How we approach weight loss at Embla (5 principles)

Steph Gregory
10/7/2024
6
min reading

Introduction

The first thing you need to know about Embla is that everything we do revolves around sustainable weight loss.

For far too many years, the focus has been on quick, superficial, and short-lived solutions. We are strong opponents of this approach. Instead, we concentrate on the underlying causes of obesity and work to help individuals establish an active lifestyle with daily routines that are sustainable in the long term.

When you join Embla, you enter a personalised coaching programme, potentially alongside weight loss medication. However, coaching can mean different things to different people. To clarify how we work at Embla, we have formulated five principles that underpin all our efforts.

Principle 1: We take a holistic approach

At Embla, we understand that the cause of obesity is complex. There is rarely a simple explanation for why someone becomes overweight.

If you live with obesity, you likely recognise that it's difficult to pinpoint a single reason for weight gain. It is rarely a matter of "eating less and moving more," a prevailing assumption for many years.

Instead, we acknowledge factors beyond our control as individuals, such as genetic predispositions and the reality that we live in an obesity-promoting society, making it challenging to maintain a healthy weight.

In our programme, we help you focus on the most impactful areas within your control, including:

  • Diet
  • Exercise habits
  • Sleep
  • Stress
  • And the underlying factors driving overeating

These could include:

  • Emotional eating
  • Eating out of habit
  • A black-and-white approach to healthy eating

If your challenge is emotional eating, a rigid diet plan won't help. Instead, we help you understand your behaviour and develop strategies to manage emotional eating.

This is crucial for handling challenges long-term and avoiding setbacks in your weight loss journey.

At Embla, we don't work with standardised programmes but start with your situation, barriers, and opportunities. Together with your personal health coach, you'll identify relevant and realistic focus areas.

Principle 2: We're science-based

Everything we do at Embla is grounded in evidence-based knowledge.

We constantly stay updated with the latest research in weight loss, lifestyle, and medicine. Our guidance always stems from thoroughly tested and scientifically proven knowledge. Our coaches do not advise based on personal experiences or anecdotal evidence—unless their experiences are scientifically supported.

In our programme, you will experience an approach that differs from many trends and diets you may have encountered before. We stay informed about current trends and provide advice on them from a critical, scientific perspective to ensure you receive the best support and avoid misinformation.

All our coaches have relevant health qualifications (mostly at the master's level), giving them a deep understanding of both the physiological and psychological aspects of weight loss. This includes knowledge about:

  • The digestive process
  • Metabolism
  • Nutrient absorption
  • The impact of diet on weight

Psychologically, we can explain why implementing new routines and translating thoughts into actions can be challenging, and help you create strategies to reach your goals.

As a weight loss clinic focused on general health, we literally do nothing else. We can therefore concentrate 100% on refining our knowledge and developing tools to guide you towards a balanced and active lifestyle. This applies to our entire health team.

Our doctors and nurses are also updated on weight loss, weight loss medications, side effects, and any new treatments approaching the Danish market. We have a dedicated research team contributing to international weight loss research by publishing clinical studies based on our unique data and experiences.

Principle 3: You're always at the centre

A weight loss journey is a marathon, not a sprint.

When working with your Embla coach, you'll find the focus is always on taking one step at a time.

Your coach will help you identify barriers that have previously hindered your weight loss goals. Together, we will highlight the most impactful areas and plan how to achieve your goals. The plan always starts with your daily life and consists of smaller, realistic goals.

To help you best, we have developed action plans addressing common barriers to weight loss.

For example, you might be eating too little or at unsuitable times, lack a routine for physical activity, or need specific advice to increase your daily activity.

Other common barriers include:

  • Stress
  • Lack of sleep
  • Lack of self-prioritisation
  • Emotional eating

Regardless of your challenge, your coach has a toolbox of effective strategies to help you gradually overcome it.

Once you learn to use these tools, you can help yourself in the future if similar challenges arise. You and your coach will focus on specific areas to concentrate on between regular sessions. You won't be expected to overhaul your entire lifestyle overnight or juggle multiple new routines simultaneously.

Principle 4: Support before, during, and after medication

As you may know, we offer weight loss medication to support your journey, if relevant for you.

However, lifestyle changes and core habits are always the focus, as they are crucial for maintaining weight loss long-term—even after tapering off medication.

Your health coach is with you throughout the journey, including when you decide to taper off medication.

We always aim to dose medication for beneficial effects without completely suppressing your hunger. It's important to maintain some appetite so you can learn to navigate it and become comfortable with feeling full. Our experience shows that the relationship with your coach is central during this tapering period. Extra support may be necessary to solidify new routines.

During this time, we often look at new initiatives or adjustments to your diet and exercise habits. Your coach understands which areas are relevant to focus on to succeed with tapering off.

It's common for appetite to return strongly when reducing medication. Having steady support helps you achieve fullness without weight gain. We focus on your diet to prioritise foods that provide the greatest satiety and increase daily activity. Your coach ensures you don't ignore your body's hunger and fullness signals and thrive in your new routines.

Principle 5: Making weight loss a team effort

As an Embla member, you have a personal health team behind you.

The team includes your dedicated health coach, nurses, doctors, and even a psychologist. We collaborate across disciplines to provide the most competent guidance and ensure you feel secure throughout the process.

Through our app, you have direct access to your team, who can quickly assist and regularly check in with you. Contact is via video calls and chat for maximum flexibility. For example, if you experience side effects from medication, one of our nurses will quickly contact you and work with the medical team (and you) to adjust your dose if necessary.

In addition to professional support, you can connect with other members through our app communities where you can:

  • Share experiences with others in similar situations
  • Share your ups and downs
  • Hear about others' experiences
  • Get inspiration for new initiatives in your daily life

When you achieve your weight loss goals and taper off medication, you naturally transition to our Embla Embrace programme. In this "aftercare" programme, you continue to have access to all tools in the app and can reach out to your coach if life gets tough and your weight starts to rise again. If this happens, our health team is ready to support you and help prevent weight regain.

Summary

When you start our programme, you are embraced by a multidisciplinary team of health professionals specialised in sustainable weight loss. You will experience a personalised approach based on your situation and current challenges.

We offer no quick fixes or shortcuts.

Instead, you receive our steadfast support through the extended process that weight loss inevitably is. Your personal health coach will consider your journey from all possible angles and help you achieve manageable and effective results. Through concrete, science-based guidance, we help you reach your goals and develop new routines and habits that you find motivating and enjoyable.

Throughout your journey, our health team closely follows you and ensures that, if you are on medication, you are always on the optimal dose. When you reach your goal, we help you taper off the medication and support you afterwards. This way, you are never alone and always have someone to support you.

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