Body and More April 2013

2013

Loss planner

Live Your Life ‘Today’ weatherman Al Roker reveals how he lost 100 pounds and why this time he's going to keep it off for good.

Diet Vs. Exercise Which is more effective in the battle to lose weight?

April Edition 2013

Work Watchers Tips for Healthier Take Out

Want to Exercise?

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FEATURES

AL ROKER America’s beloved weather personality, Al Roker, has lost more than 100 pounds. Find out why he’s never going to gain it back.

Diet Vs. Exercise

Eat well or exercise hard – which is more effective?

David A. Atefi, M.D.

William E. Bizzaro, M.D.

E. C. (Chris) Cameron, M.D.

Drive-Thru and Lose, Too?

Try these simple weight loss tips for eating on-the-go.

Work Watchers

How to fight, and win, what seems like a losing battle to lose weight at work.

scrambled tofu with spinach Yasmin K. Karim, M.D.

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Body & More – April 2013 – Page 3

exercise VS. diet Eat well or exercise hard – which is more effective? There's a debate in the medical community about the path to faster, long-term weight loss.

So … which is it?

Page 4 – Health and Wellness – April 2013

By Bev Bennett CTW Features

Y

ou hear advice all the time about the key to slimming down.

Cutting calo ries is an obvious step. If you consume fewer calories than your body burns, you’ll lose weight.

So, how does exercise fit in?

Exercise also burns calories. But, if you prefer to eat at your current level, can you burn enough calories in physical activity to make a significant difference on the scale?

That answer is more nuanced than you may think. Exercise provides a wide range of health benefits. Regardless of whether you’re trying to lose

weight, you should get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity a week plus musclestrengthening activities at least two days each week. (Recommendations for different age groups and different ways to get enough exercise are available at tinyurl. com/CDCexercise.)

However, if you’re exercising to drop pounds, you’ll want to focus on certain exercises that are more productive and be realistic about how many calories you actually burn. To lose weight and fat emphasize aerobic training.

In a study of obese, sedentary adults, volunteers aged 18 to 70 were divided into one of three groups. One did vigorous aerobic training for 45 minutes for three days a week, another did resistance training, which called for three sets of eight to 12 reps on eight resistance machines also for three days and the third did both the assigned aerobic and resistance training.

The aerobic and aerobic-plusresistance exercise volunteers lost more weight than those who only did resistance training during an eight-month experiment.

In addition, the volunteers in either the aerobic or aerobic plus resistance group lost more fat and more of their waistline measurement than the resistance group, according to research published in the “Journal of Applied Physiology.”

This is important because when you’re losing fat, part of that is likely to be visceral fat, which is associated with health risks.

The aerobic versus resistance results shouldn’t lead you to toss those weights in the attic, however.

The researchers also found that the resistance and the combination training groups increased their lean body mass, which didn’t happen to the aerobic-only trainers. It won’t show up on your scale, but maintaining lean muscle mass is beneficial for your overall health,

especially as you age. Your best bet may be both aerobic and resistance training to decrease body fat and increase muscle.

Along with considering which exercises to embrace, adjust your expectations.

If your aerobic and resistance routines leave you sweating, you may be jubilantly counting up the calories. Not so fast, say the experts.

“You might have an exaggerated sense of how much exercise you’re getting,” says Tracey Ledoux, Ph.D., registered dietitian and assistant professor, Department of Health and Human Performance, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, University of Houston.

“When we move at all, walk a little bit, we think we’ve done all this activity. It’s not as much as you think,” she says.

Take a look at a calorie-activity chart and you’ll see that 30 minutes of aerobics burns only 240 calories in a 154-pound man (for more calorie-exercise information,visit tinyurl.com/tablecalories).

Doing an hour of aerobics a day could result in a weight loss of about a pound a week, but can you realistically do that much and maintain it?

“That’s a lot of time,” says Diana Thomas, Ph.D., director of the Center for Quantitative Obesity Research and professor, Montclair State University, Montclair, N.J. She and others doubt that this is a reliable strategy for most people.

Instead, health experts recommend exercise but emphasize eating fewer calories as well.

When people ask Cris Slentz about exercise for weight loss, he tells them they won’t lose a lot of weight. “The majority of papers show exercise has a nice effect, but modest,” says Slentz, Ph.D., assistant professor of Medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C. “You still need to eat fewer calories,” the © CTW Features expert says.

