Obesity

How is the need to lose weight measured? In the medical community, there are guidelines that are used to determine whether a person is of average weight, underweight or overweight. The ideal weight for each height is given in a range of numbers. For example, if you are a female who is 5´2″, you would find your height, look under the column for women, and see an ideal weight range between 101 and 128 pounds. That is a weight difference of 27 pounds, which is a huge deal for body weight! However, what this means is not that it is okay for all women who are 5´2″ to fall just anywhere in this weight range. [Read more]

Unlike subcutaneous fat, which lies just under the skin, visceral fat accumulates deep inside your stomach region and blankets the organs. Consequently, visceral fat is more dangerous than other fat, such as hip and thigh, because it smothers the organs, triggering health risks such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. [Read more]

High blood pressure is often referred to as the “Silent Killer” because it typically has no outward or obvious symptoms and is one of the leading causes of stroke and heart disease among Americans. It is estimated that 1 in 3 adults (approximately 75 million) have high blood pressure. Periodic blood pressure checks are the only way to diagnose the disease. [Read more]

Most people, when they notice their waistlines are growing, quickly blame the fat in their diet. They start reducing the fat they eat without considering other factors that might be the true cause of their weight gain. Most of the time, the sugar we eat is the real culprit that sabotages our weight and well-being. [Read more]

Weight loss surgery can be a life-changing procedure, especially when traditional weight loss techniques fail to yield results. Provided that you follow your doctor’s guidelines, you can lose up to 70% of your excess weight over a period of two years. However, pre-operative preparation is essential both for your success and for your safety during the process, so you need to do some homework before scheduling that appointment. [Read more]

No matter what your greatest food weakness might be, there’s probably a healthy version of it. Your job is to find that version. Once you’ve replaced your very favorite food, go to number 2. Before you know it, the weight will be melting off, and you’re not even technically dieting; you’re just re-discovering the foodie in you. Now that you have a plan, the hard part is done. Welcome to the healthier, skinnier you! You just got a step closer [Read more]

Weight gain may seem to be an inevitable part of aging, but it’s not. While there are several reasons an individual’s weight might increase as they get older, there are also ways to deal with it. Causes of age-related weight gain after weight loss surgery, include slowing metabolism. A slower metabolism results in fewer calories burned even when the level of activity remains the same. Muscle mass also decreases with age; seniors lose 1-2 percent of their muscle each year after age 50. The remaining muscle can lose strength at an even faster rate, and some people lose muscle strength at a rate of 5 percent per year. [Read more]

Weight loss is a bigger challenge today than it has ever been. With so much junk food and take out readily available, many people have trouble controlling their cravings. When the best laid diet and exercise plans fail, people often turn to bariatric surgery to lose weight. Bariatric surgery is a series of weight loss procedures that reduce the amount of food you can eat. If you are thinking about going under the knife to help you lose weight, here are some things you should know first. [Read more]