“Will I ever find an answer that works for me?”
Whether one-on-one, in my workshops, or online, this is a question all my clients hold at the start of our work1. Of course you know there are answers out there, but if your experience hasn’t shown you lasting success, it can be hard to believe any of them actually will work for you (at least in the long-term). The last couple of times I wrote you we spoke about how confusing it is to know what to do and we started to piece together what approaches may work best for you. I was heartened to hear they helped (and if you haven’t read them yet, I’d highly recommend it!) – but in reality we both know a couple of articles are not going to be the total answer to your weight worries.
That’s why I spent over ten years making a weight management program that actually works for each of its unique participants. After over a decade developing, testing, researching, and fine-tuning the program, I still sometimes have a little trouble explaining it, as it goes beyond any single approach. The Twelve Month Transformation (or TMT as we lovingly call it!) is a combination of approaches put together in a way that marries the latest in scientific evidence with what actually works for my clients in real life, and helps them create their own unique solution over the course of a year, adding innovative psychological strategies to help along the way.
Analysing this year’s TMTers’ results, I felt overcome by a warm and fuzzy feeling deep inside as I reflected:
“I’ve finally done it.
I’ve created a program that does what it says it will”.
To do what you say you will may seem pretty rudimentary, but in my industry it’s really not that common! To create a program that delivers on its promises all one has to do is:
- Promise properly. This might seem easy, but the entire weight management industry relies on promises of fast, easy, permanent weight loss (and other fictional tales!), so it’s actually quite counter culture to NOT inflate, warp, or straight up lie about the benefits people will gain!2
- Deliver what we promise. Most programs simply don’t want you to see their results because they don’t work. Instead, they rely on before-and-after shots which only show short-term results, testimonials by paid influencers or actors, or photoshopped images of thin bodies to get you believing they work, despite any real evidence.
The only way I can think of to show you that our program does what it says it will, is to do what no other program in the world does…
Share our actual program results with you.
In a previous article I let you know mindset change IS possible with a story of a client who filled in her online psychological profile and found her mindset had completely turned around! But any approach will have a few success stories. So even though the story told you it’s possible, it didn’t tell you it was likely…
Last year, I showed you our work would likely benefit you, by sharing what happened to the average person doing the TMT. I was heartened by the impressive results, but still unsatisfied, as I knew a pilot study with 10 members was not going to give us the understanding a full clinical trial would. So this year we began formally researching the TMT in a clinical trial with academics at RMIT.
I’m going to share a sneak-peek at the results with you now, because frankly, I just can’t hold them in3.
The coolest thing about these results to me is that they show the people who had faith in the 2017 pilot study results I presented and ended up signing up in 2018 actually ended up getting better results than we promised…
Twelve Month Transformation Results:
These are the results from 43 Twelve Month Transformation participants in 2017 & 2018. The benefits you see have been developed and maintained over the course of a whole year (unlike a 6-12 week program which tends to see short-term improvements that reverse quickly after the program finishes). They also show a picture of what happens with the average person doing the program – people putting in more effort are likely to get better results than this for themselves.
Psychology of Eating
Change in Dieting Mindset
TMT participants’ dieting mentality reduced by
(40% in 2017 | 56% in 2018)
A lower dieting mindset leads to less obsession with food, binge eating, disordered eating, and yo-yo dieting. 2018 Participants’ dieting mindset began higher than the average person but ended up lower.
Change in Intuitive Eating
TMT participants’ intuitive eating “normalized”
(23% improvement in 2017 | 31% improvement in 2018)
Intuitive eaters eat well without effort. Higher scores are linked with listening to hunger and fullness, less over-eating when not hungry, lower weight, and improved long-term weight management outcomes.
Changes in Difficulty Controlling Overeating
TMT participants started finding it more difficult to control overeating than the average person
but ended up finding it less difficult.
(13% improvement in 2017 | 23% improvement in 2018)
Change in Exercise Confidence
TMT participants’ exercise confidence increased.
49% in 2017 | 26% in 2018
This was the only result where 2017 participants’ results exceeded 2018 results, and will be a significant area of improvement in 2019!6 Nevertheless, both years’ participants went from being on-and-off exercisers to regular exercisers.
Changes in Body Image
TMT 2018 participants became more body-positive in every way we measured.