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Body & More – April 2013 – Page 5

Work Watchers In the office, it can take some extra effort to lose weight.

Here’s how to fight, and win, what seems like a losing battle to lose weight at work.

Page 6 – Health and Wellness – April 2013

By Megan Patsavas CTW Features

L

osing weight while in an office environment can be challenging – there’s that candy bowl sitting on the receptionist’s desk, the box of doughnuts and vending machine full of soda in the break room, and unhealthful lunch outings or coffee runs with co-workers. So, how are you supposed to stay on your diet in the face of these temptations?

Plan Ahead

Bringing your own nutritious snacks and lunch (fresh, instead of processed and/or frozen), is an essential part of staying on track.

“Leave a stash of stuff that you can safely eat and feel good about,” says Rachel Beller, registered dietitian and author of “Eat to Lose, Eat to Win” (William Morrow, 2012).

Beller suggests having five go-to items that you know you like and don’t mind repeating. Whether it’s half a turkey sandwich or some fruit, having your own appetizing arsenal will keep you from consuming calories you don’t need.

However, planning snacks and lunches to bring to the office requires extra time and effort, and also means you have to stock your home with wholesome foods. “It puts [responsibility] more back on the dieter, which is why a lot of people fail,” says James O. Hill, Ph.D., executive director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado in Aurora, Colorado.

To make eating healthfully easier, Hill suggests incorporating the preparation of lunch or snacks into your evening routine. Soon doing so will become second nature. Even though watching what you eat is important, you should watch what you drink as well.

“Try to avoid drinking your calories, so this would cut out drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, the sodas, all the sports drinks that most of us don’t need unless we’re a crazy athlete,” says Jennifer Sacheck, Ph.D., co-author of “Thinner This Year” (Workman Publishing, 2012). Beverages such as those are full of calories and sugar, but lack nutrition and won’t fill you up. Sacheck recommends water, seltzer, tea or even coffee with a little milk as an alternative.

For when you forget to take food to work, Beller suggests having two go-to places where you know you can pick up a safe snack. If you note particular places and items ahead of time, it’ll be easier to avoid eating whatever’s around.

Advocate for Change

Although avoiding areas where

you know temptations are can also keep you on your diet, you don’t have to turn your head every time you walk by those bagels and muffins. Instead, advocate for change in your environment. “We’ve had people that would go to their employer and say, ‘Hey, how about a policy that we serve healthy stuff at breakfasts?’” Hill says. “So you can sort of take on the environment or you can sort of say, ‘I’m not the kind of person that does that, but I’ll create my own environment by bringing things from home.’”

If you are someone who doesn’t mind speaking up, ask your boss to provide fruit instead of caloriefilled carbohydrates for breakfast, or encourage your co-workers to rethink the candy bowl.

Get Moving

Staying stationary for long periods of time – like those 8 hours a day you spend in front of your computer – is detrimental to your health,

according to Sacheck. “At least go to the water fountain, or use the bathroom or even walk down to your colleague’s office as opposed to emailing them,” she adds. When you’re not at work, ramp up your activity by exercising.

“Get up and do it first thing in the morning, just head out the door before breakfast, grab a cup of coffee, go work out for 45 minutes,” says Chris Crowley, co-author of “Thinner This Year.” Sacheck suggests that your busiest workday should be the day you take off exercise, and if you really can’t make yourself head to the gym in the morning, Hill proposes pedaling a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill while watching TV after work.

“You aren’t going to see it on the scale,” Hill says, “but what you do is set yourself up to be able to keep your weight off over the long term.” © CTW Features

The Running Dead

From the page to TV to the big screen, zombies suddenly are everywhere. Now, the undead are aiming to take a bite out of the fitness world. Figuratively of course …

By Matthew M. F. Miller CTW Features

E

ven avid runners need a little extra motivation from time to time and there’s nothing like the oppressive fear of zombies nipping at your heels to get you off the sofa and running for your life.

Zombies, Run! ($7.99; available in the Apple App Store and Google Play) is an interval-training app that puts the survival of the human race in the hands – and feet – of the user.

With more than 30 missions, a voiceover track guides runners to collect critical supplies (think medicine, batteries, ammo), rebuild their

world and escape flesh-hungry zombies all while listening to a favorite music playlist. The story’s narrative is interjected between songs through a series of faux radio messages and voiceovers. Workouts can be done on a treadmill or an outdoor running track. It mixes jogging with sporadic run-for-your-life sprints as zombies virtually sneak up on runners in an effort to build speed and endurance.

