Fantastic Food at Wellspring
The years following high school are especially important in terms of developing healthy eating patterns. As young adults gain more and more freedom in their choices, begin earning their own money, and transition to living independently, they need guidance in making good food choices. Many overweight young adults relied on their parents as “food police” at home, and therefore need to learn to take responsibility for choosing, buying and preparing their own food.
At Wellspring, we help students discover fantastic food that “loves them back”—food that is low in fat and calories, full of flavor and nutrients, and similar to the types of food that students are used to eating. Enjoying the food you eat is an important part of living a full and healthy life, even when you are a long-term weight controller. Our low-fat diet allows students to eat delicious food, feel full and satisfied, and maintain a healthy weight loss pace.
Like all Wellspring students, College Program participants eat 3 meals and 2 snacks per day. Meals consist of a “controlled” entrée and unlimited access to the “uncontrolled” food bar. Students generally have vegetarian and non-vegetarian entrée options, like bison (or veggie) burgers with sweet potato fries, pita pizzas with steamed broccoli, chicken (or tofu) stir fry with veggies, and scrambled Egg Beater and turkey bacon sandwiches.
The uncontrolled food bar has a variety of low-fat soups, yogurt, cottage cheese, tuna salad, fresh vegetables and fruit. Students are allowed to eat freely from the food bar, as long as they record everything they eat in their self-monitoring journals, along with fat and calories. This allows students to discover lots of low-fat options for meals and snacks, and gives them an easy way to review their food choices with their Behavioral Coach.
Culinary and Nutrition Training
An important component of the Wellspring Plan is the Culinary and Nutrition Training, in which all Wellspring students participate. In multiple weekly classes, students learn the science of weight loss, the elements of a healthy diet, and how to make sense out of the endless fad diets popularized by the media.
In addition, students receive hands-on training in the kitchen, learning everything from the basics of food preparation and reading recipes, to more advanced cooking techniques and food presentation. We take students on regular trips to the grocery store so they can learn how to stock up on Wellspring-friendly food, and we go on “off campus challenges” in which students practice their new skills in restaurants and other social settings. By the time they leave the College Program, students are ready to be self-sufficient in choosing, preparing and ordering food that will keep them on-track with their weight loss goals.
