SCOTTSDALE, AZ--(Marketwired - December 30, 2015) - Even before the last strand of tinsel gets boxed away, the focus shifts from holiday revelry to reflection on the coming year with promises to exercise more, to lose that extra weight, to be happier and healthier.
Sounds good on paper, right? But too many people stand in the shadow of overwhelming emotional pain that sabotage their best efforts to manage their health, their emotions and their weight.
The Centers for Disease Control reported in 2015 that more than 62 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, and that more than 9 million children and teenagers also face problems with weight control. Even more startling is the age at which body image awareness takes root. Time magazine reports that 80 percent of children have dieted by the time they reach fourth grade. An estimated 24 million Americans suffer from eating disorders, 90 percent of whom are women between 12 to 25 years old. The most common behavior that will lead to an eating disorder is dieting, according to the American Anorexia and Bulimia Association.
More and more research now shows that dieting simply doesn't work, and clinicians are throwing out the word along with the high-fructose corn syrup and focusing instead on helping people make better food choices. A May 2015 survey by Fortunemagazine showed that 77 percent of Americans are trying to eat healthier while only 19 percent of respondents said they were on a diet.
"Individuals who have repeatedly dieted throughout their lifetime, only to find that they have gained more weight and become more 'disordered' relative to food with every diet, do extraordinarily well in our program because they are ready to let go of the old ways and to embrace a new approach and a new mentality that works," says licensed Scottsdale psychologist Dr. Julie T. Anné.
"They blame themselves for past failures and feel ashamed of their problematic relationships with food," she said.
This new approach to weight management led her to co-create an innovative emotional eating weight-loss program called TheHealthyWeighOut. With her colleague and co-creator, Dr. Ashley L. Southard, Dr. Anné and her team guide small groups of clients through an intensive eight-week program. The course offers a powerful combination of individual and group sessions and provides those battling unhealthy eating habits -- from obesity to binge eating disorder- with the encouragement, support and tools they need to successfully manage their eating and their emotions.
"The most important thing TheHealthyWayOut provided me was rigorous mental preparation to take control of my own health," says Rick, who successfully lost about 70 pounds. "I was given the tools to identify my unhealthy thought patterns, and how to correct them."
According to the National Institute of Mental Health one in five women struggle from an eating disorder or disordered eating. Men, such as Rick, make up five percent of the American population exhibiting binge eating disorder.
"If you're truly willing to take an honest look at yourself and put in the work, you will get to where you want to go. If you follow the plan and stick with it, it's literally impossible to fail," Rick said.
It's no surprise TheHealthyWeighOut is showing such amazing results among its participants. The program, celebrating its first anniversary, stems from the expertise Dr. Anné has garnered during her 24 years as a licensed psychologist and eating disorder specialist and Dr. Southard's 10 plus years as an emotional eating expert.
Dr. Anné is the founder and clinical director of A New Beginning outpatient treatment center and the TheHealthyWeighOut program. Both showcase her compassion and expertise in helping adults, adolescents and children struggling to overcome all eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder), depression, anxiety, abuse/trauma, family & adolescent issues and relational/marriage conflict.
"With a wonderful absence of judgment our team helps them to understand that they have been doing nothing wrong -- it's their old 'dieting' approach that continues to fail them. Our clients feel our commitment and are comforted by our support and the realization that they no longer have to walk this journey alone."
Rick says that his binge eating disorder is what led him to Dr. Anné, but he is taking away much more than a smaller clothing size.
"I earned back my self-respect, and gained a brand new perspective," he says. "At this point, the weight loss is completely secondary. I'm just focused on being the healthiest person I can be -- mentally and physically. The weight loss is the result of executing the plan I set for myself. I feel powerful and capable again. After spending so long feeling like you were trapped in your own body, it's impossible to explain how great that feels."
ABOUT A NEW BEGINNING AND DR. ANNÉ
Dr. Julie T. Anné is a licensed psychologist and eating disorder specialist in Scottsdale who has been helping individuals overcome their emotional struggles since 1994. A New Beginning is an innovative outpatient treatment center dedicated to the care and healing of adults, adolescents and children struggling to overcome all eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder), depression, anxiety, abuse/trauma, family issues and relational/marriage conflict. TheHealthyWeighOut program is offered through the center. Dr. Anné and her team wholeheartedly believe in the ability of all individuals to recover fully from their psychological difficulties and to experience life in a fulfilled and meaningful manner. For more information, visit www.aNewBeginning.com or www.TheHealthyWeighout.com
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