What's Your Take On Weight Loss Boarding Schools?
Morgan McCorvey is a typical boarding school student, but her boarding school is anything but typical! This 16-year-old Texan attends Academy of the Sierras, the world’s first boarding school for overweight children and teens. "It was developed to provide a safe, long-term weight loss solution for overweight teens," says Phil Obbard, Executive Director of AOS. "s;Far too many teenagers today are subjecting themselves to unproven, short-term, and sometimes risky weight-loss fads. Or they are contemplating bariatric surgery, which brings along a number of serious short- and long-term risks, and isn’t a proven method for keeping weight off either. At AOS, we provide a safe, dramatic, scientifically-proven alternative to diets and intrusive surgical options."
During the week, students begin the day with an hour of activity, like a team sport, a three-mile walk, or a swim in the pool, followed by six hours spent in a traditional school day. Two days a week, every student has an additional block of activity in the afternoon, while two other days of the week, they have group meetings with a Behavioral Coach to discuss weight loss strategies and behaviors with their peers. And before they go to sleep, they exercise some more.
AOS has worked for Morgan! She came to AOS 5'5" and 265 lbs, and seven months later, she's 5'6"' and 197.8 lbs, achieving an adjusted weight loss of more than 72 lbs! But besides losing weight, Morgan feels she's become a different person, thanks to AOS. "I have become a much more confident person and I have learned how to deal with personal issues in a healthy way," she says. "It is hard to be away from home but the results are definitely worth it."
But is AOS too heavily focused on weight loss? "Study after study demonstrates that overweight and obese children and adults struggle with reduced levels of self-esteem and increased levels of depression. In turn, these things lead to further weight gain -- a terrible cycle. Often, people feel as if they have lost control of themselves, and AOS can be a powerful intervention," Phil Obbard says. "Helping teens and young adults learn to lose and control their weight acts a catalyst to allow them to start regaining control over their lives -- not just physically, but usually emotionally, academically, and socially as well."
Style Slides
Interviews
Astro Slides
Sound Off
