Category: Weight Loss

Ever wonder how weight loss works? Although the question is simple, the answer is a little complicated. Ideally, weight loss is about pulling excess body fat out of your fat cells and burning it for fuel. When that happens, your fat cells shrink and you lose pounds and inches. When you  [Read more...]

  For many years, my business used to service overweight and obese children; as a matter of fact, I had (and still do) a completely separate and service-marked program JUST FOR young children. Childhood obesity is a subject near and dear to me because I remember getting to know these kids who, because I’d  [Read more...]

“Is it OK to eat the same things every day?”   This is a question I get asked from time to time, and before I share some health concerns that you should know if you eat the same meals every day, week after week, based on my experience the people who ask me  [Read more...]

Every Monday, I have clients who can’t believe they gained weight. “But I was 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑦 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑” (as compared to how great they are during the week) “over the weekend,” they’ll say. Too many people get caught in an endless cycle of sticking to their eating (and fitness) regimen or dieting program during  [Read more...]

One of the more common resistances I encounter with new clients is to the issue of drinking water. Many — dare I say, most — do not drink it on a regular basis, if at all. They drink plenty of coffee or tea (both hot and cold) and diet beverages, and they  [Read more...]

The operation of electrical devices on the Jewish Sabbath is prohibited by Orthodox Jewish authorities. As such, Orthodox and other traditionally observant Jews therefore do not use electrical appliances on the Sabbath. And some people like to use that as an excuse on Mondays in the office when they’ve gained weight and  [Read more...]

After losing over 50 pounds back in 2000, weight gained over 7 years of non-stop infertility treatments, IVF procedures and one successful pregnancy via ICSI, I’ve been maintaining a slim weight ever since, first fluctuating in the low 130’s. Then, this past September, I decided to get back to my wedding weight, and  [Read more...]

Too many people, especially women, feel that to adequately care for others, they must put themselves last. A fine balance exists between nurturing others and sacrificing your own well-being in the name of caring for those around you. When you board an airplane, the safety instructions always include, “In the unlikely  [Read more...]

The number of fat children who take meds for chronic diseases has jumped dramatically. There are greater increases in prescriptions for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and hypertension, and children and teens with fatty liver disease are on the rise. And remember when Type 2 diabetes was known as “adult-onset?” Well, no longer. Kids  [Read more...]

In our experience it’s usually men who are more hesitant to seek professional assistance in losing weight, preferring to try to do it on their own . . . initially. We think this is partly the “machismo” affect (that men don’t need help) and partly because men are often less comfortable than women  [Read more...]

Recently, as I started to do my end-of-year clerical clean-up at the office, I started to go through many of many old client charts, paying particular attention to the last part of the questionnaire we have everyone fill out prior to a consultation: “Please give three reasons, in order of importance, why you  [Read more...]

Think about this: According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, obesity most often develops from ages 5 to 6 or during the teen years, and a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80% chance of becoming an obese adult.*    A study of parents of over 2,000  [Read more...]

“What do you think about Ozempic?” I’ve been asked this question more than once over the last year or so, and I usually just give “the look” 🙄 and move on. But I was asked again last week by a client who said, “Everyone in the community is doing it,” and I  [Read more...]

Several years ago, I read a great article on LinkedIn titled, The Path to Productivity: Focus On the 1st Hour. I even remember it was written by a fellow named William King. Unfortunately, I tried to locate it to share its link here but had no luck. Anyway, his article spoke to those individuals  [Read more...]

Healthy living comes naturally for some people, for others, not so much. For those who are overweight or obese — large enough that it’s difficult or even painful to do what thinner people can do easily (high intensity interval training, hot yoga, crossfit, jogging, to name a few) — it’s even tougher to get  [Read more...]

My daughter, Sabrina, has been horseback riding since she was 7; she’s now a young lady of 25. I remember, however, when she was about 15, she had a spill off a horse at the barn during a lesson and was then, on the doctor’s and coach’s orders, off the mount for a few  [Read more...]

I received a consult questionnaire a few days ago from a 52-year-old woman, 5’4″, 215 lbs. She was referred by her neighbors across the street. The woman of that house (in her 60’s) lost 40 pounds with me a couple years ago and still looks amazing; both her sons, 34 and 38, lost 82  [Read more...]

Many of my clients are business travelers and, of course, many travel for vacation once or more a year. That’s the case now, with people getting ready to travel for Passover, Easter, and spring break. So, the topic of air travel comes up in my office, especially as relates to how to  [Read more...]