Game play continues after the run is over, too. Users decide how the supplies collected during a run are dispersed, and the choices they make decide how big and thriving their home base becomes. The

stronger the base, the more missions a user can play.

An online interface allows users to view running logs and statistics, including the usual (miles run, calories burned) and the unusual (number of zombies evaded, average speed during a zombie chase). It’s a virtual dream-come-true for the zombie enthusiast that thinks the fictional world of “The Walking Dead” looks like the ideal spot for a real-life adventure vacation. This just might be the best of both worlds – users can get in a good workout without the fear of getting infected. © CTW Features

Body & More – April 2013 – Page 7

Running Down a Dream America’s beloved weather personality, Al Roker, has lost more than 100 pounds. Find out why he’s never going to gain it back.

By Lisa Iannucci CTW Features

T

he next time you watch a food segment on NBC’s “Today” show and the hosts are sampling the eats, keep an eye on Al Roker. In the past, when he tipped the scales at a substantial 300 pounds, he says he would make sure to make a heaping plate of the food samples and retreat to his dressing room. “Now

I either pick it up, like I’m about to eat it and then go to break or I eat a small bite and that’s it,” he says.

Those days of heaping helpings are gone. Roker, also the host of “Wake Up with Al” on the Weather Channel, says he’s never going back to his binging sample days, nor is he ever going back to unhealthy habits and a large girth. In fact, in his most recent book, “Never Goin’ Back: Winning the Weight-Loss Battle for

Page 8 – Health and Wellness – April 2013

Good,” (New American Library, 2013) the weatherman talks about undergoing gastric bypass surgery and dropping a significant amount of weight in 2002, gaining some back, and then losing it for good.

Those up-anddown days are long behind him.

“It’s something that everyone says when they lose weight, but I’m really never going back,” he says.

“It’s one of those things I just felt this time.”

Roker admits that the last year was crazy busy with family, work and travel, especially because of Hurricane Sandy when he hit the road for two weeks. “I literally took planes, trains and automobiles and I have a tendency to eat badly while on the road,” he says. “Restaurants aren’t open and you buy whatever you can at the gas station, but I was determined I wasn’t going to mess up and if I did, I’d get right back on.”

To help him stay on his journey, Roker says he plans ahead, including shipping items to his hotel, such as his protein powders.

He also asks for a refrigerator in the hotel where he stores his staples, such as almond milk. “If you look, there are more and more healthy food choices at the stores now, it’s not as bad as it used to be,” he says. “Now you can find cut up veggies and protein bars, which are better choices.”

He says that planning his meals and scheduling his workouts prevents potential downfalls and slipups, something he has had to overcome through the years. In his book, he says that his old eating habits came back with a vengeance when his mom was sick. She had open-heart surgery, was diagnosed with stage two lung cancer and then breast cancer. When she suffered from acute pancreatitis, was

hospitalized and ultimately passed away, Roker returned to his old ways of coping with stress by selfmedicating himself with food and gaining back 60 of his 100-pound weight loss.

“At the end of the day you have to make a conscious choice: Am I going to stay with the program or off the program?” he says. “You have to realize that this is your life. You don’t all of a sudden say I’m done and that’s it – you keep going.”

It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have bad days or want to give into temptation, but he replaced the food he’s craving with something else and reminds himself of how far he’s come. “I just keep moving, you can’t eat when you’re moving,” he says. “I also remind myself that I’ve worked really hard at this, is what I’m going to do really worth undoing all of that just for a taste? Most of the time what I want isn’t worth the setback.”

He does allow himself a taste of a York Peppermint Pattie every day.

“I’m satiated when I have this sweet chocolate taste,” he says. “I found if I limit myself, it’s not good, but one or two bites and I’m done.”

Roker also admits when he needs help, especially when it comes to exercise, so he works out with a trainer. “I know who I am,” he says. “I get to the gym and start to lift and think ‘enough of that’ so I need someone to push me.”

He works out three times a week and makes sure to keep it part of his schedule. “There are other things on your schedule, why would you not schedule exercise?” says Roker, who adjusts when he needs to. “When you’re traveling you can have equipment with you like bands. It’s about making it part of your routine.

My new routine is that I bike about four miles to work and when I go shopping, I park far away," adds the

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weatherman, who is currently training for a century bike ride of 100 miles or more in 12 hours.

