Last nite I was invited to a medical patients (not a weight loss patients) house for a cookout, and there was not one normal-weight person present there (besides myself, who needs to not be overweight least my patients will think I have no credibility.)
The great thing is that no on seemed to be intimidated that the (self-professed) guru of weight loss in Burke was there potentially observing and monitoring peoples eating behaviors there. We are talking about chips, regular sodas, beers, many bun-containing burgers/barbeque pork, and when the cookies came out (this was no more than 5 minutes after the food had been consummed) the discussion turned to which was better, the peanut butter cookies or the double chocolates. The really cool thing is that everyone was eating so much, no one made me self-conscious by not plowing it down.
What I observed last nite, was almost a "group mentality" thing. To further expalin, if some of the people there, when offered the high-caloric foods, said: "No thanks..I am trying to lose weight so I really should not have any of those...", perhaps the others who did not start out conscious of the massive calories they were ingesting would have taken a step back and curtailed thier own consumption. But last nite, with everyone (well, not the doctor, but most of the people there were lawyers, so they probably thought I was weird anyway) involbved in an eat-a-thon, it must be okay if evryone is doing it, right?
The point here is not be afriad/intimidated even in a group setting to "just say no". You may be surprised that you will have others follow suit.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
weight loss and sabotage
Thank you for the comments yesterday Ellen and Suzanne.
Concerning the "special" promotions that our fast food friends inundate us with to try to get more of our business...yes, it seems ludicrous that when the nation's leading health problem is obesity, corporate America tries to fatten us up even more. But, I guess we can understand this somewhat because profits are involved and these are companies trying to turn more profit, keep peole employed, etc. But how anout what we do to each other??? No offense to the nursing and teaching professions, which I believe to be two of the most noble professions of them all, but I hear stories all the time from my patients in those fields about how there is constantly high-caloric snack foods being brought into the break rooms. All one has to do is to look around to see the extent of weight problems to realize that bringing cupcakes and chocolate into work for others to eat, when , in fact many of the "others" are overweight, is HARMFUL. Is it really a "nice" or "good" act to harm others? Would you bring alcohol into a workplace if you knew there were a significant number of alcoholics working there? Would you bring discounted hotel coupons for Las Vegas hotels if you knew many were gamblerholics? Why is bringing high-caloric snack foods to a workplace with many overweight people any different?
Yes, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Ben and Jerry's all want you to spend lots of money buying their foods and snacks, and I am sure that it is nothing personal and it is not their agenda to get you to die early from heart disease, diabetes, etc. Keeping a social awareness of the obesity epidemic is something we all, individually, should keep vigilant of, and not harming people's efforts to change to a healthier lifestyle
Concerning the "special" promotions that our fast food friends inundate us with to try to get more of our business...yes, it seems ludicrous that when the nation's leading health problem is obesity, corporate America tries to fatten us up even more. But, I guess we can understand this somewhat because profits are involved and these are companies trying to turn more profit, keep peole employed, etc. But how anout what we do to each other??? No offense to the nursing and teaching professions, which I believe to be two of the most noble professions of them all, but I hear stories all the time from my patients in those fields about how there is constantly high-caloric snack foods being brought into the break rooms. All one has to do is to look around to see the extent of weight problems to realize that bringing cupcakes and chocolate into work for others to eat, when , in fact many of the "others" are overweight, is HARMFUL. Is it really a "nice" or "good" act to harm others? Would you bring alcohol into a workplace if you knew there were a significant number of alcoholics working there? Would you bring discounted hotel coupons for Las Vegas hotels if you knew many were gamblerholics? Why is bringing high-caloric snack foods to a workplace with many overweight people any different?
Yes, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Ben and Jerry's all want you to spend lots of money buying their foods and snacks, and I am sure that it is nothing personal and it is not their agenda to get you to die early from heart disease, diabetes, etc. Keeping a social awareness of the obesity epidemic is something we all, individually, should keep vigilant of, and not harming people's efforts to change to a healthier lifestyle
Friday, July 3, 2009
weight loss and holidays
Happy Holiday weekend! We do have office hours this morning and tomorrow (what's next, Dr.Scrooge making people work on Christmas day???) but we are closed this afternoon. The weather is supposed to be very nice so plan some outside recreational activities.
