The Wellspring Weight Loss Plan

Written by Dr. Daniel Kirschenbaum, Wellspring’s Clinical Director and Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University Medical School, this book outlines the Wellspring Plan and serves as a go-to guide for students during and after their time at the Academies. Topics include the 3 simple behavioral goals taught at Wellspring, finding lovable foods that love you back, developing healthy obsessions, managing stress, self-monitoring consistently, cooking with low-fat recipes, and lots more practical guidance for the long-term weight controller. Students receive a copy of The Wellspring Weight Loss Plan on their first day with us and use it extensively during Cognitive Behavioral Therapy sessions and in culinary and nutrition classes.

Copies of the book are also available on Amazon by clicking here.

The Sierras Weight-Loss Solution for Teens & Kids

Also written by Wellspring's own Dr. Kirschenbaum, this book serves as an in-depth guide for parents looking to help their child make healthier choices and commit to a long-term healthy lifestyle. Included in the book are six weeks of meal plans with kid-friendly recipes and shopping lists, simple activity plans to make movement fun, goal sheets and journaling methods to keep track of kids’ progress, and behavioral strategies for helping the entire family stay motivated and committed to healthy living. Parents receive a copy of the book during Family Workshops, and many report back that the book has become an essential resource in their home for fostering healthy communication and helping kids make good choices.

Copies of the book are available on Amazon by clicking here.

Pedometer

As any Wellspring student can tell you, pedometers are an essential component of the Wellspring Plan. Our students and staff are never without their pedometers. The reason? Every step counts! Students have daily step goals (starting at 10,000 steps per day) and are asked to record their step count each day in their Self-Monitoring Journal. This simple task makes a big difference. Students are able to easily see the progress they’re making toward developing an active lifestyle, and it reinforces students’ ability to set and accomplish personal goals. When they leave the structured environment of Wellspring, pedometers allow students to easily measure whether or not they’ve been active enough on a given day and make adjustments accordingly.

Calorie King

Along with their pedometers, Wellspring students are rarely without their trusted Calorie Kings. Considered to be the most trusted and up-to-date guide of fat grams and calories, this book lists nutritional information for over 17,000 food items. Students receive a Calorie King on their first day of school, and use it after every meal to record calories and fat grams, and to plan for making healthy food choices at home and in restaurants.

You can find out more about Calorie King here.

Self-Monitoring Journal

Research has indicated that weight controllers will be most successful if they consistently self-monitor their food, activity and thoughts/feelings experienced throughout the day. That’s why all of our students receive a Self-Monitoring Journal on their first day at Wellspring and immediately begin working with their Behavioral Coach to make self-monitoring a daily habit. During their time with us, students become so accustomed to self-monitoring that it becomes a natural part of each day. And they are rewarded for their consistency by moving up the Wellspring Level System more quickly. Parents are also taught to self-monitor during Family Workshops, helping to ensure that this simple but essential part of the Wellspring Plan will be continued at home.