Healthy Weight Loss for Life: June 2012

June 28, 2012

13 Weight Loss Tips For Men

13 weight loss tips for men

If you are a man chasing weight loss tips in magazines, newspapers and the television, you may have already realized that there is not much aimed at you, but plenty of advice for women. While all the lifestyle and fitness magazines ignore your concerns, here are 13 weight loss tips that will help you toss those girly magazines in the dustbin.

Start your day off geared towards your goal of losing weight. Replace your usual breakfast with a health meal replacement shake. It will not only taste great but will also keep you feeling fuller for longer and therefore, make you eat less. Eventually, eating less will help you control your diet.
Tell yourself to not eat anything after 9 p.m. Anything includes both healthy and unhealthy food. Plan your last meal at such a time that your body has enough time to utilize it before you go to sleep. Eating right before sleeping makes one store fat.
When you go out, make sure you park it at the farther end of the parking space. This will help you in engaging in quick power walks every time you want to use the car. This will work wonders, especially if you have something heavy to carry all through the way till where your car is parked.
Use Friday to eat moderate quantity's of your favorite food because of course you do not want to waste all your time eating healthy for 6 days only to store as much fat in one day as you burnt in 6 days.
Spend the weekends working out. A lot of us can find a plethora of excuses to avoid working out on weekdays, but you must find time for burning extra calories on weekends. If you take out time for working out, with every workout weekend, you will be getting a step closer to your goal.
If you do not feel like cooking on the stove, because you just don't have the time of energy, microwave the meals! Yes, there are health yet filling frozen dinners out there, you just have to find them. Make sure you have some of these in your freezer, there easier than going for fast food, saving you from that fat pill, and get you closer to achieving your goal.
Eating after working out will help you burn more calories. Besides, working out makes you hungry soon after. Protein is the key here. You are trying to achieve two things with your work out, weight loss and muscle mass. Of the may nutrients you body need to build muscle, protein is #1. because your body can only process on average 30 grams of protein in 3 hours, you need consume protein before and after you work out. The best rule of thumb is 15 grams 20 minutes before, and 20 grams after your work out. you can do this easily with a protein shake.
Always take the stairs when there is an option of going through escalators or flights of stairs. Climbing or running a few flights of stairs helps burn a lot of calories.
Flavor food with the help of spices instead of high calorie ingredients such as sauces.
Tell your friends and family about your weight loss goals as long as you don’t mind them being discussed. Talking about weight loss tips with a colleague or close friend will only motivate you to move harder towards your goal. Stay plugged into on line weight loss support groups, the most of people the people in them are genuinely there for the same reason.
Post a picture of what you look like before starting the weight loss regimen on your bathroom mirror. Looking at your picture first thing in the morning as soon as you enter the bathroom will help you motivate yourself to achieve weight loss success. You may also buy a few clothes of a smaller size that you have always wished to achieve and try them every day to see the progress you are making at achieving your weight loss goal.
Stock a box of granola bars or cereal bars at your desk and eat them as snack instead of pushing your fingers into a jar of candies.
Keep junk food at the rear of your cupboard or refrigerator. Ensure that you have the base and easily accessible-through-hand area of the cupboard or refrigerator filled with fruits and other healthy ready-to-eat food. The best thing to do would be to not stack junk food in your cupboard at all, which may be difficult in the beginning and therefore you, can gradually reduce the consumption of junk and unhealthy food.

Thank you.

John Cardinal

The Truth about Water and Dieting!

You do not need a Gallon of Water Plus a Day!

It amazes me just how many people have fallen into the miss conception that drinking mass quantities of water will, 1) speed weight loss and 2) detoxify there body's.

It's Just Not True!

But Water Detoxify's My Body!

I have heard this so many times, "Drinking mass quantities of water through out the day detoxifies the body". The only two elements in water are Hydrogen and Oxygen. Neither of them have a detoxifying effect on the body. Water works more like a bulldozer to toxins in your body. Water tries to push toxins out, but is only marginally effective. There are nutrients that you can add to that water like anti-oxidants and such that will help, but that is for another discussion. When we speak of Detoxifying ones body there are two things to consider. 1) Detoxifying our digestive system, and 2) detoxifying our body. Both involve supplements that do in fact detoxify. In the case of our digestive system we look for supplements that help clean out old wast from our digestive tract, and rejuvenate the Villi cells in our intestines that are responsible for removing and redistributing the healthy nutrients we eat into our body. No amount of water will accomplish this on it's own! In the case of whole body detoxification, we do this in much the same way, water with anti-oxidants and healthy supplements, but the key is to move that fortified water though your whole body. You have to Sweat! This is accomplished by speeding up your cardiovascular system and pushing those supplements through your body and out your sweat glands, you "detoxify" your body. Again water alone will not do it.