(2017 participants became more body-positive in all measures apart from two)
***NEW CATEGORY***
2018 TMT participants’ levels of stressed, depressed and anxious moods reduced, and their self-esteem increased.
Change in Weight
TMT participants lost weight
While almost everyone joining the TMT wants to lose weight, this is NOT the focus of the program. We have had success stories who have lost over 50 kilograms, many who lose a small to moderate amount of weight, and even people who’s weight remains stable that we consider successes. Both years’ TMT participants lost weight, with TMT 2018 participants losing approximately twice the weight of 2017 participants. However, as weight loss approaches tend to be ineffective (and potentially harmful) in the long-term, the focus of the Twelve Month Transformation is, and always will be, improving your relationship with food, movement, and your body.
Twelve Month Transformation Improvements:
These results were so uplifting, but despite our people getting better results than ever before, we are ALWAYS looking for ways to improve the program for you, so here’s what you can expect in TMT 2019!
- Improved content – every year we learn more and you reap the benefits! In 2017 we honed the content using feedback from my workshops with psychologists, dietitians, and fitness professionals all over the country. Over 2018 I have developed truly special relationships4 with game-changing experts, including Taryn Brumfitt, Lyndi Cohen, Dr. Peta Stapleton, Dr Julie T. Anné, Dr Gina Cleo, & Louise Green. While I have personally felt unspeakably blessed to have such inspiring conversations with these world leaders (especially on my upcoming podcast where we got to dive deep into their areas of specialty!) just as amazing has been being able to share the benefits of our conversations with you, both in our discussions in TMT workshops and recorded videos of our chats added in to TMT Online.
- TMT Online – In 2018 we added bonus materials, made the program easier to navigate, and included a preseason, all of which helped support you as you transformed from the comfort of your own home! In 2019, we are making TMT Online SHARP! We’re re-shooting some of the videos, and I’m using what I’m learning from my new book editors and writing mentors to go through every written word and make sure it speaks to you – and succinctly! The TMT Online is exactly the same material as our face to face group (and even includes the workshops recorded if you want to watch them), so you have full choice to transform face to face, online, or both!
- Better Support (Again) – The more we support you the better! So we are improving our support in both the face-to-face & online versions of the program. In the face-to face program, we are offering optional extra “mini-sessions” with our like-minded dietitians for people who want to stay in engaged and motivated! Online, we are adding optional advanced modules into our programs with some of the experts I mentioned above! It’s exciting to bring world-leading experts in to support you if you feel you need to go deeper into any areas you find specifically challenging! In both versions of the program, the Secret Facebook Support Group is getting better and better too!5 TMT and TMT Online participants are the only people I’m making an ongoing commitment to continue seeing next year, so you’ll always have me one-on-one if you need any extra support.
So the good news is that you can find the answer that is right for you, with the right support. Now, we’ve spoken recently about your solution involving 3 things:
- A firm decision to stop doing what hasn’t been working for you.
- A careful and informed reflection about what will work for you.
- A commitment to the new approach to see if it really is right for you.
And we’re really down to the last one.
I can help you find the answer to your weight worries.
The question I have is… will you let me?
Five years ago I took a chance creating the Twelve Month Transformation – and it’s become more than I ever hoped to dream. I think you should take a chance as well – and maybe you’ll be surprised when you get more than you wished for too!
To make it easier for you to jump on board with Christmas coming up, we’re doing the Earlybird discount not only for the Twelve Month Transformation but also for the Twelve Month Transformation Online. We always like to help you come and work with us, so why not take the opportunity to do something for YOURSELF in amongst all the caring for others you probably do at this time. Give yourself an early Christmas present – the gift of a happier, healthier, prouder, fitter and more vibrant you in 2019! Then you can relax over Christmas, knowing we’ll be ready taking care of things next year.
Find out about the Twelve Month Transformation!
1. And sometimes, if I’m being honest, well into it!
2. In fact, our digital marketing consultants routinely bang their heads against a wall as we refuse to do this. They estimate we’re losing around 1/3 to 1/2 of potential business by opting not to use these marketing strategies, but hey, at least we can sleep at night!
3. While the data is yet to be published, it had us beaming and high-fiving each other in the office, as our work places so much importance in scientific evidence. Our program combines several evidence-based approaches, and it’s heartening to know our belief in combining them in this way will soon be scientifically supported!
4. While I previously knew, or knew of, all of these inspiring legends to varying degrees, working with them closely this year has been an real honour and I’m looking forward to bringing you the benefits into 2019 & beyond!
5. I feel I’ve finally gotten the knack of getting you supporting each other and communicating really well in the Facebook group!
6. If we’re going to report our wins, we have to report our losses. These results mimic the results our individual clients often find, with most results improving and one or two staying the same or going a touch backwards – that’s life!