We know that obese patients can expect longer surgery times. Just getting through the fat layers takes more time*; obesity can often double the length of surgery. However, the longer the surgery proceeds, the longer the patient will need to be asleep, and the more anesthesia is necessary. *Note: Not only does fat  [Read more...]

Want to bring out the worst in people? Lose weight! Whether it’s 10 pounds or 110 pounds, just watch and see how you’ll be showered with so much fattening food — by people who claim to love you! When dieters fall off the wagon, they’re always shocked to think that someone else may have  [Read more...]

These days the “shaming” label is slapped on everything that makes us feel bad — but NOT everything we don’t want to hear is shaming. Frankly, “fat shaming” too often isn’t.   The word “fat” is not a bad word. It is not synonymous with ugly, lazy, stupid or unattractive. It is just an  [Read more...]

Childhood obesity is a result of adult behavior.  And the adults most responsible? Parents. And the adults who come into contact with parents on a regular basis who are in the best position to advocate on behalf of their children? Pediatricians.   Based on my experiences over 25 years working in  [Read more...]

One of the more uncomfortable encounters (for them, not for me) with a weight loss client is when they lie to me . . . and I know it every time. Two of the more common scenarios in which this happens are: Lie #1 A client will show me a perfect  [Read more...]

You are NOT hungry most of the time! You are not hungry because something smells good, looks good, or tastes good. You are also not hungry because there is stress, a deadline, a personal or business problem, anxiety, tension, it’s morning, afternoon, evening, when alone, with thinner friends, with fatter friends, weekdays, weekends,  [Read more...]

The post-weight loss Stabilization and Maintenance periods are to practice what you have learned about sensible eating behavior. In this way, the new habits become a permanent part of your lifestyle, as will being slim and staying slim. I stress that word LEARNED because if you’re always quick-fixing, you’re learning nothing . .  [Read more...]

Another year has come to a close. In our personal lives, this is the time when we reflect on the year that has just ended: The things we did, the places we went, the people we met; the good things we’ll always remember, the bad things we hope to forget; the things we are  [Read more...]

A holiday is a holy day because it interrupts the daily flow of our usually very busy lives with messages and reminders that we need to make life worth living. As we approach the holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur that so many will observe, it’s a good time to remember the  [Read more...]

They are the building blocks of flab, the payback for cheesecake, the bloated little sacks of grease that make more of us— more than we can fit into our pants! Scorned and despised, they are sucked out surgically by the billions from bulging bellies, backs, and buttocks. And still they come. Fat cells.  [Read more...]

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.” ~ George Bernard Shaw ☆ I see clients every day  [Read more...]

With perhaps the one exception of “cheating” death, the word “cheat” can just never be used in a positive way. Cheating on your spouse isn’t good. Cheating on your business partner isn’t good. Cheating on your taxes isn’t good. Cheating a customer by padding your bill isn’t good. Cheating on an exam  [Read more...]

“You never listen” is not just the complaint of a problematic relationship with one’s spouse or rebellious teenager. I think it’s also become an epidemic in a world that is exchanging convenience for content and speed for meaning. Unfortunately, then, listening is a skill that we’re in danger of losing in a world of  [Read more...]

When I meet a very overweight or obese client for the first time, aside from discussing the obvious — such as medical issues they may have, what medications they may be on, how many times they’ve tried to lose weight before, whether their spouse is also overweight, etc. — I inquire as to their  [Read more...]

Most diets set you up to fail. They’re either too quick, too narrow-focused, too restrictive, too fake. They’re just not sustainable. Not a way of life. A weight loss plan should enhance your life. You should feel capable, accomplished, organized, and energized by your food plans. There might be  [Read more...]

“Does my stomach shrink when I lose weight?” Well, that’s a question I’ve heard a time or two or 10,000 from clients over the years. Sorry, folks, but no. It does not. Short of surgery, it is not possible to shrink the stomach. The stomach is a little like a  [Read more...]

I often am asked by a client for guidance on how to proceed with portion control when they must eat out, either in a restaurant or at someone’s home. Then, almost always, they’ll recite all the previous advice they’ve heard — you know, measuring by the palm of one’s hand, one handful, two  [Read more...]

The high obesity rate among very young children is worrisome for many reasons, and one is that obesity causes children to go through puberty earlier. Puberty usually occurs in girls between the ages of 10 and 14, while in boys it generally occurs later, between the ages of 12 and 16. Puberty requires the  [Read more...]

“Is there alcohol on this program?” “Will I be able to drink on this program?” “I go out socially a few times a week and I like to drink.” “I enjoy a nightly drink or two when I get home after a stressful workday.” “A glass of wine or  [Read more...]