Well Surely Water Helps Me Loss Weight!

Yes, you are right, but not in the sense the overwhelming majority of people think. Try as you may, the only truly conclusive correlation you will find about water and weight loss is that drinking 12 ounces of water with your meals will cause you to feel fuller faster. Well how about the importance of hydration? The most impressive study I found was done on 2500 female collage athletes. Half where told to drink 16 ounces of water 4 times a day, and the other half was to drink water only when thirsty. Throughout the study researchers found no significant difference in hydration between the two groups. Your body is a hell of a machine, it will let you know when it needs something. You work harder and your body will want more water, and needs more energy. When your sitting still, take the right vitamins, minerals and proper supplements and let it do what it does!

Then Who Started All This!

This is where you need to play detective for your own curiosity. But this is my take on the origins of this misconception. I'm sure most of you remember about 15 years ago when this fad first started coming to light. You should also remember that it was precisely that time that the big three soda company's started marketing bottled water. Rule #1 of mass marketing: Fill a need! Rule #2 of mass marketing: Where no need exists, create one! If you closely look at the the study's that promote mega water, you will usually find it is funded by Soda.

So Whats the Bottom Line!

You would be surprised at the amount of water you consume in a day through the foods that you eat each day. Is it enough? No, but if you ensure that you drink 12 ounces of water with your meals you are OK. On those days where you may need more, your body will surely let you know!

Thank you.

John Cardinal

I’m exercising, but not losing weight. What gives?

I’m exercising, but not losing weight. What gives?

We know, we know. It may sound cruel and unfair, but your work outs alone won’t make you thin. While exercise burns calories, it has another effect: it stimulates hunger. That causes us to eat more, which in turn can reverse our weight-loss.

So, that post-work out white chocolate and raspberry muffin from Starbucks you feel you’ve earned? Well, chances are it’s putting back on what you worked so hard to shed. If you are holding a few extra ponds, it's because your body , for a number of reasons, feels it need that supply of fat. So that food that you consume post work out will tend to go towards replenishing that supply. Exercise, in other words, doesn’t necessarily help us lose weight. It may even make it harder. All is not lost. I have a few tips to help transform you into a lean, mean, calorie-burning machine. (As long as you stand well back from those chocolate muffins, that is…)

1. Eat right
Make sure you have a well-balanced diet. Studies show that people who eat ample fruits and vegetables have smaller waist lines.Cellular Nutrition is the key. cellular nutrition is a three pronged approach to a healthy you.

1) Consumption: You body needs a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids, EFA's ( Essential Fatty Acids), Vitamins, minerals, fiber, and micro-nutrients.

2) Absorption: The cells in our intestines that break down and absorb all those important nutrients that our body needs are called Villi. Unfortunately over time due to Stress, Poor Nutrition, Yo-yo Dieting and even the common cold, those villi cell tent to swell, curl up or become covered with mucus. There are many product out there that will restore those villi cells, of course I recommend Herbalife's Cell Activator. This product is all natural and backed by 30+ years of research. I have seen and felt it's benefits.

3) Activation: This is where the right weight loss Program comes in. Consuming the proper nutrition while reducing your cravings for junk food is the key. Having accountability with a weight loss coach and an on line community of like minded individuals makes the process so much more enjoyable. Great Shape Today provides all this and more.

2. Stick to a plan
A training schedule is a simple way to stay motivated to run. You’ll know exactly what you need to do every day and each work out builds on the next, so it’s much harder to skip workouts. A plan can also help avoid an exercise related injury by not increasing your intensity too quickly. Consistency is key.

3. Up the intensity
You burn about 100 calories for every 15 min. you work out. As intensity increases, so does calorie burning, up to 10 calories per minute. That might not sound like much, but it all adds up. After a work out, you burn additional calories as your body recovers. There are various studies which back this up. One in particular found that a high intensity session boosted the “after burn” effect by more than double, compared with a low intensity session. Remember that PROTEIN is the key to increased muscle mass. Your body can only consume 30 grams of protein in a three hour period during normal activity. You need to consume 20 grams of protein 20 min. before your work out, and 30 grams post work out.

