Control your calorie intake

What you see here is just a small sample of what's now available at our Health Extenders practice as part of our newly designed weight loss program. For more information, you may contact us by email. If you live in our area (Fairfield County, CT) and want to have a comprehensive evaluation of your weight loss needs, contact us by phone at (203) 853-1919.

This will help you lose weight and remain thinner

Many of you have been aware of our weight loss programs at our practice for years. At home, Sandy and I find it helpful to control our breakfast calorie intake by using HMR shakes. We prefer the HMR 70 vanilla mix. Try it if you wish. This is how we use it:

1 packet of HMR 70 vanilla mix
1 glass filled ½ with crushed ice & ½ with water
1 tsp Hershey’s powdered cocoa (sugar-free)
Place HMR packet in bottom of blender.
Then add ice, water and cocoa and blend.

Optional additions:
½ banana or,
½ cup berries
extracts (calorie free)

Add to partially-blended shake and blend again for an additional minute.

Enjoy!

Calories:
HMR 70 110 calories
Banana/berries 50 calories (approx)
Hersheys cocoa 5 calories

Total 165 calories (approx)

You may use 1 ½ to 2 packets of HMR, but remember to count your calories. You may experiment with other fruits and extracts to create a special shake for yourself.

Share your experience with us. Selected recipes will be published with full credits (and 6 free packets of the mix with your next order of HMR shakes).

Weight loss 2011 – How we handle it at our practice

So you decided to lose weight, but you're not sure you're doing it the right way?

Know that you are not alone. More than two thirds of adult Americans need to lose weight. Of these, more than half are severely overweight (BMI, body mass index, greater than 30; normal is 20-25), and are at significant medical risk. A major reason why Americans don't live as long as they should is obesity.

Here is some of what we do to help:

• Evaluate your need for weight loss
• Assess reasons why you're having difficulty in losing weight
• Make sure there is no medical abnormality responsible for your increased weight
• Measure (not guess) your metabolic rate, and calculate your daily calorie requirement
• Design a diet-exercise program that meets your specific requirements, taking into account any medical condition thou may have
• Assess your ability to do exercise and prescribe an exercise/physical activity program (and you don't have to be an athlete to do it…)
• Identify and reduce overeating triggers
• Provide calorie-specific meal replacements and snacks
• Prescribe medication to control appetite, where applicable

Don't try to lose weight too fast. One-to-two pounds a week is good.
Don't wait, just do it!

New Year's Resolutions... Will You Keep Them?

As 2011 approaches, many of us will be making New Year’s resolutions. Some of the most popular resolutions will follow the usual tradition: to make a commitment to fitness, stop smoking, and lose weight. But times are changing, and so do the resolutions. Now, with economic stress and job pressure, many people may choose to "shoot" for a less stressful life.

In reality, 50% of those who start an exercise program drop out within less than 6 months and their treadmills become dust collectors; too many lost pounds are rapidly regained, and cigarettes continue to be a big seller. And soon after you enjoy a few days of rest, daily stresses resurface. So how do you succeed?

Don’t try to make too many changes. Identify the issues most important to you, and concentrate on the top two. For most people, this translates into increasing exercise, and managing stress.

Exercise: For beginners, it's extremely important to make realistic goals. Trying for a six minute mile on the first day is not realistic, and potentially dangerous. Cardiovascular exercise is the most important, with stretching and moderate muscle strengthening next.
Start exercising slowly. Gradually increase the intensity and duration in small increments until a relatively high level of exercise can be tolerated. Even if you are a regular exerciser and took a “holiday break,” restart at a lower level, and progressively return to your usual level. If you’re sedentary or over 35 years old, or are not known to be in excellent health, see your health care provider before strenuous exercise.

Stress: What is stressful to one person may not be stressful to another. Stress is best defined as a situation which requires a behavioral adjustment (Dr. Herbert Benson, Mind/Body Medical Institute). Stress increases the body's adrenalin production, and with it physiologic changes occur, including a rise in heart rate and blood pressure. This was the flight-or-fight response of the cave man, frequently unsuitable for dealing with “modern” stress. Some stress is important as a motivator for daily function and long-term achievement, but excess stress takes away from life’s enjoyment and productivity, and can make hypertension and other medical conditions permanent.
The Relaxation Response is an effective antidote to stress, which can be learned and practiced by almost anyone. It can be elicited by many techniques, including meditation, diaphragmatic breathing, imagery, yoga, and progressive muscle relaxation. All techniques involve a brief, intense focusing of attention, and the passive disregard of everyday thoughts. Many books have been written on the subject, and a copy of a progressive muscle relaxation routine can be obtained from our office (just give us a call or request it on your next visit).

There is a wonderful synergism between exercise and stress management. With regular exercise, the body produces its “relaxation hormones,” endorphins; and with relaxation management, the likelihood to succeed in exercise increases remarkably.

People who exercise regularly and practice stress management say that, to them, these habits have become an addiction. What a great “addiction” to have…

I Can't Exercise - Just Do It!

 

I am not here to convince you to exercise; you already know the reasons why you should. Yet, more than 60% of Americans under-exercise, and of these, more than 25% are simply sedentary. The remainder of this writing is taken from my previously published  EzineArticles and other articles.

Common reasons given for failure to exercise include: I don't have the time...I'm too tired...I don't know what type of exercise to do...I have a medical condition (usually a "bad heart," back pain or knee pain)...I'm too heavy... I become short of breath...I can't afford the gym...It's boring...I'm too old.

And there are more innovative excuses: my uncle lived to 106 and he never exercised (we should all be blessed with such good genes)...It's too cold outdoors in the winter...I'm always away... I do enough at work...

You get the idea.

Almost any form of physical activity is helpful, but a good exercise program should include at least 30 minutes of moderate, aerobic physical exercise most days of the week. Examples of aerobic exercise are brisk walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming and aerobic dance. An effective exercise program should include:

• Warm-up, 3 to 5 minutes. A warm-up gradually increases your heart rate and the blood flow to the heart and muscles preparing them for exercise. To warm-up, do the activity you have chosen to do (for example walking or biking), but at a slower pace during the warm-up period.
• Aerobic activity, at least 30 minutes (build up gradually from 15 minutes over several weeks). With aerobic exercise you use more oxygen to burn calories for the extra energy you spend. Exercise within your target heart rate zone (target charts are available in gyms, on the net, and at your doctor's office).
• Cool-down 3 to 5 minutes. Cooling down allows your heart rate, breathing and blood pressure to return to normal, and allows you to stretch better.
• Stretching, 5 to 10 minutes. Stretching will improve your flexibility, decrease muscle soreness and help you relax. It's important to stretch those muscles you were using during exercise. Hold each stretch for 15-20 seconds, but don't stretch to the point of pain.
• Strength training, which is a very important component of a good exercise program.

Before you start an exercise program, check with your doctor if you are over 40 or have a history of medical problems. If you truly have special needs, a reasonable exercise program can usually still be designed for you.

Start before it's time for New Year's resolutions

Are you interested in checking your degree of conditioning and your general exercise capacity? We have a unique testing facility where we measure your maximum oxygen capacity (known as vO2max) and tell you how fit you are. The test is done as part of a cardiopulmonary exercise evaluation, under medical supervision. We are the only free standing medical facility in our area performing this type of evaluation.