Obesity

OVERWEIGHT MODELS SENDING THE WRONG MESSAGE - As a caring physician, it is painful to witness the increasing number of models claiming their substantial weight gain (to the point of overweight and/or obesity) has produced a healthier happier person. In the United States, our rates of cancer, diabetes, cardiac disease and stroke have proven to be associated with unhealthy weight gain. As […]

SHOULD IT BE DEFINED “UNINTENTIONAL CHILD ABUSE?” - Whether we choose to have children or it is simply the result of an intimate interlude, society must create boundaries to protect children unable to protect themselves. We acknowledge these responsibilities when we see the physical harm children suffer. Broken bones, serious bruises indicating possible internal bleeding, cigarette burns, etc… are criminal acts we witness […]

The Double Standard: Our Choice Of Pet Food vs. Our Choice of Family Food - The advertising world on TV is designed to tap into human emotions to guide the decision making process. When it comes to our pets, notice the types of foods they include in these commercials to support the choices we make. (30 second commercial)   We see: Real Meat Whole vegetables Real Fruit Those caring to […]

One Man’s Tale To Weight Loss, Weight Gain And The Barrier Determining Long Term Success - How many times have you read stories where people stated, “until I saw myself in that picture, I never realized how serious my weight problem was”? How many times have you heard doctors say, “you’re in remarkably good health” even though you know in reality you’re overweight, sedentary, depressed and likely taking multiple prescription medications? […]

“IT’LL BE DIFFERENT THIS TIME!” - Nearly 70% of the U. S. population suffers from overweight or obesity. When people finally decide the road to ongoing weight gain must change, they focus their attention on food plans designed for weight loss. Although this seems to be a logical approach, it fails to achieve LONG TERM results greater than 95% of the […]

UNDERSTANDING WHY FOCUSING ON “FOOD” ALONE WILL NEVER ACHIEVE LONG TERM WEIGHT LOSS - Who doesn’t believe the ANSWER to weight loss , is PRIMARILY found in FOOD. Although this seems to make common sense, in reality, it is a MAJOR MISTAKE! Let me prove this with a simple analogy. If a person wanted to get an “A” in HISTORY or MATH (as a FINAL AVERAGE GRADE,) would: abstaining from […]

HERE’S A SIDE OF THE WEIGHT LOSS INDUSTRY YOU DON’T TYPICALLY SEE! - The following is an email I received TODAY. Although this email is addressed to me as a doctor, these same types of messages are marketed throughout the weight loss industry to motivate start up franchises.  See what you think! You’ve asked for it. Now you’ve got it. WEIGHT LOSS, (when done right) continues to be […]

“FIXING” OVERWEIGHT & OBESITY - Whether excess weight is the result of a lifestyle based on poor health decisions or a metabolic condition caused by a genetic predisposition, it remains a problem for nearly 70% of the population in the United States. WHY HAVE WE FAILED AT “FIXING” THIS PROBLEM? We have attempted to treat weight management problems as a […]

CHILDHOOD DISEASES: WORDS WITHOUT ACTIONS - How often do we hear statements like: . “I want my child to have a better life than I had growing up.” . OR “Our children are our future.” . We’d like to believe our heartfelt sentiments are more than just words, but do our ACTIONS reflect these emotions? . TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2 […]

AND NOW THAT YOU’VE LOST SOME OR ALL OF THE WEIGHT…? - This post is 1322 words providing an outline to achieve SUCCESSFUL LONG TERM WEIGHT LOSS. FOR THOSE IN NEED, I RECOMMEND TAKING THE TIME TO READ IT. . “I lost 100 pounds.” “I only have 35 pounds to go.” “I’m having trouble getting those last 10 pounds off.” These were such typical phrases I heard […]

IS YOUR CHILD FAT? - IS YOUR CHILD FAT? Here’s a question a growing segment of our PARENTAL population is going to have to begin asking themselves. The need to face REALITY is NOT based on aesthetics but rather the diseases and traumatic life altering compromises our children face if we continue to avoid this topic. The argument, “we should […]