4. Eat often
It might sound counter-intuitive, but for maximum weight loss aim for two meals of a healthy nutrient rich meal replacement shake, one healthy balanced meal and two snacks between. A study in 2010 involving more than 3,000 people found that those who ate more than three times a day had a lower body mass index, smaller waist-line and drank less alcohol compared to those who limited eating to three times a day or less. Researchers figure that eating often keeps your metabolism humming along and prevents you getting too hungry.

5. Increase work out duration
It may sound obvious, but it is effective. The more time you add to your work out, the more calories you burn. The relationship between work out duration and calories burned remains the same whether you’re adding 15 minutes to your work out or one hour. Beware of extending your work outs fast, though. It’s a sure-fire way to get an injury, and that is the last thing we want.

Thank you.

John Cardinal

June 27, 2012

Take Weight Loss and Nutrition Seriously!

Take weight loss and Nutrition Seriously

It has been estimated that 65 percent of American adults are classified as being overweight or obese. Concern for our kid's health being impacted by obesity has become a major issue as well. This is very important, since excess body weight is most often labeled as a major risk factor for poor health.

Even though uncontrollable factors like genetics, age and gender influence, our body composition, it is nice to know we do have control over other factors like foods, vitamins and exercise that help keep us healthy. Another comforting concept I like about exercise is that you can make the decision to start anytime. So, if you have not begun your physical activity program, it’s OK, start today. Just remember to check with your health care professional before beginning your exercise program.

The summer is a great time to start your quest for establishing healthy habits and weight loss for yourself and family. For weight reduction, decreasing body fat and body weight is important and may be achieved when a negative energy balance is maintained. This is achieved when daily energy expenditure exceeds daily caloric intake. Keeping your metabolism burning at a high rate is crucial for maximal caloric expenditure. It all begins substituting 2 of your meals a day with a health meal replacement shakes, and one sensible meal day with 2 healthy snacks in between. Ensure that the supplements you are taking are providing your body with all the essential vitamins and minerals necessary to fill in every nutritional gap. (see Supplements for Weight Loss)

When you provide your body what it needs, it has an amazing ability to perform at a high level and do what it is supposed to. It will help you burn the fat, keep your immune system strong, keep your intestines clean, build the lean muscle, and so much more as it relates to your better health, performance, quality of life, and ultimately weight loss.

Our body burns calories in several ways. One way our body expends a large percentage of energy (65 to 70 percent), is by supporting the physiological functions of normal life (breathing etc…). Another component of energy expenditure is the thermal effects of digesting the foods we eat (10 percent). The remaining 15 to 30 percent of energy expenditure comes from our physical activity, which includes occupational, recreational, daily activities and structured exercise.

Here are a few safe weight loss guidelines for you:
· Caloric intake should not be lower than 1,200 calories per day to stay strong.
· Include foods low in cholesterol and saturated fat and monitor your sodium.
· Negative caloric balance per day should not exceed 500 to 1,000 calories to promote gradual weight loss.
· Two to three pounds of weight loss per week is very healthy, more if on a structured weight loss program.
· Identify, modify and eliminate poor dietary habits.
· Exercise program should promote daily caloric expenditure of 300 calories or more.
· Make dietary and physical modifications that can be maintained throughout life.

Maximizing your caloric expenditure with regular cardiovascular or aerobic exercise is important. Typically, 20 to 30 minutes of continuous activity most days is satisfactory. If you are a beginner or an older exerciser, it may be more feasible to complete two to three shorter sessions of 10 to 15 minutes each. Just do what you can. You may only be able to complete five-minute sessions when you begin your program. That’s OK! Just remember, your program should be viewed as a marathon for life, and not a 50-yard sprint.

Everyone is different and must stay within their limitations during exercise. Duration and frequency of exercise are more important than intensity. Although higher intensity exercise may yield greater caloric expenditure, it is also more likely to cause injury than low intensity programs. Elite athletes may endure high intensity exercise with proper training. Always start slow and build up incrementally as your body adapts. Go from one day a week to two days, followed by two days to three, until you get to five days per week progressively. Take your time! This process may take weeks or months depending on the age or fitness level of the individual involved. Finally, resistance training using dumbbells, strength machines, proper nutrition, fluids and supplementation are so very important to promote weight loss. It increases lean body mass, which causes an increase in your resting metabolic rate. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, it makes it easier to achieve your negative caloric balance, maintain a healthy body composition, improves your physical independence, quality of life, as well as weight loss.

Thank you.

John Cardinal

June 26, 2012

5 Biggest Mistakes in Weight Loss

What are the five biggest mistakes that people make when they are trying to lose weight? Below are my answers and recommendations for overcoming those obstacles.