Reminder: at the cookouts and gatherings alcohol will be the number one culprit for derailing your weight loss efforts followed by excessive carb intake. Try to strategize your approach to the events you will be attending and have a "plan" as to how to NOT make the hoiliday weekend an eat and drink-a -thon that will make you get on that scale this week and shake your head in dismay. Learn how to attend these functions and have a great time without having to consume too many calories.
And...if you do gain a bit of weight because of the holiday events, do NOT cancel your appointment next week! We understand that certain times are more challenging than others and the one week NOT to cancel your appointment is the one wheree weight is gained. We can help you refocus and get that weight off.
Enjoy!!!!
Reminder: at the cookouts and gatherings alcohol will be the number one culprit for derailing your weight loss efforts followed by excessive carb intake. Try to strategize your approach to the events you will be attending and have a "plan" as to how to NOT make the hoiliday weekend an eat and drink-a -thon that will make you get on that scale this week and shake your head in dismay. Learn how to attend these functions and have a great time without having to consume too many calories.
And...if you do gain a bit of weight because of the holiday events, do NOT cancel your appointment next week! We understand that certain times are more challenging than others and the one week NOT to cancel your appointment is the one wheree weight is gained. We can help you refocus and get that weight off.
Enjoy!!!!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
weight loss and group meetings
Some weight loss programs (most notable Weight Watchers) utilize group meetings as part of the accountability/behavior modification strategies inherent to their program. I have found that many people choose to remain "anonymous" during their weight loss efforts. We have attended health fairs at malls and other venues and note that many overweight people will not stop by our booth, not because they are not interested, but rather, because they are self-conscious. I have also noted over the years that there are a significant number of our weight loss patients who do not tell their friends/family/colleagues that they are doing our program. Why? Fear that they will be viewed as "weak", not being able to lose weight on their own, or fear that if the "fail" they will be looked at as "losers".
Many psychological issues are involved associated with weight control problems. Sometimes hearing other people's struggles/issues and how they adapt can be quite helpful towards your own efforts. Serotonin-Plus has not held any "live" group discussion forums, and me, being the old guy who doesn't twitter, facebook, link-in or text very much wants to offer a live (no, not a webinar or chatroom) group meeting venue for our patients. This will, of course, be free of charge to anyone who is or has been in our program. The meeting will be facilitated by a graduate student, Kymberly Posner, who is working towards her graduate degree in counseling. The last name may ring familiar and if not, then you are clearly NOT invited to participate.
Kym has been taking many courses in graduate school that are preparing her very well to lead groups in discussions. I hope she will not blush too much if she reads this, but the reason she has been offered this role is not because of her last name, but rather because of her 4.0 course track record, her invitation to join Mason's graduate honor society in counseling, and her exemplary performance in her group counseling classes. Having said all of this, it is important to note that she is not a licensed clinical counselor and has no accreditation. Her facilitating role will be strictly as a layperson, and we do not want anyone to think that a board certified psychologist or licensed counselor will be leading these group meetings.
Logistics? The group will be limited to 6-8 people, will be conducted initially for 60-90 minutes, location will be the waiting room in our Burke office, healthy refreshments will be provided, you will need to sign a release that you understand that Kym is not a licensed psychologist or counselor, and it will be conducted on a weekday evening at 730PM. When will it start? As soon as we get feedback and interest. Interested? Write me at: drposner@spdiet.com
I am proud of the "free" services we are providing such as our group walks, health and wellness seminars at Springfield Country Club, nutritional counseling and now the offering of group meetings. These services are a great accompaniment to your weight loss efforts, and this is what separates our program from any other in the area. We are not just dispensing pills, giving B-12 shots, or trying to sell you supplements and prepackaged foods. We are providing you with an incredible array of services!
Many psychological issues are involved associated with weight control problems. Sometimes hearing other people's struggles/issues and how they adapt can be quite helpful towards your own efforts. Serotonin-Plus has not held any "live" group discussion forums, and me, being the old guy who doesn't twitter, facebook, link-in or text very much wants to offer a live (no, not a webinar or chatroom) group meeting venue for our patients. This will, of course, be free of charge to anyone who is or has been in our program. The meeting will be facilitated by a graduate student, Kymberly Posner, who is working towards her graduate degree in counseling. The last name may ring familiar and if not, then you are clearly NOT invited to participate.
