Exercise is a central component to a medical weight loss plan, or simply to stay healthy and ward off age-related chronic diseases. But if you’re like a lot of people, you simply can’t find the time to hit the gym. First of all, that’s very common these days, so don’t feel too bad about it. Next, it’s time to come up with creative solutions to this problem… And we might have one for you. Read more
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4 Ways to Get Even More from Your Workouts!
You already know that exercise serves as a key component to a medical weight loss plan. But exercise can also boost your mental health. And because improved mental health reduces the hormonal imbalances that lead to weight gain and cravings, all of these factors influence one another. A balanced, healthy lifestyle helps you to achieve multiple goals at once. Read more
How to Avoid Weekend Binges
Some of our medical weight loss clients report a certain pattern to us: They feel that it’s relatively easy to follow their eating plan during the week, but then on the weekend they decide to reward themselves with a little treat. But then one treat turns into another, and then another… And by the end of the weekend, they feel as though they’ve thrown away two days’ worth of progress toward their goals. Read more
5 Foods to Fight Inflammation
Inflammation is not always a bad thing. When we’re sick or injured, our immune system activates an inflammatory response to help us heal. But in some people, that activation doesn’t end. Instead, the immune system begins to attack our own bodies, and over time chronic inflammation can lead to autoimmune disorders and other health problems. Studies have even linked inflammation to serious conditions like heart disease and cancer.
Luckily, there are steps you can take to reduce inflammation in your body, and help yourself to get healthier. Diet plays a big role in either promoting inflammation or reducing it, so adjust your diet accordingly.
The following types of foods are known to fight inflammation and help your body return to a healthy balance:
- Foods that are high in fiber, such as whole grains, brown rice, beans, and legumes
- Fruits and veggies, which are high in vitamins and antioxidants
- Unsaturated fats from foods like salmon, olive oil, nuts, and seeds
- Herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, curcumin, and rosemary
- Green tea or hibiscus tea
A diet focused around the above foods is not only good for reducing inflammation; it can also help you follow a medical weight loss plan and stay healthy otherwise. On the other hand, certain foods are known to increase inflammation and can also lead to weight gain and other health problems. Avoid things like overly processed foods, snacks high in sugar and salt, or those high in saturated fats. And of course, excessive consumption of alcohol is unhealthy for numerous reasons, but it is also known to increase inflammation.
For more on nutrition, a medical weight loss plan, or an anti-aging diet to prevent common chronic diseases, call our office to schedule an appointment. We can help you learn to use food to support your health at any age or weight.
Enjoy Summer Barbecues While Staying Healthy
For many of our medical weight loss clients, social gatherings present a challenge to their healthy eating plans. It’s hard to turn down the delicious treats offered at parties, and social pressure is a very real thing even many years after high school. These tips can help you enjoy barbecues this summer, while staying true to your health and fitness goals. Read more
4 Tips for More Mindful Eating
You probably know by now that the key to a successful medical weight loss plan is to simply burn more calories than you consume, but it’s that “consuming” part that can be so tricky! Between busy schedules, numerous distractions, and various emotional factors, sticking to a lower calorie diet isn’t easy.
Therefore, it’s important to learn how to be mindful of each bite. When we’re paying attention to our meals, our body’s cues, and our emotions, we’re less likely to overeat. These four tips can help you to eat more mindfully.
Reduce distractions. Turn off the TV and set aside your smartphone. Many people overeat when they’re distracted, so paying attention to your meals can actually prevent you from eating more than you intended.
Stop to rate your hunger. Before you dive into a meal, first rate your hunger on a scale from 1 to 10. Try not to wait until you’re at a 1 (ravenous) to begin a meal, because you’re more likely to overeat. Eating when you’re a 2 or 3 is usually better. You also want to stop before you hit a 10 (completely stuffed), because it takes time for your brain to signal satiety after your stomach is full. Stop when you’re at a 6 or 7 (comfortable, but not hungry and not stuffed).
Schedule your meals. Set an alarm on your phone that reminds you to eat scheduled meals and snacks every few hours. If the alarm goes off and you’re not hungry yet, that might be a sign that you ate too much at the last meal. Practicing this habit for a few weeks can teach you scheduling and portion control.
Eat balanced meals. Remember to base your meals on a mix of protein, healthy fats, and fiber. These nutrients are the most satisfying, and help you to feel more full.
Mindful eating is half of the battle, but you still need to know how to balance your nutrients and determine a target number of calories for each day. To discuss that aspect of a medical weight loss plan, call our office to schedule a personal appointment.
5 Great Workouts to Maximize Calorie Burn
Your medical weight loss plan will revolve around two key components. Because you must burn more calories than you consume, we will first design an eating plan to lower your caloric intake. Then we must organize your workout schedule so that you’re burning a significant number of calories through exercise.
That second part can feel challenging for people with a busy schedule. After all, you don’t have 2 hours per day to go hiking. If you need to burn a lot of calories in a shorter period of time, try these five workouts to bump up your metabolism. Read more
7 Sneaky Tricks to Add Fiber to Your Meals
Fiber is filling and aids digestion, plus it can keep blood sugar levels level and prevent cravings. It’s no wonder we try to focus on adequate fiber intake with our medical weight loss clients. But many find it difficult to get enough fiber in their diets. If that sounds familiar, try these seven sneaky tricks to add more fiber to your snacks and meals throughout the day. Read more
4 Things You Need to Build More Muscle
A medical weight loss plan is more than just an eating regimen. You also need to work to change your body composition, so that you can boost your resting metabolism. Adding more lean muscle to your frame means your metabolism will increase, even when resting, so that you can keep the weight off once you’ve lost it.
Here are four things you need in order to build more muscle tissue. Read more
Don’t Fall for These Four Fitness Myths
There’s a lot of confusion around fitness and medical weight loss, often due to conflicting stories you hear about what works and what doesn’t work. First of all, scheduling an appointment with a weight loss doctor and then following our advice means you’re getting acces to the latest research and methods on weight loss. But when it comes to your fitness plan, you might hear the following four myths. Don’t fall for them! Read more