Roker also devotes an entire chapter in his book to saboteurs, those who want to ruin your diet.

For some, it might be a spouse or family member, but Roker found his saboteurs on Twitter. They would tweet how they liked Roker better when he was fat or liked the ‘old Al Roker better.’ Fans even would tell him that he looked better in person, and although his wife Deborah was supportive, he admits that she, too, had to realize it was his battle, not hers.

“I’m in the public eye and when people make comments about my eating, it is what it is,” he says. “If it happens to you, they need to be told that you’re an adult and know what you’re doing. Tell them ‘enough.’

Some will take it well and some won’t.” © CTW Features

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Deborah Roker's Do’s and Don’ts for a Happier Home Tips from Al's wife, Deborah. Reprinted with permission from Al Roker from his book “Never Goin’ Back: Winning the Weight-Loss Battle for Good,” (New American Library, 2013).

1

Don’t assume the fight is yours, because it’s not.

2

Don’t judge your spouse for what he’s eating even when you know it is the wrong thing. He knows it’s wrong. I tried being the food police for years, and it was awful.

Nobody likes to be policed, especially a grown man. If you can remove yourself from the struggle, there will be more harmony in your home and in your relationship. The other person might even feel freer to eventually make the right decision.

3

Do praise your spouse for working out or just looking good. Acknowledge the progress they’ve made – even if it’s small. Everyone wants to feel good, and offering a compliment here and there acts as a much better motivator than any kind of criticism or judgment.

4

Do offer forbidden foods from time to time, like a slice of cake or a homemade oatmeal cookie. Not allowing these things often has the opposite effect than what you’ve intended. When they know you’re not judging them for eating something sweet, it can lead to less sneaking around or making the better decision on their own.

5

When it comes to your kids, moms are the CEOs of the family and must try to keep everyone in shape, healthy and doing well. But do your best to let your kids make their own decisions without coming down too hard on them. Your children have learned their habits from watching you, so the best defense is a good offense – be a great role model with your food choices and exercise routines.

6

Do not let your daughters hear you complaining about your weight – ever. What they see, they do, and you don’t want them developing poor body image or eating issues.

7

If you aren’t feeling good about yourself, don’t play it out in front of the kids because they will begin their own pattern of self-deprecation.

8

Don’t come down on your kids for eating because you want to be helpful. Your criticism is not what they need to hear.

9

Do encourage your kids to find activities that get them outside and away from the TV or video games. Try doing something active together as a family, such as a hike, a bike ride or a run. © CTW Features

Page 10 – Health and Wellness – April 2013

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People are busy. For many, eating out isn’t just a want, it’s a necessity. Try these simple weight loss tips for eating on-the-go.

Page 12 – Health and Wellness – April 2013

By Bev Bennett CTW Features

T

he refrigerator door is plastered with restaurant listings and carryout menus.

Your cupboards are filled with old computer equipment, not cookware.

If this describes you, it’s a good bet you’ve joined the growing numbers of Americans who are less likely to prepare and eat food at home.

The share of calories consumed during away-from-home dining has almost doubled to 31.6 percent in the period from 2005 to 2008, up from 17.7 percent 30 years ago, according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. These away-from-home meals were also shown to be higher in fat and cholesterol than what you’d eat at home, and that often translates to more calories.

That’s not good news if you’re trying to lose weight. However, the alternative doesn’t have to be cooking and eating at home. “The truth is you can still lose weight eating out,” says Judy Caplan, registered dietitian and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson.

If you inform yourself about the nutritional content of your favorite restaurant foods and opt for filling, low-calorie ingredients and reduced portion sizes, you can drop those unwanted pounds without stepping foot in your kitchen, say nutrition experts.

Don’t wait until you’re in a restaurant to think about your meal.

“You can read menus online and plan ahead for what to eat and limit your calories to 1,400 to 1,500 a day,” says Caplan, from Vienna, Va. Know what you’re getting for those calories. For example, you can have a burger topped with a thick slice of cheese

Exercise, Diet and Metabolism

One of the assumptions of vigorous exercise is that it revs up your metabolism, but one piece of recent research suggests that’s not so. Metabolism can slow with exercise, according to Diana Thomas, Ph.D., at Montclair State University, Montclair, N.J. When she analyzed weight-loss data she discovered that exercise doesn’t have a magical effect on metabolism. The body adapts to conserve energy.

