Our Model

At ILWM, we have developed a one-of-a-kind residential weight loss program that is centered around our unique system for weight loss—the Seven Elements of Sustainable Living. The Seven Elements is an up-to-date, ‘real-world’ system that best jump starts each participant’s weight loss regimen and prepares them for their return home from ILWM. Thus, each participant receives significant exposure to each element while at ILWM. However, because ILWM Residential is truly personalized, every participant’s exposure to each element will differ. There are basic core offerings which each member will receive as a part of the cost of a four week program. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

Medical Checkups

Each member will receive the following:

• Comprehensive initial medical evaluation, including:
  • Total Lifestyle & Health Assessment
  • Family Medical History
  • Lifestyle & Habits Assessment
  • Job Demands Assessment
  • Intake Evaluation
  • Medical Screening
  • Cardio Vascular Disease Screening
  • Cancer Screening
  • Musculoskeletal Screening


• Weekly follow-up evaluations
• Primary-care if needed while on-site
• Comprehensive Diagnostic Assessments, including:
  • Essential blood panels and tests
  • EKG
  • Stress Echo Cardiac Test
  • Lipid Review


• Intensive Diabetic Education (if needed) with a certified diabetic educator
• Core Medical Education
  • Reading Lab Results
  • Overweight, Obesity and Its Implications
  • Co-Morbid Conditions
  • Self-Care
  • Medications


• Individual Specific Medical Education
  • E.g., back pain, hypertension


• Daily individual interaction with physician and nursing staff

New Directions

• Initial On-Site Program Needs Assessment
  • Personal On-Site Program Objectives


• Life Assessment Sessions
  • Understanding current situation and home/business environments
  • Understanding current attitudinal state
  • Identifying the “Acceptables”
  • Identifying, Segmenting and Prioritizing the “Changeables”
  • Test potential life propositions
  • Informing the development of life, health and wellness strategy


• Life Outlook Adjustment Sessions
  • Initial Attitudinal Realignment
  • Addressing the Immediate Changeables
  • Timeline & Milestones Development for Addressing Mid-and Long-Term Changeables


• Life Strategy Development Sessions
  • Life Objective and Unified Concept Development Session(s)
  • Grand Strategy Session(s)


• Tactical Execution Sessions
  • Alignment Session(s)
  • Segmentation/Prioritization Session(s)
  • Segmenting and prioritizing life responsibilities to optimize efforts
  • Monthly and Quarterly Review Preparation Session
  • After-Care Effectiveness Session(s)

Psychological Solutions

• Comprehensive Intake Assessment
• On-Site Plan-of-Action with daily exercises
• Weekly one-on-one follow-up & progress assessment sessions (1-2 per week)
• Integrated Recommendations
  • Exercise, nutrition and behavioral offerings customized to individual’s psychological needs


• Comprehensive After-Care Plan
• Post-Program telephone consults

Exercise Offerings

• Exercise Prescription (On-Site and After-Care Plans of Action)
  • Matching physical activity to participant’s abilities
  • Setting realistic expectations
  • Matching physical activity to participant’s interests
  • Addressing barriers to physical activities
  • Tailoring prescription to participants health status


• Exercise Orientation
• Daily one-on-one personal fitness training sessions (included in cost of program; daily one-on-one sessions exceed weekly allotments of almost all other residential programs in marketplace)
• Daily individual consultations with exercise and fitness staff
• Exercise Journaling Sessions
• Core Exercise Education Sessions
• Daily fitness classes
  • Five or more class offerings per day
  • Wide variety of exercise disciplines from extreme boot camp to low impact eastern practices (yoga, yogalates)


• Two aquatic classes per week
• Daily and Weekly Metrics (e.g., hydration levels, pulse oximetry, rate of perceived exertion)
• Weekly Fitness Challenge
• After-Care preparation consults
• Access to fully-staffed ILWM gym from 5:30 am to 9:00 pm (Monday through Friday), 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturdays, and 2:00pm-5:00pm on Sundays.