Let me ask you this: Have you ever wanted something so badly and then went on to achieve (and maintain) that goal without any self-imposed restrictions?   Did you cut back (even just a little) on all-night partying and drinking in college when you went on to law or medical schools? Or, did the  [Read more...]

A blog by Luke Iorio, Want To Stay Unhappy? Keep Doing These 5 Things, struck me with one of those “aha” moments. Every one of his five points on how to stay unhappy, as relates to personal and professional development, is applicable to my business and to the clients we see every day. He listed  [Read more...]

The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are filled with lots of food festivities and socializing. Whether it’s dining out, going to a holiday party, or seeing treats everywhere, from the office to the candy jar at your favorite store, the holiday season really puts our willpower to the test.   [Read more...]

I am regularly searching for good and easy recipes to pass on to my clients. They have to be as simple as possible, with as few ingredients as possible, and easy-to-follow instructions. They have to provide nutritional data (how many servings it yields, what a one-serving size is, and how many calories  [Read more...]

Many people don’t realize that the FDA regulates dietary supplements under a different set of regulations than those covering “conventional” foods and drug products. Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or mis-branded. Yet, they are the ones responsible for evaluating the  [Read more...]

“Why am I not losing weight” is a question often blurted out by a client who claims to be doing “everything right.” I’ll then pick up a crystal ball that I have on my credenza (not kidding about that!) and do a Johnny Carson imitation of his Carnac the Magnificent (you’ll have to  [Read more...]

For many people (too many people!), the allure of the all-you-can-eat buffet is the idea that you’re getting more than you pay for. I, however, think of a buffet as an all-you-can-eat feeding trough and an invitation to diet disaster. For one thing, buffets are built around ingredients and foods that are  [Read more...]

Challenging clients vs. difficult clients. Hmm? 🤔 Everyone in business has them. In my world, challenging clients are those who’ve tried everything and failed; have multiple medical issues; suffer with autoimmune diseases; are going through the emotional infertility process; are in the midst of a messy divorce or other household trauma;  [Read more...]

“I’m not losing weight because I’m building muscle.” . . . says the client who only recently started working out at the gym! Here’s the reality, folks: Building muscle takes much longer than most people realize. It’s a slow — almost excruciatingly slow — process. While there are several  [Read more...]

The quick fix. The magic bullet. The miracle pills. It’s the holy grail of dieters everywhere. They search and search. They get excited by medical research that boosts their hopes about something coming down the pike that will cure the overweight malady once and for all without a lot of  [Read more...]

I’ve been at this weight loss gig for a long, long time, and I can say, without question, that almost all clients, even if diligent with portion control in all other food groups, are very often very lax when it comes to control of their herbs, spices and other seasonings and especially in their  [Read more...]

I get that question a lot and, being that I don’t have a crystal ball, my answer is always the same: “It depends.” I realize that’s not what most people want to hear, but the rate at which a person will lose weight depends on a lot of things. It’s like a road  [Read more...]

The biggest challenge for people making any kind of change in their life is that they are impatient. They don’t feel like they get the results as quickly as they should. This is certainly true in the effort for weight loss. One of the things that I tell people: “Give yourself  [Read more...]

It would be tempting to believe that an obese person has more fat cells, but the quantity of fat cells does not change. What is different in the obese vs. leaner person’s fat cells is just the size. Scientists have known since the 1970’s that the amount of fat cells in both thin  [Read more...]

When you go on a diet—or, shall I say, when you decide to change your diet—permanent weight loss should be the ultimate goal. You want to reach your ideal, healthy weight and maintain it for the long term. Towards that end, the quality of patience is an important factor. Without it, you will find  [Read more...]

When stress strikes, do you find yourself unexpectedly craving something delicious and unhealthy? Well, stress-eating isn’t just a myth. Science has shown that our bodies respond to stress by thinking we need energy — lots of energy — to fight whatever’s causing the anxious feeling. Because foods high in sugar or fat  [Read more...]

In Judaism there are several major and minor fast days throughout the year, and I often get asked by observant Jewish clients how to break a fast.   When you’re ready to break your fast, it’s always best to ease out of it, with small portions of foods that are more easily digested,  [Read more...]

That’s an actual comment made to me by a client not too long ago. Now, your first reaction is probably that she was kidding, but I’m here to tell you that she, and millions of others who think that way, are only HALF kidding! The quick fix. The magic bullet. The  [Read more...]

When an overweight person is complaining that they feel fat, what is an appropriate and helpful response (vs. just saying “no, you’re not!”)? Some people think that it’s always 100% wrong to ever admit anyone is fat and have a confused notion that to ever agree with anyone that they are overweight  [Read more...]

