Friday, August 16, 2013

Breakfast is very important in weight loss



Thorough breakfasting protects against obesity and disease

 In order to stay healthy and avoid obesity, it is not only important to be careful what you eat. Tel Aviv University researchers have now found that it's not just what you eat, but also when. The Israeli research teams findings have been published in "Obesity".

Daniela Jakubowicz and her fellow researchers examined 93 obese women, who were randomly assigned to one of two isocaloric groups. Each consumed a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-fat diet totaling 1,400 calories daily for a period of 12 weeks. The first group consumed 700 calories at breakfast, 500 at lunch, and 200 at dinner. The second group ate a 200 calorie breakfast, 500 calorie lunch, and 700 calorie dinner. The 700 calorie breakfast and dinner included the same foods.

By the end of the study, participants in the "big breakfast" group had lost an average of 17.8 pounds each and three inches off their waistline, compared to a 7.3 pound and 1.4 inch loss for participants in the "big dinner" group. According to Jakubowicz, those in the big breakfast group were found to have significantly lower levels of the hunger-regulating hormone ghrelin, and also showed a more significant decrease in insulin, glucose, and triglyceride levels than those in the big dinner group. More important, they did not experience the high spikes in blood glucose levels that typically occur after a meal.

 


Friday, August 9, 2013


5 Big-Payoff Diet Changes

WebMD Feature

Reviewed By David T. Derrer, MD

 

You don't have to overhaul your entire diet to get a big health boost. Here are five simple changes you can put into action today for high-impact results.

1. Load Up on Fruits and Veggies

You know fruits and vegetables are good for you, but did you know they should fill half your plate at every meal? That's what the the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends, and for good reason: Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, fruits and vegetables make you less likely to get heart disease, high blood pressure, and some cancers.

Your daily goal: 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of veggies.

Sound like a lot? "Think about eating them all day," says Cheryl Forberg, RD, author of Flavor First: Cut Calories and Boost Flavor.

Top your morning eggs with salsa (yes, it counts!), lunch on vegetable soup or a sandwich topped with sprouts, snack on a strawberry-banana smoothie, and for dinner add chopped-up veggies to your meat loaf or pasta sauce.

2. Choose Better Fats

Saturated and trans fats can raise your bad cholesterol level and your risk of heart disease. By cutting back on animal-based foods like butter, bacon, and untrimmed meats, as well as pantry staples like cookies and crackers, you can keep these at bay.

Eating less bad fats can be as easy as switching from whole milk to fat-free milk, eating a turkey burger instead of a beef burger, and switching from peanut butter to a lower-fat nut butter, Forberg says.

You do need some fat, of course. Plant-based foods like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados contain healthy fats that are essential for energy and cell growth. To add more good fats to your diet, snack on almonds instead of chips, cook with olive oil instead of butter, and top your sandwich with a slice of avocado instead of cheese.

Also, some fish (such as salmon) is high in good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week.

3. Drink Water, Not Lattes

If most of what you're drinking every day isn't plain water (think soda, coffee drinks, sports drinks, and juices), you're probably overloading on added calories and sugar. "People think juice bars are great, but if you're having a jumbo you're not doing yourself a favor," Forberg says.

Water, on the other hand, goes a long way in boosting health. Every cell in your body needs it to work properly. Water also helps your digestion.

Trade sugary drinks for water. Aim for about six to eight glasses a day. To help reach that goal, start and end your day with a tall glass of water and keep a water bottle with you during the day.

Need more flavor? Drop a slice of lemon or lime into your glass.

4. Eat More Fiber

Want to reduce belly fat, have more energy, and lower your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer? Simply bump up your fiber intake.

Fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans can also lower your cholesterol and boost digestion. Plus fiber makes you feel fuller longer, which is great for keeping off extra pounds, says Jessica Crandall, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

To get more fiber, replace refined breads with whole-grain breads, choose brown rice instead of white rice, and switch to whole-wheat pasta.

Start your day with a bran muffin or oatmeal. Snack on an apple, a cup of berries, or popcorn.

You can also add fiber to your usual foods. "Sprinkle high-fiber cereal on top of your yogurt or add flaxseeds to your salad to give it a flavor pop as well as a high-fiber benefit," Crandall says.

5. Keep Portions in Check

Reaching for a smaller plate may be the easiest thing you can do for a healthier diet. A study by Cornell University found that people eat less that way.

Why? It's an optical illusion. "Your mind is tricked into eating less by being visually satisfied," Crandall says.

"Portion control is good for many different things, whether it's obesity, high cholesterol, or diabetes," she says. If you're trying to lose weight, portion control is key.

More strategies for keeping your portions in check: 

·         Eat from a plate (not out of a bag).

·         Avoid nibbling in front of the TV.

·         Buy single-serve portions.

·         Eat slowly, enjoying the flavors and aromas of every bite.

 

Friday, August 2, 2013




3 Low-Cal Happy Hour Options

(from Prevention)

3 options for a healthy happy hour


Nutrition Advice


Happy hour should be happy, right? It can be if you choose foods and drinks that don't load on the calories and guilt. Marisa Moore, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, offers three smarter picks.

Margarita
Skip the sugary mixers (and slash calories!) by asking your bartender to make a simpler margarita with tequila, fresh lemon and lime juice, and a drizzle of agave nectar for sweetness.

Guacamole
Avocado contains a hefty dose of monounsaturated fat, which can lower "bad" LDL cholesterol, plus potassium, skin-protecting vitamin E, and lutein for healthy eyes.

Salsa
Salsa is a great source of lycopene, an antioxidant that has been shown to lower the risk of some cancers.


Weight Loss Success Stories




SUCCESS STORIES

We have had so many weight loss successes at our office and our patients have collectively lost thousands of pounds and greatly improved their health.

Here is a brief summary of one of our successful clients:

Brian (name changed as per his request) weighed 280 lbs. and had a BMI of 39.1 when he was first seen. With a combination of prescription meds, supplements and Lipo shots and of course with his compliance with the diet and exercise regimen that was prescribed, here is how he progressed:

Week                             Weight                BMI                      Body Fat %

0                                    280                      39.1                     47.3

2                                    272                      38.0                     46

4                                    262                      36.6                     45

16                                  222                      31.0                     23.5

24                                  199                      27.8                     17.4

So in 24 weeks (6 months) Brian went from 280 lbs. to 199 lbs. (-81.0 lbs.), his BMI changed from39.1 to 27.8 and his body fat decreased from over 47% to just over 17%.

He has since kept the weight off, just by watching his eating and exercising regularly.

He was pre-diabetic and had borderline hypertension and high cholesterol – now all his numbers have returned to normal.

I will post more such success stories in the future.