The research from Thomas and her colleagues also suggests that people could be eating more after exercise. Howver, there is a solution to this problem, according to Thomas, who was the lead author on a study (along with Slentz) on the effect of exercise on weight loss published online in “Obesity Reviews.”

Choose a less taxing activity. “We don’t see the same response with low-dose exercise, such as a walk,” she says. You won’t use as many calories walking as you would running, but you’re less likely to sneak more food into your day.

Slow and Steady

that adds 200 calories, or you can skip the cheese and pile on lettuce, sliced tomato and onion, adding only a handful of calories.

“Vegetables add more food to our food without added calories,” says Lori Rosenthal, registered dietitian, Montefiore Medical Center, New York.

Rosenthal and Caplan both advise eating less starchy foods, including bread (especially refined grains), pasta and rice, as part of your dining-out strategy.

An appropriate serving of starch should measure about half your fist, according to Rosenthal. When you’re served a meal with pasta or rice, ask that half the starch be packed as soon as the dish comes to the table. In fact, ask that half the entrée be packaged to take home. “Getting the ‘to-go’ container means you still get the full value. You don’t feel ripped off because you have leftovers for later,” Rosenthal says For carryout meals at home, cut calories in similar ways. Save half the pizza for another meal and bulk up

with a salad. Have an extra order of stir-fry vegetables and skip half the rice and meat in a Chinese meal. To get an idea of how this works, visualize your plate. You want the meal to be half vegetables, onequarter starch and one-quarter protein, Rosenthal says Restaurants aren’t the only dining out danger zones. Most aren’t immune from food temptations at work, too.

Follow some calorie-cutting tips for meals to-go at work: • Choose baked (not fried) chips from the vending machine, but check the serving size. You could be eating two servings, not one, Rosenthal says.

• Save your calories for solid food, not beverages. Having a 150-calorie soft drink won’t satisfy your appetite.

Drink water instead.

• Opt for low-fat yogurt or a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar. “A snack should be 100 calories or less,” Rosenthal says.

Seeing an immediate drop on the scale’s needle when you start a weight loss diet gives you a thrill. That diet high can be inspiring. In fact, a lot of diets get their buzz because they deliver fast, noticeable results. There can be some merit to this approach. “I think a quick-start diet can motivate people who are otherwise not interested in doing anything,” says Dr. Jeffrey Gusenoff of Pittsburgh.

If you follow a trendy diet you’re probably receiving support from friends or colleagues who are on the same regimen, says Dr. Gusenoff, co-director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Life After Weight Loss program.

However, there’s a big caveat, he cautions.

Weight loss that is the result of a limited diet could put your health at risk. In addition, if you’re following a very restrictive, rigid plan, you’re unlikely to stick with it over the long term.

You could regain those pounds, and more.

That’s where moderation comes in. “The literature shows consistently when you lose weight slowly and steadily over time you’re more likely to sustain your weight loss,” says Tracey Ledoux, Ph.D., registered dietitian. When you want to improve your eating habits you can more readily incorporate changes you make in small increments, rather than all at once.

“It’s not hard to lose weight. Many people can lose weight. Keeping it off is the problem,’ says Ledoux, of the University of Houston.

© CTW Features

Body & More – April 2013 – Page 13

Scrambled Tofu with Spinach

Reprinted from the book “VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health … for Good” by Mark Bittman. Copyright © 2013 by Mark Bittman. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc.

Makes: 4 servings Time: 20 minutes INGREDIENTS: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, or more to taste 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste Black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon red chili flakes, or 1 or 2 fresh hot red chillies (like serrano or Thai), minced 1½ pounds fresh spinach, trimmed and rinsed well 1½ pounds firm or silken tofu, drained and patted dry

PREPARATION:

1

Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and garlic and sprinkle with salt; cook until the onion is translucent and the garlic is soft, three to five minutes.

2

Add the chillies and cook, stirring, until fragrant, less than a minute. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the spinach and one-fourth cup water.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and fairly dry, five to eight minutes.

Page 14 – Health and Wellness – April 2013

3

Crumble the tofu into the pan and stir, using a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan and combine the tofu and vegetables; adjust the heat as necessary to avoid burning. When the mixture starts to stick to the pan, it’s ready. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve hot or warm.