Are you addicted to weighing yourself? Daily? Or multiple times daily? If yes, you are not alone unfortunately. But have you ever thought about why you are doing it? What kind of information do you really get from the scale? What does it mean? Of all the negatives  [Read more...]

For many women, their post-pregnancy bodies are difficult to handle emotionally. Most were already overweight or obese before they conceived, so the eating habits that got them that way were hard to break (and most don’t even try) during pregnancy and they gained so much more. Others were at a healthy weight  [Read more...]

A fellow by the name of Seth Godin is an American author, blogger, entrepreneur and former dot com business executive. In his blog, The Shortcut Crowd, as relates to marketing,  he writes about the various segments of consumers — the careful, the traditional, the cutting edge and . . . those obsessed with  [Read more...]

Too many parents consider food a form of love and are afraid to refuse their children unhealthy foods, even if they are already over-fat, for fear they won’t feel loved.     In fact, the opposite is true. I know . . . because daily I see what rewarding kids with food looks like  [Read more...]

If you’re going to the gym as a complement to your decision to adopt a healthy eating lifestyle, that’s good. If you’re going to the gym in an attempt to burn off the bad calories you know you’re eating and really don’t want to stop, well obviously, you’re wasting your time.   [Read more...]

We know that making healthy choices can help us feel better and live longer. Maybe you’ve already tried (and more than once) to eat better, to start exercising or get more sleep, to quit smoking, or reduce stress, just to name a few. You know it’s not easy. In order  [Read more...]

I was recently asked my opinion about intermittent fasting for weight loss. I’m not a fan. Intermittent fasting severely limits calories during certain days of the week or during specified hours during the day. If someone who is slim, fit, and healthy in every way does an occasional fast to rid  [Read more...]

Daily, we see obese females posting their photos on Instagram and other socials saying things like “This is what a real body looks like,” and “No man wants skin and bones.” Hmm . . . should we call that “skinny shaming” I wonder? 🤔 These messages convey to overweight young girls  [Read more...]

It’s been only a few years since my daughter graduated high school. And if there’s one thing I remember from dropping her off at the same primary school campus for 15 years it was seeing the expansion of so, so many overweight students (first as kids in the Lower School, then as tweens  [Read more...]

As everyone knows, obesity in kids is something that I write about often because I’m so passionate about it. Like you, I see it everywhere, and it pains and angers me. A few months ago, after a visual experience at the Freehold shopping mall in NJ, I posted something on LinkedIn about childhood  [Read more...]

Does sweating mean more fat loss? I get asked this question a lot from clients. They’re soaked in layers of sweat after a workout, thinking those droplets translate into tremendous fat burn (and weight loss). But does that show up on the scale? Well, let me put it this way:   [Read more...]

It’s easy to fall into the trap: A workout buddy passes along an exercise tip, and then you pass it along to others. Your kid’s coach gives you some advice, which you’ve heard elsewhere so you figure it must be true. In the world of fitness and weight loss, myths and half-truths abound,  [Read more...]

Driver behavior and driver health can have a serious impact on the lives of drivers, their passengers and the motorists and pedestrians around them. I’ll bet most of you have never considered that obese people are not as safe behind the wheel. I’ll bet you have never considered that obese people are  [Read more...]

Obesity in men has doubled in the last 25 years. According to the American Medical Association, more than 70% of American men are considered overweight, while over 30% are considered obese. The highest rates of male obesity are in the 45-74 age group, where one-third of men are obese. Yet, despite these  [Read more...]

Although obesity can’t actually spread like an infectious disease, contact with other obese people does influence the likelihood of becoming overweight or obese yourself. This is because not only do friends spend a lot of time together, and more often than not eat similar foods and engage in the same physical (or lack  [Read more...]

There’s something wonderful about getting older . . . about transitioning from middle aged to “seasoned citizen.”  (I mean, let’s face it: The alternative isn’t ideal, is it?)   For one thing, as we age, we have better coping abilities.  Older people have a lifetime of experiences and, therefore, tend to deal better with  [Read more...]

Here’s a question that was posed to me on Quora: Do you believe most fat people are fat by choice or is it something not everyone can control? The short answer: Yes. There are, of course, significant causes of obesity, such as those with mental health issues who use food to  [Read more...]

Do you obsess over the scale? In my office, I meet people all the time who not only weigh themselves every day, but several times a day. This is so self-defeating for so many reasons, not the least of which is because you can get on a scale 10 times a day and  [Read more...]