TWO DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES; TWO DIFFERENT OUTCOMES - WHICH CHILD HAS A BETTER CHANCE AT LIFE? Which child is more likely to develop diabetes, cardiac disease, stroke or cancer? Which child is more likely to start prescription medication at a younger age? Which child is more likely to suffer emotional distress at school? Which child is more likely to lack self confidence as […]

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FAVORITE SUPERHEROES AS A CHILD? - My two favorite were Superman and Batman. As corny as the shows were, the “good guys” always displayed valor, honor, integrity, compassion and commitment while fighting “EVIL” to protect mankind. Do you remember how their physical presentation added even greater “strength” to the characters they portrayed? Looking at them from today’s perspective, their costumes rather […]

THE NUMBER ON THE SCALE JUST WON’T GO DOWN! - Does this sound familiar? “I’ve tried dieting, exercising, appetite suppressants and the number on the scale won’t go down!” “I’ve done everything POSSIBLE, so I guess I’ll have to live with this reality.” HERE’S THE REAL REALITY! . Most people did what they were WILLING TO DO under the terms they were WILLING TO DO IT. […]

A NON CONVENTIONAL PLAN FOR SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS - I’M NOT SUGGESTING ANYONE GO TO THIS LEVEL OF EXTREME, HOWEVER, UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT MIGHT HELP YOU OVERCOME FOOD CRAVINGS AND ADDICTIONS RESULTING IN HEALTHIER WEIGHT OUTCOMES. What makes food so appealing? It comes down to THREE simple things: Appearance Smell Taste If we could remove these three components, why would people overeat? In most […]

MY FELLOW READERS, I REST MY CASE! - Sometimes a picture(s) is worth a thousand words: This is my gym. . The following 4 pictures were taken STANDING IN FRONT OF MY GYM (and/or the parking lot.) . 10.4 MILES AWAY AND 19 MINUTES DRIVING TIME WE FIND THE CLOSEST WHOLE FOODS MARKET. AND WE WONDER WHY WE FACE AN OBESITY EPIDEMIC?! REALLY?

HELP! I WANT TO LOSE EXCESSIVE HEALTH…I MEAN EXCESSIVE WEIGHT - Whether a person is overweight, obese or morbidly obese, what is the FIRST identifiable “problem” noticed by most people? You guessed it, WEIGHT. Based on society’s aesthetic standards, excessive weight is the primary problem. Secondary problems develop from stereotypes associated with individuals carrying extra weight. They include laziness, self centeredness, ambitionless, impulsiveness, compulsiveness, lack of […]

5 Diet Drugs: Which One’s Work? - This was the title of a recent Medline Publication that caught my attention. The answer is: ALL OF THEM and NONE OF THEM! . It all comes down to the word “WORKS” and how it is defined. These drugs are appetite suppressants. Just like any drug, their affects are stronger in some and weaker in […]

Being Thin ≠ Being Healthy (Or Happy!) - As of 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Over 42 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese. With an expanding population in quantity AND SIZE, it should not be surprising the weight loss business has skyrocketed. The various industries participating in addressing this growing epidemic […]

FINDING STUDIES ON THE BENEFITS OF OBESITY -  1. “We expect that obesity will be responsible for an increasing share of deaths in the United States,” said Ryan Masters, the lead study author and researcher with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 2. “Obesity and extreme obesity can reduce life expectancy by up to eight years and deprive people of as many as 19 […]

Sports Illustrated Ashley Graham’s “Fuller Figured” Pictorial: What Are The Ramifications? - At one time I would have talked about the pressure men and women face in this world to achieve nearly perfect dimensions. With a growing percentage of the population becoming overweight and obese, this “pressure” no longer seems to be as prevalent an issue. In fact, the expose′ about weight has reversed direction claiming that […]

CHILDHOOD OBESITY: Still Missing The Boat - As the race for our next President continues, topics of “substantive issues” remain the same topics discussed over the last 40 years. Health insurance, social security, education, budget balancing, military size, etc… continue to be the main topics with leaders claiming to know the best path to accomplishing successful outcomes. The electorate has become disenchanted […]

