Counting Calories Inadequate for Sustained Weight Loss

CINCINNATI and LOS ANGELES, May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Counting calories is not the answer to sustained weight loss, says clinical pharmacist James LaValle, one of the nation's leading experts in natural health and medicine.  The long-term solution?  Rejuvenating our metabolism.

In response, one of the country's largest health and fitness chains, Life Time Fitness (NYSE: LTM), has partnered with LaValle and his company, Integrative Health Resources (IHR), to implement an effective and innovative approach to their weight loss programs.

"We know long-term weight management takes more than moving more and eating less. The challenge has been to help our fitness professionals and Registered Dietitians understand the many ways people's metabolisms are affected beyond just the calories they consume," says Tom Nikkola, Director of Nutrition and Weight Management for Life Time Fitness, known as The Healthy Way of Life Company.  "With Jim LaValle and the IHR team, we've been able to bring our education to another level, while also developing online tools and unique programs to help our members achieve the goals they're after."

LaValle is among the nation's most trusted health care professionals.  He was named one of the nation's 50 most influential pharmacists and awarded Clinician of the Year for 2011.  LaValle trains thousands of physicians and other health care professionals each year on the application of natural therapies in their contemporary practices.

Concerning weight loss, LaValle emphasizes the importance of accounting for metabolic issues like chronic stress, inflammation and insulin resistance.

"People mistakenly think it's all about calories in, calories out," says LaValle, who notes that some 65 million Americans diet at any given time with an estimated 92% failing after the first year.  "That's merely one element among several critical factors that make up an effective, sustainable weight loss program.  Taken in isolation, counting calories is usually a recipe for failure."

As part of a more comprehensive approach, LaValle has helped design a weight loss model for Life Time Fitness that includes a unique Metabolic Code® profile for each member.  

"Understanding your own metabolism is key to success," says LaValle, author of The Metabolic Code Diet.  "There's no healthy get-skinny-quick scheme, but there are long-term solutions that actually work."

About James LaValle: LaValle founded the LaValle Metabolic Institute, an interdisciplinary medicine facility in Cincinnati where he has served thousands of patients using his metabolic model for health.  He also founded Integrative Health Resources, a natural products industry education and consulting company. He formerly served as an adjunct associate professor at Cincinnati College of Pharmacy and currently serves as Adjunct Professor in Metabolic Medicine at the University of South Florida Medical School.  LaValle recently developed a 100-question Metabolic Code Survey for Life Time Fitness members.  To date, nearly 40,000 individuals have taken the survey and a staggering 91% of those respondents reported acting on the recommendations in the survey.  For more info and photos visit: JimLaValle.com or ihr-services.com.

SOURCE LaValle Metabolic Institute