I read a great article in 2017 entitledHey Sales Reps: Stop Chasing Shiny Objects and Get to Work!by Larry Levine, sales guru, trainer and coach. Anyway, his article was about how sales organizations focus too much on the “shiny new thing” — “social selling” (encouraging sales reps to establish their own brands on social  [Read more...]

The so-called old wives’ tale about the importance of eating breakfast every day is, in my opinion, 100% correct. HOW we begin the day is the key to everything else that follows.   When you wake up in the morning, after not eating for the sleep duration of 6, 7, 8 hours or more,  [Read more...]

How did so many of our pets get so overweight? Back in 2018, Susan Jenks of the New York Times published a story entitled “Our Fat Pets.” She shared statistics that, at that time, 60% of cats and 56% of dogs in America were at unhealthy weights. She quoted the Association for  [Read more...]

First, let me be clear: When I say, “starving yourself doesn’t work in dieting,” I am referring to regularly and purposely skipping meals or eating super small meals . . . that sort of thing. I am not referring to the disease of anorexia (that’s a different topic for another day). It’s hard  [Read more...]

These days, western culture is immersed in the pandemic of political correctness and group think. It’s the extraordinary arrogance of the p.c. movement that seeks to impose on people what is right, okay, fair, or acceptable to think and speak. It’s positively Orwellian and, in my opinion, should be resisted by anyone who  [Read more...]

Over the last four weeks, in each of my weekly blogs, I’ve been addressing the common thoughts of those who fall prey to, as relates to weight loss, Given Up and Given In to Hopelessness.    “This is who I am.” “Guess I’ll be fat forever.” “It’s in my genes.” “I’m tired of  [Read more...]

There are five common thoughts of those who, when it comes to weight loss, fall prey to Given Up and Given In to Hopelessness.    “This is who I am.” “Guess I’ll be fat forever.” “It’s in my genes.” “I’m tired of dieting.” “I’m happy being fat.”   These folks think this way all  [Read more...]

In my last two blogs, I wrote about the five common thoughts of those who fall prey to what I call, when it comes to weight loss, Given Up and Given In to Hopelessness.  “This is who I am.” “Guess I’ll be fat forever.” “It’s in my genes.” “I’m tired of dieting.”  [Read more...]

In another recent blog, I wrote about how there are five common thoughts of those who fall prey to what I call the Given Up and Given in to Hopelessness of weight loss. They share them all at once or come to them one at a time. “This is who I am.”  [Read more...]

There are five common thoughts of those who fall prey to the Given Up and Given in to Hopelessness of weight loss. They share them all at once or come to them one at a time. “This is who I am.” “Guess I’ll be fat forever.” “It’s in my genes.” “I’m tired of  [Read more...]

As parents, we are responsible for the environment in which we raise our children — emotionally, physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually. That responsibility is enormous. All the years our children are home before spreading their wings and beginning the next chapters of their lives, they are listening to us, watching us, and soaking  [Read more...]

Boy, how many times have I heard that from a client?! The typical emotional over-eater feels helpless and frustrated because of his/her history of failure at weight management. They feel as if they can’t stop themselves from over-eating, despite knowing it’s self-destructive. They often feel like their right hand is stuffing food  [Read more...]

So often, especially on a Monday morning, or if I haven’t seen a client for longer than usual, upon entering my office and before they get on the scale, they will pronounce, “You’re going to be angry with me” or “Don’t be angry with me.” As you can surmise, and as I instantly know  [Read more...]

Does society (through the industries of entertainment and fashion mostly) sometimes bombard us with ridiculous standards of body image, especially when it comes to women? Yes. Should we all do our part to reverse it by making normal-sized people feel confident in themselves and stop them from thinking they are fat? Yes   [Read more...]

Everyone knows about the stereotypical, overbearing, helicopter parent that sees their kid’s straight-A report card and asks, “Why no A+?” This kind of joke is apparently very funny to people without such parents but depressing and straightforwardly true to people who have them.   Well, you get the exact same kind of people when  [Read more...]

As consumers, of which I am one of course, we have those retail stores or service providers with whom we prefer to shop over others, whether because of the value they provide over others who may provide the same product or service, or the in-store shopping experience that one store provides over another,  [Read more...]

Half the battle of weight loss is trying to stay on track, and it doesn’t help if your loved ones aren’t being as supportive as they should be.   📌 Does your spouse bring you a huge box of chocolates every Valentine’s Day?   📌 Does your mother-in-law shove home-baked goodies in  [Read more...]

The foundations for cardiovascular disease in adults are laid in childhood and accelerated by the presence of obesity (as well as diabetes and high blood pressure). Geetha Raghuveer, MD, a pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kanas City, MO, and an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Missouri Kansas City  [Read more...]

