In October of 2006, after years and years of struggling with my weight, I took a leap of faith, and a leave of absence from work, and attended a residential weight loss program called Structure House. The experience was nothing short of life changing for me and something that I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to experience.
Structure House is located at 3017 Pickett Rd. Durham, NC 27705. The telephone number is 1-800-553-0052. The web address is www.structurehouse.com
Although the Structure House program is not a direct descendant of Duke University, the majority of its excellent staff received their degrees from Duke. http://structurehouse.com/pdf/treatment_staff.pdf
Structure House was founded in 1977 by Dr. Gerald Musante, a clinical psychologist who ran a hospital program for overweight patients. Dr. Musante realized that an overwhelming number of people gained their weight back after leaving the care and structure of the hospital, so he set out to create a program that would allow patients to continue the structured way of living once at home and living normal, everyday lives. “Dr. Musante named the revolutionary program “Structure House” to underscore his belief that people with serious weight problems often lack structure in their lives.” (www.structurehouse.com)
How the Program Works
Structure House is a residential weight loss facility, so members must be able to commit to a stay of anywhere from one to four weeks at a time. After four weeks, the member is considered a graduate, but the staff realizes that not everyone can take a month out of their lives to spend away from home, so the four weeks can be broken up in to one week intervals. It is important to remember, however, that you are not considered a graduate until after four weeks is completed.
When a participant first arrives at Structure House, typically on a Sunday evening, they will check in to their room and be given a packet of information to review. The first meal will be dinner, served in the Structure House dining room and runs from 5-6:30pm. New members arriving on the same night are seated at a table together and are required to eat all meals together for the first week. Once the first week is over, members can sit anywhere they like for all meals.
After dinner the first night, members are free to do as they please for the evening. The following morning, members will have their first weigh in, eat breakfast in the dining room, and then see the nurse for blood work to determine sugar and cholesterol levels. These levels will be checked again at the end of the member’s stay to see how much things have changed.
From this point on, each day is filled with different activities, lectures, exercise classes, and a good amount of leisure time. The participant will be given a calendar of activities as well as a list of all activities for the day. Some will be planned for the member, and some they may choose on their own. Nothing is ever required, and if one chooses to skip a class or change something around, that is within their right to do. However, if a participant is paying the money to participate in the program, it would not be to their benefit to skip classes.
In addition to the calendar of classes and lectures, menus for daily meals are provided. There are three different types of menus; a regular menu, a vegetarian menu, and a kosher menu. In addition, there are also several different calorie levels to choose from. Structure House teaches participants how to determine the number of calories needed to lose weight, and based on this number, the participant can choose which menu will work best for him/her.
New menus come out once a week, with each day serving a different meal. You may keep the menu as is or make substitutions based on a list offered on the back of the menu. Many of the dishes are very tasty and filling, and when you leave, you are given a book of recipes to keep. I have tried several of the recipes at home and each one was excellent. Fat, calories, and fiber are figured out and listed at the bottom of each recipe page.
As I mentioned earlier, each day is filled with different activities, lectures, and exercise classes. Participants will be given assessments at the beginning of their stay for exercise levels and what types of exercise they should be doing. A therapy intake is also done to determine basic mental and emotional issues that the member might wish to deal with during his or her stay. There are group therapy sessions two times per week included in the cost of the stay, and participants may also schedule individual therapy sessions at additional fees.
As regimented as Structure House may be with working on weight loss; both the physical and emotional aspects, the staff understands the need for fun. Outings are planned two times a week to the mall, Target, and local movie theaters for people who do not have cars. If the participant has a car, they are free to come and go as they please. Weekends are typically free with no set activities planned, and members often use this time to explore the beautiful Raleigh/Durham area of North Carolina.
My Personal Experience
The first few days of a severely modified eating plan are always going to be tough, and because eating habits are changed so drastically at Structure House, I did have a hard time for about a week. I had to adjust to no caffeine, as there are no caffeinated beverages served in the dining room. There is a coke machine in the gym area for people who cannot function without caffeine, but I was okay after a few days. Structure House also teaches no snacking between meals, giving larger portions for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but nothing in between. This is not easy to get used to, and I did find myself at times really hungry later at night, because dinner ended at 6:30pm. I often stay up late and had to get used to not being able to eat a snack at 9 or 10 in the evening. No food is allowed in the rooms, but beverages are okay, so my recommendation is to stock up on Crystal Light, herbal teas, and diet cocoa. Gum also helps a lot to curb hunger.
Once I got in to the swing of things, I really got a lot out of the program. Classes and lectures ranged from informational classes on nutrition, to how to deal with the emotional aspects of eating and weight, to the best exercise techniques and tips for our body types. We were taught not only how to eat properly, but also how to make the program work for life, both physically and emotionally. Additionally, because participants are urged to get to know the people who came in on the same day, forming bonds and relationships is easy. I loved the group of people I came in with, and we all became very friendly. It really helps to have friends to go through difficult journeys with, and the friends I made at Structure House were an important part of my weight loss success.
Cost
Structure House is a wonderful program with endless health benefits. However, the cost is not cheap. The below rates are directly from the website and reflect 2007 pricing.
2007 Program Fees for New Participants
Length of stayRegular ProgramDiabetes Program
Four weeks : $9,396$10,596
Three weeks :$7,956$9,006
Two weeks :$5,408$6,308
One week :$3,098$3,698
Extended Stays / Return Visits
SeasonReturn Participants
Low Season (November-April) : $1,468
High Season (May-October) :$1,624
Although the cost is high, the price of a happy, healthy lifestyle is worth it, in my opinion. If you can only afford to go a week at a time, it is better than not going at all. As of the time I attended, my insurance did not cover any cost of the program, but I urge anyone interested in attending to check with your insurance company to see what their rules are.
Accommodations
Structure House “campus” is set up like an apartment complex. There are several buildings with apartment style rooms, some larger than others. There is a bathroom, washer and dryer, bedroom, living room, dining room, and kitchen in each apartment. And, in the interest of saving money, Structure House does offer roommate accommodations at a lesser fee. If you are interested in sharing a room, let the staff know upon making your reservation, and they will match you up with someone.
There is a clubhouse that houses the dining room and classrooms, as well as the weigh in room, front desk, and staff offices. There is another building that houses the work out facilities, swimming pool, both indoor and outdoor, and a recreation room with a television, game table, magazines and books, and internet access. There is also a kitchen in this building that is used for cooking classes and demonstrations.
My Overall Assessment
Structure House was exactly what I needed to begin to take my weight and overall health seriously. The beginning was hard, and my body really wanted to rebel against the diminished food portions, no caffeine, and excessive exercise routine. But, the adjustment only took a few days, and once I got used to the changes, I felt wonderful. I lost 15 lbs in the first month I was there and have managed to lose a total of 50 since October. I have not been faithful to the plan religiously, but even when I have wavered, I have, at a minimum, maintained my weight loss which was something I could never do in the past.
I have recently joined Weight Watchers, another excellent weight loss program, to help me with the accountability process, as I realize I need that more than anything to keep me going. Structure House does have an after care program, which I do belong to, but you have to live in the Triangle area of North Carolina to participate and have the freedom to attend classes and lectures during the day. Because I work, this is not possible for me, so I use Weight Watchers as a supplement.
I know that based on this assessment, Structure House must seem like an overwhelming commitment. I urge anyone who has struggled with weight issues to check out the website and contact a staff member with specific questions about the program. It was truthfully the best thing I have ever done for myself and my health, and I would highly recommend the program to anyone who wants to make serious changes in their lives and the way they look at food.