Nutritional Info (with firm tofu): Calories: 224 • Cholesterol: 0mg • Fat: 13g • Saturated Fat: 1g • Protein: 14g • Carbohydrates: 177g • Sodium: 727mg • Fiber: 5g • Trans Fat: 0g • Sugars: 5g

Five Tips for Eating More Plant-based Foods

1 2

Buy them! If you’ve got plenty of fruits and veggies in the fridge, you’re much more likely to snack on them.

3 4 5

Cook big batches of grains and beans each week. That way they’re ready to go for soups, stir-fry and salads.

Prepare fruits and veggies so they’re always ready. Cut carrots and celery into sticks. Wash and tear lettuce so it’s ready for salads. Make a big fruit salad. Cut melon and other fruit into bite-size pieces.

Try fruits, veggies, beans, nuts and grains that you’ve never experienced, such as farro, Kamut, kohlrabi or adzuki beans.

Prepare your foods in ways you’ve never tried – roast, grill or broil your veggies, for example, using a variety of spices and herbs.

5 Questions to Ask Your Doctor Before Starting a Weight Loss Program Every fitness program and diet reminds users to talk to a doctor before starting use.

So, what should you ask?

By Megan Patsavas CTW Features

“B

efore beginning a weight loss program, talk to your doctor” seems to be the footnote of every plan. Find out what you should ask, and if it’s really necessary. Ask these questions to get your doctor – and yourself – more engaged in your weight loss.

1. How much weight do I need to lose?

You may have already decided – or been told – that you need to shed some pounds, but asking your doctor exactly how much you need to lose in order to reach a healthy body weight is essential. Using a patient’s body mass index, which takes both height and weight into consideration, doctors can tell someone “whether they fall in the overweight range or the obese range and really how much weight they need to lose to get out of an unhealthy situation,” says Dr. Salila Kurra, co-director of Columbia University’s Adrenal Center in New York City. Then, you (or your doctor) can set realistic goals in terms of how long it should take to lose a certain amount of weight.

2. Do you have any concerns about me participating in a weight loss program, regarding my health and my medications?

“The most important thing is to make sure that whatever underlying conditions [the patient] may have are not going to be adversely affected by whatever weight program they decide to start,” Kurra says. Diet and activity may need to

be tailored accordingly, as well as medication. If a patient has a medical condition such as diabetes or hypertension, it may be necessary to adjust their medication’s dosage so they don’t become overmedicated as they lose weight, says Dr. Robert Kushner, clinical director of Northwestern’s Comprehensive Center on Obesity based in Chicago, Ill. Not every medicine will be affected by changes in weight, but it’s good to check.

‘Make sure that you don’t eat as many simple carbohydrates,’ whereas somebody else may need to have less fat in their diet or less protein,” Kurra says. Also ask your doctor if the amount – or type – of activity you plan on starting is safe for you.

3. Do you recommend a certain program, or know anything about the one I am interested in?

“A lot of patients do like to be monitored by their doctor,” Kushner says, “which has to do with safety” and making sure progress is being made. Furthermore, your doctor may want to receive information from your weight loss program, or have you monitor your own health in order to alert him or her of any abnormalities.

“The more correspondence between the program and the doctor, I think the more they’ll be able to monitor and evaluate how well that patient is doing,” Kushner says. “So for example, if they get ongoing correspondence and it’s now four months later and the patients lost two pounds, and the patient is 40 pounds overweight, that hopefully would trigger to the doctor ‘You know, I’d like to see you soon so we could talk about maybe some alternatives because that’s not working for you.” © CTW Features

Asking you doctor for recommendations is “a good way to get an individualized approach to weight loss,” Kurra says.

Your doctor can offer suggestions for diet or weight loss programs that fit your specific medical conditions or lifestyle. Additionally, “the doctor may have experience with some other patients of how certain programs have performed, or the balanced nature of the program and the effectiveness of the program,” Kushner adds.

4. Are there any limitations as to what I can do?

Some patients may need to limit the nutrients they consume. “If somebody has diabetes [your doctor] may say

5. Do you need any information on my progress, or need to see me for follow-up visits?

Body & More – April 2013 – Page 15

We’re honored to serve you It’s an honor to be recognized as the nation’s leading hospital for maternity and newborn care. Look a little closer and you’ll discover that Northside performs more surgeries and diagnoses and treats more breast and gynecologic cancer than any other hospital in Georgia. While people chooseNorthside for our expertise, they also know us for our exceptional compassionate care.

Visit us online at www.northside.com

Page 16 – Health and Wellness – April 2013