Life works in mysterious ways.Who would have thought that the infertility roller coaster would lead me to what I am doing today. Prior to my getting married at the ripe “old” age of 36, I had been living on my own since I was 21. I was enjoying a great corporate career in  [Read more...]

The official launch of summer – bathing suit season — is not that far off. Many overweight teenagers, both girls AND boys, are especially unhappy and uncomfortable at this time of year because they can’t hide behind layers of clothes as they do in the fall and winter.   Most won’t go to  [Read more...]

“There’s no such thing as failure; there are only results.”   This gem is attributed to Tony Robbins, one of the world’s most famous motivational speakers, and is used ad nauseum by business coaches, commencement speakers, and so many others.   So, in other words, whenever we attempt to do something and don’t succeed  [Read more...]

Have you ever known a habitual liar? They’re the people who lie so much to so many that they can’t keep their lies straight. They don’t remember what they told to whom. All the mental work involved in trying to keep their lies straight is exhausting!   Well, yo-yo dieting can have the same  [Read more...]

While women are more of the habitual dieters, yo-yo’ing their way from one quick-fix product or program to the next, in my experience it’s the men who opt not to seek professional assistance, preferring to try to do it on their own. I’ve been told by many of them that it is because they  [Read more...]

“It’s so easy to lose weight without dieting or exercising!” “Eat whatever you want and still lose weight!” “Lose weight forever…you’ll never need to diet again!” “Block the digestion and absorption of fat, carbs, or calories!” “Rapid weight loss: Lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks!”“Lose 40 pounds in 30 days.” “Finally, a weight loss  [Read more...]

About a year ago, I had a phone inquiry with a woman who, conservatively, had to lose 75 pounds. I say “conservatively,” because I guesstimated at that number based on what she told me her weight and height was over the phone. From my many years experience, it’s safe to say that almost 99%  [Read more...]

“Eat everything in moderation.”    We hear this advice a lot from diet/lifestyle gurus, fitness professionals and physicians. It’s a common expression as relates to the indulgence (or over-indulgence) of food or drink — the so-called occasional “pig-out” or “going off the wagon.”   I get asked my opinion on this  [Read more...]

When you walk past an elementary school, or day camp, or food court at the mall, the chances are that most of the kids you come across will be overweight or obese. What are parents of already obese 8–10-year-old kids thinking when their children are gorging on 1/2-pound burgers with onion rings and  [Read more...]

Want to bring out the worst in people? Lose weight! Whether it’s 10 pounds or a ton, just watch and see how you’ll be showered with so much fattening food—by people who claim to love you! Why is that? When dieters fall off the wagon, they’re always shocked to think that someone  [Read more...]

Did you ever consider all the lessons kids can learn in the kitchen, which can benefit them both at home and at school? Here’s why I believe ALL school-age kids should join their moms and dad in the kitchen.   1- Cooking teaches your child about eating well. Kids are receptive to conversations  [Read more...]

The festival of Chanukah is one of the best loved holidays in the Jewish calendar. The powerful images of the miracles of the Jewish victory over the Selucid Greeks in the 2nd Century BCE and the miracle of the one-day supply of oil burning eight days in the re-dedication of the Temple are an  [Read more...]

My husband is as slim as the day I married him. He bothers me about my weight. I avoid intimacy with my husband because I know how he feels about my gaining so much weight during our marriage. I don’t sleep well through the night; I’ve started to snore. It gets so bad sometimes  [Read more...]

As happens quite often, I recently read a great article, Hey Sales Reps: Stop Chasing Shiny Objects and Get to Work! by Larry Levine, sales guru, trainer and coach. Anyway, his article was about how sales organizations are focusing too much on the “shiny new thing” — “social selling” (encouraging sales reps to establish  [Read more...]

Most of the overweight young people I see in the office have overweight or obese parents. Often, despite a child’s size and health issues or risks, many of these parents are in denial of the consequences of a do-nothing attitude, and they are resistant to acknowledging the role they played in their child’s obesity.  [Read more...]

Are you an obese parent with overweight kids? Do YOU like living the life of an overweight person? Is that what you want for your children? Do YOU like shopping for clothes that look good on you instead of being able to buy the clothes you like and want to wear?  [Read more...]

I’m really angry today. A mom stopped in to inquire about an appointment for her 15-year old daughter. The mom was referred by her friend (a physician) whose young son was a successful client of ours.This woman’s daughter weighed 170 pounds at her last pediatric “well” visit.Can you imagine?!170 pounds?! 15 years old?!(Coincidentally,  [Read more...]