1. Lack of flexibility. There need to be scheduled breaks. When there is no flexibility or detours (where every “bad” decision feels like a loss), it’ll be impossible to stick with. We all make bad choices sometimes, so we shouldn’t beat ourselves up about it. With the Great Shape Today weight loss program, you not only have a personal coach, but you are linked into a hole community of friends to get you back on the path to a health life style.

2. Prepare, prepare, prepare your meals in advance. When you fail to prepare your meals in advance, it becomes so much easier to give into the temptations that are everywhere (fast food/most convenient food option). When meals are prepared in advance, you won’t feel that same temptation. This again is the beauty of Great Shape Today’s program. Two of your meals are already planned for you, and planning for one meal a day for the week can be that much easier.

3. Thinking that just because it’s low-fat or fat-free it’s good for you. Don’t fall into the misleading advertising traps. Many foods that say they are low in fat (white bread, white pasta, sugary cereals, granola bars, sodas, juices, SpaghettiOs, Ramen noodles, etc.) either are truly not, or a filled with chemicals that your body definitely does not need.

4. Not understanding the psychological battles that come with weight loss (plateaus, food addictions, fear of being judged at the gym, etc.). Understanding the physical side of weight loss (diet and exercise) is one thing, but I learned that the toughest part is overcoming the mental and emotional battles. Stay focused on the prize, A Better You. With Great Shape Today, you will be able to surround yourself with a positive and supporting circle of friends with the same goal in mind.

5. Focusing too much on weight. Weight is not the best measurement for overall health. You can lose weight in an unhealthy way, so just because you’re losing weight doesn’t mean you’re becoming healthier. People need to focus more on becoming medically healthy first rather than just becoming skinny or weighing less. When you stop putting bad things into your body, and start taking the proper vitamins minerals and supplements, you can’t help but start feeling better and more energetic. Losing the weight becomes the bonus for a healthier you.

Thank you.

John Cardinal

June 24, 2012

3 Tips to Lose Weight, and Keep it Off!

3 Tips to Lose Weight, and Keep it Off!

1) Cardio Before Breakfast, Every Day - Sleep is your body's time to recover from the today, and prepare for tomorrow. It is at this time that your body does many wonderful things, the most important of them being the production of HGH (human growth hormone). It uses this HGH to heal muscular damage, and promote the growth of new cells. This HGH continues flowing through your veins for about an hour after you wake up, so take advantage of it. When you get up drink a protein shake that will provide you with 15 grams of protein and go get in some cardio! This is called Fasting Cardio because as little as 15 minutes of cardio first thing in the morning is actually burning stored fat. Then go on to tip #2.

2) Two nutritious meal replacement shakes and one Sensible Meal, with Two Healthy Snacks Between them, and a 12 ounce Glass of Water with Each Meal - Water obviously hydrates you but works for skin elasticity too and your overall look. And in fueling your body, there are no shortcuts! There is no shortage of advertizements for weight loss products out there. Ensure you have the proper amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fiber and minerals needed to energize you through your day. That’s the secret. Once you have reached your desired weight, cut down to one meal replacement shake, and two Sensible meals and two healthy snacks to maintain your desired weight.

3) Lift Weights Three to Four Days Per Week - It’s really important for muscle tone and also for skin tone. Your work outs should last 50 minutes, and target different muscle groups on different days. Women tend to shy away from weights but it really does work. You’re targeting things with a three-pronged approach of cardio, weights and healthy eating. They all work together as a matrix to help you get in shape quickly.

Whether you are trying to find a safe, comfortable and healthy way to lose weight and keep it off for life, or trying to maintain your current weight, and increase your energy level and overall Health, I would like to show you how simple this journey can be. Please use the following link to leave me a comment regarding your needs, and I will get right back with you. “Contact John”

Thank you.

John Cardinal

June 23, 2012

Become the Boss of Your Weight Loss

Become the Boss of Your Weight Loss

Here are five of My top tips to becoming the boss of your own weight loss:

1. Don't go it alone. A weight loss partner, like a friend or on line weight loss community’s, can provide motivation and accountability. You're more likely to go for a walk in the morning if you know your friend is going to hold you to task. Also, seek out social support. From posting updates on sites like Facebook Groups and Herbalhub , sharing your experiences can be motivating to both you and your followers.

2. Choose foods that are nutritious, slow and filling. Instead of trying to get the biggest bang for your buck, find meals and snacks that give you the most balanced nutrition with the least calories. Focus on foods with bulk such as salads, broth-based soups and oatmeal, and supplement them with low calorie fruits and vegetables. For snacks, look for low calorie, high fiber options that take a while to eat, such as grapes, sliced apples and fat-free popcorn.

