How to Identify True “Diet” Foods for Weight-Loss

The Trend For quite a while the food industry had been capitalizing on the growing obesity epidemic in our country. From everything from low fat cookies to low carb “Paleo Bread,” companies have ridden the wave of each passing diet trend to market their foods to hopeful consumers and pack their own wallets. And where has it gotten us? In the process they’ve also packed America’s waistline. Despite the widespread availability of these various types of “diet” foods, roughly 70% of adults and 17% of children in America are overweight or obese. This can lead to lifelong health issues including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some types of cancer. Clearly these slickly marketed products aren’t helping us. If our food has been engineered to facilitate weight loss, why has the opposite occurred? Because the majority of “diet” foods on the market swap fat for sugar or sugar for fat and also tend to be loaded with chemicals including preservatives, flavori
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The Neuroscience Behind How We Form Our Habits

HABIT: A usual way of behaving; something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way, like brushing your teeth in the morning. To automate healthy lifestyle choices like daily exercise and eating well, you need to understand the neuroscience behind how the brain forms new habits. You have to understand the “automatic mode” of your brain. There is a part of the brain responsible for pattern recognition and memories called the basal ganglia. It’s here that habits form using a trigger, behavior, and reward process that gets embedded in our brains and develops into a part of our everyday lives. And it’s here where we have to change the habits we don’t want. The process starts with a trigger that tells your brain to switch to automatic. If the habit is drinking a cup of coffee in the morning or smoking a cigarette, there is a trigger that puts your habit into action. It may be an alarm or turning on the radio. It’s something that tells your brain you want to do some
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5 Health and Lifestyle Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery

We know that bariatric surgery affects more than just weight loss. It also dramatically improves your long-term health, personal relationships, and quality of life. In my conversations with patients, many are not aware of how their lives will improve after bariatric surgery. They think it is just about weight loss. For those of you who are considering the procedure, below are five significant health and lifestyle benefits that are associated with bariatric surgery: Reduced risk of health conditions. It’s proven that weight loss surgery prevents, improves, and often resolves chronic health conditions, including high blood pressure, sleep apnea, asthma, arthritis, and Type II diabetes. Longer life expectancy. Several studies have shown that weight loss surgery will increase life expectancy, in part due to the reduced risk of health conditions. Less life restriction. With significant weight loss there is increased mobility, more energy, and the ability to do things that you haven’t b
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The Mind and Body Benefits of Group Exercise

An appropriate exercise plan is necessary for your health. In my practice, I’ve seen patients achieve great results when they work out with others and have a strong support system. Working out in a group offers mind and body benefits that you don’t get when you exercise alone. The accountability makes you more likely to stick with your program. Your group becomes your support system and you encourage one another. Group exercise is also emotionally beneficial. Interacting with others is good for your mental health. You get to meet new people, and it becomes a fun activity that you look forward to. Plus, having a schedule makes it easier to establish a routine. The benefits of group exercise aren’t only for people interested in weight loss. Studies show that women with postpartum depression and early-stage breast cancer experienced dramatic physical and psychological benefits when they exercised in a group setting. Part of my personal fitness program involves group exercise. I lik
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Preventing Childhood Obesity During Pregnancy

For a long time we’ve been aware that weight loss from bariatric surgery can dramatically improve a woman’s chance of getting pregnant, having a healthy pregnancy, having a natural delivery, and most importantly, having a healthy baby. It is not recommended that you get pregnant immediately after bariatric sugary. However, after six to twelve months (depending on the procedure), bariatric surgery patients are not only ready to get pregnant – their bodies are more likely to have a successful pregnancy. But there is even more to this. I want to share with you the results of a study I recently read that indicate that being healthy during pregnancy can influence whether or not the baby will become obese later in life. The study suggests that simple lifestyle changes during pregnancy have the potential to prevent childhood obesity. Of the 2,200 pregnant women who participated in the study, half of them were given guidance on how to adopt a healthier lifestyle. They were advised to in
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Weight Loss Improves and Strengthens Intimate Relationships

When people think about weight loss, they typically think about the health benefits. However, new research has found that for the majority of people, weight loss impacts not only the physical body, but personal relationships as well. According to recent findings by North Carolina State University and University Texas at Austin, when obese individuals lose weight, their relationships often improve. The results indicated that most of the couples enjoyed vastly improved communication. They reported that before the weight loss their conversations about the topic were ineffective. They would discuss needing to lose weight but never followed through, or they avoided the topic altogether. After the weight loss, however, the couples reported that it was easier to openly discuss the topic. The majority of the participants also reported feeling closer to their partner, both physically and emotionally. They experienced more loving and positive interactions, and fostered a happier relationship ov
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Healthy Foods That Prevent Overeating

Individuals who struggle with their weight often report difficulties finding a balance between eating until they are comfortably full, and overeating until they don’t feel well. There are a variety of factors that contribute to this challenge, but one of the main causes is a diet lacking in foods that promote fullness. To resolve this, I recommend incorporating the following high-protein, satiety-promoting foods into your diet, and assessing how they affect your snacking and overeating habits: Eggs or chicken. Eating eggs or chicken for breakfast or an afternoon snack is a terrific way to prevent overeating. In addition to being nutrient dense and low in calories, these foods will keep you full for a longer period of time and reduce your desire for unhealthy snacks. High protein shakes. Incorporating a high-protein shake into your diet is a great way to manage your calorie intake. They make an easy breakfast and will keep you full until your next meal, but make sure you read the lab
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