When you first get ready to start the ITG Diet Plan, you'll fill out a Health Status Intake Form. On the very first page, there are a few extremely important questions you will answer that can help your Coach prepare you for taking those first steps.

"Why do you want to lose weight?"

 "I want to lose weight to be more mobile and to have energy to play with the kids." "I want to lose weight to reduce and maybe even eliminate my type 2 diabetes and blood pressure medications." 

The "Why" behind weight loss is extremely important. If you want to lose weight simply because your doctor or someone else in your life told you to do so, you probably aren't very internally motivated to adhere to a program without the proper guidance. It's much easier to remain overweight than it is to put in the work to lose it. Write down your "Why" and dig deeper with your Coach to find out how losing weight will be personal and important to you.

"What have been your challenges losing weight in the past?"

"I was always feeling hungry and had low energy levels." "My friends and family like to go out to eat and I felt left out." "I was bored with the plan, there just wasn't enough variety."

Think about any weight loss programs you've tried before and how they worked out, or didn't. Let your Coach know how successfully you were able to adhere to those programs, what your successes and failures may have been, and what you liked or didn't like about them. This way your Coach can help you set realistic expectations, overcome any obstacles you might have experienced previously, and take on those challenges in a different way by using strategies to succeed. 

"How motivated are you to improve overall health and lose weight on a scale of 1-10 (10 being extremely motivated)?"

If you rate your motivation at anything less than a "10" your Coach will probably dig deeper. Why aren't you extremely motivated? Sometimes just admitting to a stranger that you need the help and accountability can be stress-inducing and embarrassing. You may not be an extremely motivated "10" because you have tried so hard in the past and have never had lasting results, which causes you to doubt your ability to ever reach your goals. If you mark less than a "5" it is important to circle back to re-evaluate your "Why" and what your challenges were previously. Typically once the initial consult is complete and you see results after the first week, your motivation levels should increase. Write down how you are feeling in your daily food diary to see how things are improving. 

Weight loss starts on the inside

Most ITG Coaches are not in the field of psychology, however, we practice Behavior Change Therapy on a daily basis through open and honest communication. If you need additional counseling, you may be referred to a therapist or doctor who can treat symptoms like depression and anxiety. In the meantime, ITG offers an extremely valuable tool from Dr. John Sklare who has been in the field of psychology and weight loss for over 30 years. He created The Inner Diet which can give you and your Coach insight about your "Why", your motivation levels, emotional eating cues, and much more to begin the conversation about your personal weight loss journey.

For more information on getting started with ITG which includes free virtual coaching and website tools, call us today! The Inner Diet is available in the ITG Shop for registered clients.