Dear Dr. ________: The season is about to change. The leaves are about to change colors of red, orange and yellow. The sunrise and sunset times are about to change. The temperatures are about to change. The lazy days of summer will change to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.   [Read more...]

I love this time of year and the wonderful changes it brings. The season is about to change. The leaves are about to change colors of red, orange and yellow. The sunrise and sunset times are about to change. The temperatures are about to change. Summer camp changes to  [Read more...]

Recently, a 17-year old client who lives 10 minutes away and had a 9:00 a.m. appointment, called the office at 9:05 to say there was a big car accident one block up (on a well-traveled road) from my office, and that’s why he was running late but that he’d be there shortly. About 10  [Read more...]

Diets that encourage eating only one type of food or promise rapid weight loss can be dangerous to your health. The short list of the possible risks posed by fad diets includes: Nutritional deficiencies caused by a lack of a balanced diet. Lack of variety in foods causes boredom and frustration, and makes  [Read more...]

“I’m not really that overweight; I’m big boned!” If I had a couple of bucks for every client that has said that to me over the years, I could have retired years ago! There is such a thing as being big boned—but it’s not a medical term, and it’s never used  [Read more...]

There are many excuses that clients use to try and convince themselves that their weight gain is not their fault, that a bad eating day is not their fault, that a weight stall is not their fault, that they’re not losing weight fast enough is not their fault, that boredom with what they’re eating is  [Read more...]

You stick to a diet. You lose a lot of weight. You go off the diet. You gain it all back. You get depressed. You start bingeing. You gain it all back. You go on another diet. You lose some weight. You go off the diet. You gain it all back. You get depressed.  [Read more...]

I see a lot of very overweight and obese young women, and I talk to them about all the pitfalls of being obese, not the least of which how it can affect their fertility as well as how their weight will affect their children starting right in the womb and then all the years  [Read more...]

Here’s another one from the vault of wacky weight loss gimmicks: The Candy Diet! OK, folks . . . so here’s a word to the wise (or, I should say, to the not-too-wise): Unless you’re Forrest (“life is like a box of chocolates”) Gump, if diet pills look like a box of chocolates, they’re  [Read more...]

Parents and students of all ages are in countdown mode for spring break . . . and with that of course comes the anticipated family vacations. (And the end of school and summer vacations are not far behind.) Now is the time that many clients start telling me that, as much as they are  [Read more...]

One of the questions I get asked by many female clients is “Why does my friend eat anything she wants and never gains weight?”     And my answer is always the same: “Don’t worry, be happy; it’ll catch up with her!” . . . and believe me, folks, it always does.   If you  [Read more...]

Obesity is a high risk for a long list of serious medical diagnoses, as well as poor health in general. That translates to higher healthcare costs associated with those medical issues. Two thirds of a typical American workforce is overweight or obese. They are at a higher risk for developing the diseases that  [Read more...]

We all hear this saying a lot, and perhaps others of us say it a lot. Either way, it’s a common expression most often used as relates to the indulgence (or over-indulgence) of food or drink. The so-called “occasional pig-out” or “going off the wagon.”  I get asked my opinion on this quite  [Read more...]

I know it’s strange to find a “how to” article focusing on adding fat to your body. You might say that we already know how to do that—since 2/3 of Americans are overweight and 1/3 are clinically obese. You might say we’ve already mastered this topic! I want to challenge that assumption. I think  [Read more...]

I think it’s safe to say that mostparents are dedicated to their child’s oral, visual and physical well-beingand diligently schedule annual check-ups at the dentist, eye doctor and pediatrician. Why is it, then, that so many of those same parents do NOT put the same emphasis on their kids’eating habits? After all, what  [Read more...]

Not surprisingly, I meet many people who have all the various medical issues associated with being overweight and obese: diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, acid reflux, insulin resistance . . . just to name a few. Unfortunately, I find that too many have a very cavalier attitude about it. When I question whether or not  [Read more...]

Uh ohhhhh . . . they’re baaaack  . . . the holidays!  They come one after the other, in rapid fire: Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. How are you going to handle all the fattening foods and drinks that inevitably accompany every party, gathering or event? Food is a big and  [Read more...]

When you think of the word diet, do you think of it as a noun or a verb? The answer to that question may very well explain why dietingis so difficult for so many. Those who struggle the most with weight loss and lifestyle change are those whose underlying intention is to change  [Read more...]

Would you let your children smoke cigarettes? Then don’t do it.   Would you let your children do drugs? Then don’t do it.   Would you let your children drink alcohol and drive? Then don’t do it.   Would you let your children stop eating to lose weight? Then, don’t do it.   Would  [Read more...]