Nutritional Consults

• Several comprehensive initial consultations including
  • Food Preference and On-Site Meal Planning to tailor meals while at ILWM
  • Nutrient Goals Session to determine caloric needs while on-site
  • Nutritional Needs Assessment Session
  • Core Education Sessions including introduction to several Self-Monitoring Methods


• Daily individual follow-up consultations with dietitian
• Three healthy meals and snacks each day (provided)
• Cooking and Nutritional classes
  • A wide variety of topics
  • Over thirty different classes/workshops available


• Daily Weigh-ins
• Grocery Store Tour
• Dining Out Experience
• Food Preparation
  • Education
  • Weekly Active ‘Hands-On’ Participation


• Special Occasion Meal Planning
  • Thanksgiving and other Non-Religious Holidays
  • Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan and Other Religious Holidays
  • Social Events


• Comprehensive After-Care Plan
  • Nutrient Goals to ensure continued weight loss
  • Nutrient Goals for Weight Maintenance
  • Meal Plans and Menus
  • Wide variety of additional resources and educational materials

Educational Workshops

• Cutting-Edge Health and Wellness Educational Workshops in addition to Sustainable Changes Educational Offerings
  • Lectures on a wide variety of topics in nutrition, fitness, behavioral health/lifestyle coaching, medical and clinical and other health issues


• Core Lifestyle Workshops
  • Stress Reduction and Relaxation
  • Meditation
  • Breathing
  • Walking/Running


• Non-Traditional Offerings
  • Personal Growth and Development
  • Leadership Skills
  • Creative Journaling
  • Creative Writing/Poetry
  • Arts and Crafts
  • Photography
  • Bead-Making
  • Spiritual Growth
  • Social Activities (e.g., entertainment)


• Small group workshops, group therapy, and discussion sessions

The Seventh Element: Sustainable Changes

Each individual will be exposed to and participate in the Core Sustainable Changes Educational Workshops and Sessions. Focus and frequency of core offerings will be based on recommendations from ILWM’s Psychologist and preferences of the participant. In addition to the core offerings, participants may choose from wide variety of other behavioral modification workshops and educational sessions. As well, ILWM will likely recommended workshops and educational sessions not included in the Sustainable Changes Core.

Sustainable Changes Core Service Offerings

Decision-Making Training & Application

• Overview of the O.O.D.A. Decision Model
• Analysis of Current Orientation and Identification of Distortions
• Proper Alignment of Orientation
• Understanding Other’s Orientation
• Practicing the O.O.D.A. Loop
• Applying the O.O.D.A. Loop When Home

Resilience Training and Mind-Set Development

• Overview of Complex Systems, Black Swans and the Need for Resilience
• Understanding Resilience and Stress-Hardiness
• Overview of Resilient Mindset and Gap Analysis of Current State vs. Desired State of Resilience
• Resilience Tools, Tips and Suggestions
• Resilience Development Plan (RDP)
• Applying the RDP

Unified Concept Development w/ Focus & Direction Alignment

• Understanding your Talents, Needs, and Passions
• Finding your Schwerpunkt
• Using your Schwerpunkt to develop a climate for breakthrough living
• Using Balanced Thinking to Stay Firm to your Schwerpunkt
• Keeping our Decisions and Actions disciplined to our Schwerpunkt
• Building Momentum One Action at a Time

Balanced Thinking Education & Skill-Set Development

• Overview of Life’s Paradoxes
• Identifying Our Opposing Forces
• Developing Alternative Compromises
• Learning How to Appreciate the “AND”
• Applying Balanced Thinking

Mindfulness-Based Training, Applications & Skill-Sets

• Overview of Mindfulness and Mindfulness-Based Applications
• Mindful Eating: Overview, Exercises, Meditations and Mindful Meals
• Mindful Walking: Overview and Exercises
• Breath Education and Breathing Program Development
• Mindful Breathing: Overview, Exercises and Meditations
• Mindfully Exercising: Overview and the Role of Yoga in Mindfulness
• Meditation: Overview and Meditation Education
• Mindful Meditation: Overview, Exercises and Meditations
• Overview of Appetite Awareness and Self-Monitoring Exercises
• Overview of Nonjudgmental Presencing
• Being Mindful at Work

Mind/Body & Program Alignment

• Understanding the Entire Picture
• Using our Schwerpunkt to Develop Mechanisms of Action
• Putting Into Place Reinforcing Mechanisms of Actions
• Following your Internal Compass for Renewal and Realignment
• Identifying and Correcting Misalignments
• How to Preserve your Schwerpunkt and Constantly Improve

The Seven Elements and Sustainable Changes in Play
To receive a detailed copy of how two different individuals experienced the ILWM Residential Program, click here.

The copy will include:

• Background and Program Objectives of both participants
• How their program was developed
• When and where they attended their customized consults/sessions
• How their program was adjusted as a result of their feedback
• Results while on-site
• Milestones Achieved
• How their After-Care Plan was developed
• Sample schedules
• Sample meal plans