Kym has been taking many courses in graduate school that are preparing her very well to lead groups in discussions. I hope she will not blush too much if she reads this, but the reason she has been offered this role is not because of her last name, but rather because of her 4.0 course track record, her invitation to join Mason's graduate honor society in counseling, and her exemplary performance in her group counseling classes. Having said all of this, it is important to note that she is not a licensed clinical counselor and has no accreditation. Her facilitating role will be strictly as a layperson, and we do not want anyone to think that a board certified psychologist or licensed counselor will be leading these group meetings.
Logistics? The group will be limited to 6-8 people, will be conducted initially for 60-90 minutes, location will be the waiting room in our Burke office, healthy refreshments will be provided, you will need to sign a release that you understand that Kym is not a licensed psychologist or counselor, and it will be conducted on a weekday evening at 730PM. When will it start? As soon as we get feedback and interest. Interested? Write me at: drposner@spdiet.com
I am proud of the "free" services we are providing such as our group walks, health and wellness seminars at Springfield Country Club, nutritional counseling and now the offering of group meetings. These services are a great accompaniment to your weight loss efforts, and this is what separates our program from any other in the area. We are not just dispensing pills, giving B-12 shots, or trying to sell you supplements and prepackaged foods. We are providing you with an incredible array of services!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
weight loss and boredom
Many people reach for high-caloric snack foods when they get bored. Being house-bound on stormy days provided much boredom as we can only take so much Seinfeld, Friends, and at a certain point, Everyone HATES Raymond.
Whether it be a slow day at work, being house-bound by weather or attending to an ill child...it is important that you do not start succumbing to the boredom-induced snacking. Try to NOT have around the house those food sources (popcorn, nuts, etc) that will usually be reached for.
Make use of that dusty exercise equipment in the basement. Have a really good IPOD selection of music ot TV in front of that machine as you work out to make the time go faster.
Also, try to NOT do distracted eating, which means sitting in front of the TV or computer screen with a fod source next to you.
Whether it be a slow day at work, being house-bound by weather or attending to an ill child...it is important that you do not start succumbing to the boredom-induced snacking. Try to NOT have around the house those food sources (popcorn, nuts, etc) that will usually be reached for.
Make use of that dusty exercise equipment in the basement. Have a really good IPOD selection of music ot TV in front of that machine as you work out to make the time go faster.
Also, try to NOT do distracted eating, which means sitting in front of the TV or computer screen with a fod source next to you.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
weight loss and resolve
Every day presents challenges, some unique and some common , to your weight loss efforts. Whether it be a business trip which places you at airports, lunch meetings where food is provided by the company, a child's baseball game that doesn't end until 8pm; the list goes on and on with roadblocks and obstacles that get in the way of being able to focus on your weight loss efforts.
When you are in a weight losing mode, planning, eating meals on time, being able to select high-protein/low carb food choices are all integral components for success. These life events as mentioned above, and hundreds of more, make the planning more difficult.
You have a choice: learn to navigate around these obstacles or cave in and use them as excuses. For the long term success of losing weight and keeping it off, you must learn how to control the environment and not have the environment control you.
When you are in a weight losing mode, planning, eating meals on time, being able to select high-protein/low carb food choices are all integral components for success. These life events as mentioned above, and hundreds of more, make the planning more difficult.
You have a choice: learn to navigate around these obstacles or cave in and use them as excuses. For the long term success of losing weight and keeping it off, you must learn how to control the environment and not have the environment control you.
Monday, June 29, 2009
weight loss and culture
Although different cultures have many differences, when it comes time for family celebrations, one thing is quite common: family members getting together being fed high-caloric food sources. I grew up in a Jewish family, and to this day, I remember Bubbie Sadie filling my plate with knishes (free bottle of multivitamins for anyone , without googling, can tell me what a "knish" is....sorry Jewish patients, you are exempted from this trivia contest), matzoh balls, and sundry other high-caloric items. My Italian patients describe bountiful feasts of mostly pasta containing dishes. My latina patients tell me about rice accompanying almost every family gathering. My African American patients relate stories of family gatherings including many fried foods and potatos. Once again, irrespective of the culture/religion, the commonality os being fed lots of food, mostly NOT consistent with "healthy" eating patterns.
Keeoing cultural and family traditions intact is often what gives us perspective and a sense of belonging. However, changing some of the eating traditions will go a long way in ensuring that our children and our grandchildren will live longer and healthier lives.
Keeoing cultural and family traditions intact is often what gives us perspective and a sense of belonging. However, changing some of the eating traditions will go a long way in ensuring that our children and our grandchildren will live longer and healthier lives.
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