of Health Inspirations centres have lost a total of over 115,000 kilos so far.

Contacts for Comment
Technical: Robyn Jordan
National Training Manager – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it     Phone: (61) 7 3870 5528

Media Australia: Jamie Hayes
Managing Director – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it         Phone: (61) 7 3870 5528

Media New Zealand: Gavin Marshall
New Zealand Technical Director – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it     Phone: (02) 1474 587