Life From Two Perspectives - There are many different factors involved determining whether you are more likely to follow the people in the top row of pictures or the bottom row of pictures throughout life. Both lifestyles offer challenges and difficulties. Both lifestyles require sacrifice and compromise. Why then, has almost 75% of the U.S. population followed the path of […]

Satisfying Hunger - It’s no surprise to me the developed world’s obesity epidemic continues to grow regardless of science, research and diet plans. For generations, we have attacked this problem from a calorie expenditure point of view (calories in vs. calories out) to determine what foods people need to eat to correct this disorder. This approach has failed […]

FREEZE DRIED “POOP” TO OVERCOME OBESITY? - After finding this article on Yahoo Health, I decided it may be time to start reading some Tom Clancy novels.  The actual title for the article dated January 11, 2016 was, “Cure for Obesity: Freeze-Dried Poop?” This article explores the possibilities that address Obesity by taking “poop” containing healthy bacteria, freeze-drying it and placing it […]

Dietary Incompatibility - No, this is not an article critiquing various online dating services based on common food interests! This is an article discussing dietary incompatibility among friends, parents and children and the role it plays in the success and failure of food related health issues including obesity. Addictive food behavior is a real condition that countless numbers […]

SHAMING OBESITY - A wonderful blogger friend who is working hard and successfully re-balancing his life and achieving better health and happiness posted this photo of a business card. He was understandably angered by its content and “voiced” his concerns by writing an article. When I first read the words, my emotions were pulled in many directions. As […]

FACING AN OBESE NATION - Over the last 10 years obesity has made the headline news in print media and TV. During this same period, multiple approaches dealing with this condition have been addressed by physicians, nutritionists and exercise specialists. Ten years later, adult obesity rates have increased from 32% to 38%. Children (between 2-19 years of age) have remained […]

COUNTING CALORIES: Is It Necessary? - Google the internet, read the latest weight loss books or enter the world of computer gadgets that offer guidance through electronic technology and you will see the following three answers to, “should we count calories?” No, it is unnecessary Yes, it helps us understand our caloric needs Maybe, if it helps you attain your goals […]

A Politically INCORRECT SOLUTION To Childhood And Adult Weight Problems - “Food can be the most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” This was a quote I read from a Yahoo article today dealing with the debate between calorie counting and quality food consumption.  Research studies continue to attempt to prove the best method for weight management and overall health. These studies […]

Children Aren’t Born Obese - Although obesity has been classified a disease, antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals can not “cure” it. One of the arguments that science has produced to reduce personal responsibility for obesity is genetics. Genetics may in fact play a role, however, genetic expression can be influenced by personal behavior. The answer to obesity seems so logical and straightforward. Consume […]

The Latest MIRACLE DRUG For Weight Loss - Yesterday, Medline Plus published an article titled, “Promise From A New Weight-Loss Drug. It is an injectable drug called Saxenda and reportedly helped people lose 5% of their body weight in a “research study.” This probably sounds promising on the surface especially for those who have tried so hard to successfully lose weight. Let’s look […]

TURNING THE CORNER ON OBESITY - Where is the starting point? Where can we find the answers to turn the corner on obesity and create a new beginning? These are two of the most common questions asked by those wanting to reverse the trend. If we were mechanical machines without hearts and souls, the answers would be easier to attain. The difficulty comes from […]

FOOD EVERYWHERE I LOOK - After getting the mail this morning I actually took the time to look at the flyers in the “junk mail.” There were 5 flyers and here is what they offered.  Not one flyer offered a healthy picture as an option. You can click on each photo if you want the details. This type and quality […]

Preventing Childhood Obesity - The American dream for the population between 18-35 years of age commonly includes gainful employment, marriage, home ownership, and children. Each component adds a new level of stress and happiness. Specific formulas for stress free living can only be found in the land of “Utopia” (a mythical place that doesn’t exist.)  Life and the lessons […]

OBESITY: The Physical, Emotional and Financial Costs - This is a difficult subject to write about because it involves subject areas that are politically sensitive. I will attempt to convey this sensitive material factually while attempting to be respectful.  This is a very important topic that affects better than 30 percent of the adult population and approximately 18-25 percent of children. If we include […]