Every now and then I like to remind everyone that foolish, fad diets aren’t new to modern times. I’ve previously written aboutThe Candy Diet,The Cigarette Diet,The Tapeworm Diet, and theFruit Salt Pills & Bands; Reducing Soap; Bile Beans and Fat Girls Diets. It’s time to go back into the vault of dumb, dopey  [Read more...]

I have worked with thousands of clients over the years, many of whom have come to me after having a liposuction procedure to learn how to eat correctly to lose a small amount of weight, 10 to 15 pounds, as well as how to keep it off so that the procedure they had would  [Read more...]

Marriage vows are a commitment a couple makes to each other during a wedding ceremony. And while of course couples often do write their own vows, we are all at least familiar with the following: I, ____, take you, ____, to be my lawfully wedded(husband/wife), to have and to hold from this day forward,  [Read more...]

When you look in the mirror, what do you see?  It’s obvious: You see your face, your hair, and all your external body parts, and lots and lots of skin.  But what you don’t see is what’s going on inside . . . and if you’re overweight or obese I’m talking about the stuff that  [Read more...]

Even after all these years of listening to new clients recite a long list of diets (aka “torture”) they’ve put themselves through, I am still not immune to being shocked by how some will resort to absolutely insane levels in order to avoid hard work. Too many people would rather put up with stinky breath  [Read more...]

Just when you think you’ve heard about all the crazy, idiotic, ridiculous (and oftentimes dangerous) weight loss gimmicks, I’ll write about another one. As with The Cigarette Diet, which I wrote about in Take a Puff, Lose a Pound, here’s another from the you-can’t-make-this-sh*t-up department. Ever hear of The Tapeworm Diet?  This particular diet  [Read more...]

An article by psychotherapist and marriage counselor, Mel Schwartz, For the Sake of the Children, really struck a nerve with me. Of course, it speaks about “working” at a marriage; that’s what we commit to on our wedding day. When all working fails, however, the whole notion of “staying together for the sake  [Read more...]

If you’re an active business person, especially a small business owner or entrepreneur who wears many hats all day long, it is so important to eat right every day to keep your body satiated and brain mentally focused throughout the long work day.  And this has nothing to do with your size (overweight or  [Read more...]

While obesity affects both women and men, it’s women who more often, in my experience, will eventually seek professional assistance of some kind to lose weight, or do one quick-fix gimmick after another. Men, on the other hand, again in my experience and going by what they tell me when we meet for  [Read more...]

“Science Says You Should Pay Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies” is the headline of an article in the September 10, 2015, issue of the New York Post. This so-called scholarly scientific study actually recommends that if you want your kids to eat more fruits and vegetables, you gotta show them the  [Read more...]

When it comes to weight loss, and also to weight maintenance, there are 3 things that we are in control of 99% of the time: WHAT, HOW MUCH and WHEN we eat.     During your normal, everyday routines, and barring any extraordinary circumstances of course, you must plan your menus in advance based  [Read more...]

As parents, we are responsible for the environment in which we raise our children — emotionally, physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually. That responsibility is enormous. All the years our children are home before spreading their wings and beginning the next chapters of their lives, they are listening to us, watching us, and soaking it  [Read more...]

When you walk past an elementary school, or day camp, or food court at the mall, chances are that most of the kids you see are either overweight or obese.   What are parents of obese 8–10-year-old kids thinking when their children are gorging on 1/2-pound burgers with onion rings and fries, massive amounts  [Read more...]

Diets, especially fad diets or “quick-fix” plans — the pills, the powders, the packaged plans . . . a.k.a. “The Pitfall Programs” — often set you up for failure because:   📌You feel deprived. Diets that cut out entire groups of food, such as carbs or fat, are simply impractical, not to mention unhealthy.  [Read more...]

Of the very long list of health problems that childhood obesity can create, another health problem is the development of ear, nose and throat problems . . . including the development of sleep apnea. Does your child snore? Does your child show other signs of disturbed sleep: long pauses in breathing, a  [Read more...]

Over the past several years, while obesity rates have increased in most age groups in the United States, the biggest rise has been in older adults. More recently (2017, America’s Health Rankings analysis of CDC), numbers show that over 60% of adults aged 60 and older are overweight; and almost 40% are  [Read more...]

Here’s another one from the you-can’t-make-this-stupid-sh*t-up department. Can you believe that in the days before cigarette smoking was passe, tobacco companies actually marketed lighting up as a weight loss tool?! Lucky Strike cigarette ads advocated, “Light a Lucky and you’ll never miss sweets that make you fat,” and “Avoid that future [double-chin] shadow  [Read more...]