3. Put on an awesome tool belt. Having the right tools and resources by your side will make the process easier by creating additional accountability and controls, such as a scale and pedometer that help you stay in control of your healthier lifestyle. Weight loss programs will provide you with all the additional resources you need to lose weight effectively and learn to keep it off. (see What to Expect from a Weight Loss Program)

4. Establish healthy habits. Creating a routine can make healthy living become second nature. Little changes such as replacing meals with a nutritionally balanced meal replacement shake, working out each morning, or at the very least doing 15 minutes of some form of cardio work out will have a profound and lasting effect. To help transition these new routines into autopilot, make sure you have an incentive to do it, and create a routine around it so it's easier to work into your life.

5. Control your environment. Temptation will eventually win, especially if poor food choices are easily accessible. Banish your trigger foods and replace them with healthy favorites. For example, try replacing that stash of chocolate in your desk with a protein bar or fruit. Healthy, high-fiber snacks, packed with protein, can satisfy your hunger and help keep you feeling full longer.

Stop thinking like a dieter with an eye on the finish line. Instead, think like someone who is trying to establish healthier habits that will stick for a lifetime, and become your own weight loss boss.

Thank you.

John Cardinal

June 21, 2012

Great news about on line weight loss systems!

On Line Weight Loss Systems Do Work!

Researchers created a website called AchieveTogether and evaluated the weight-loss success of users. They compared users with a group of people attempting to lose weight on their own, and then allowed that second group access to the site 12 weeks later.

"Internet-based weight loss programs are an important step help addressing the obesity epidemic, as they can be widely shared and used with low costs," said Jennifer L. Kraschnewski, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of medicine and public health sciences. "Existing Internet-based weight-loss strategies have largely promoted weight-loss strategies designed by health professionals, including goal-setting and features to promote social interaction. These programs have had positive long and short-term effects, suggesting that exploring alternative approaches may be beneficial."

The researchers used positive deviance to design their Web-based programs. Positive deviance is the idea that solutions to problems exist within a population experiencing that problem. Being connected to people going through the same trials as you has a profound positive effect. Forums like Facebook support groups and Herbalhub are leading this charge. By being able to share the successful behaviors or approaches that work for those who are most successful -- typically the top 10 percent –individuals will tend to stay on target this there weight loss goals. "Positive deviance has been used in diverse health-related interventions, but has not previously been used in weight-loss interventions," Kraschnewski said, until now.

For AchieveTogether, users were educated on 36 weight-loss behaviors identified in a previous study of people who maintained a weight loss of at least 30 pounds. These behaviors were evaluated by a physician for safety. Participants logged in to the site at least once a week and were asked to record their weight, height and frequency of using the weight loss practices. They were matched to three role models closest to them for gender, age and target body weight and could then view their role model's strategies for weight loss". there was is no debate about the benefits of this type of approach to weight loss.

The importance of an individual feeling part of a community is crucial in their overall success with weight loss. This has to be the main goal of a weight loss program.

Thank you.

John Cardinal

June 20, 2012

What No One Tells You About Weight Loss Surgery

This Surgery is Only for the very Obese!

"We sometimes get inquiries from people who might be just 50 pounds overweight, or even 20 or 30,” says Daniel Herron, M.D., chief of bariatric surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Although some unscrupulous doctors may operate on such people, the American Society for Bariatric Surgery guidelines say patients should have a body mass index (BMI) above 40 (which is about 100 pounds overweight), or a BMI above 35 plus serious obesity-related medical problems like type 2 diabetes.

It won’t necessarily make you thin.

Bypass patients typically drop 50 to 75 percent of their excess pounds within a year of surgery. After that, weight loss levels off and some patients, while no longer morbidly obese, are still overweight. Take someone who’s 200 pounds overweight, after losing 75 percent of that, or 150 pounds, she would still need to lose 50 extra pounds to get to a healthy BMI. What’s more, some patients gain back 10 to 20 percent of the lost weight within three to five years. While weight loss surgery has helped some patients, doctors agree cutting your stomach in half isn’t an ideal solution. Some severely obese people simply can’t lose enough weight through diet and exercise alone, but the goal is to lose weight without surgery. And it is possible for anyone!

Complications are the Norm

One in 200 patients die after gastric bypass surgery, the most common weight loss operation, in which a surgeon seals off most of a person’s stomach, drastically reducing the amount of food she can eat. Although those considering surgery are counseled about such risks, complications may be more common than many women believe. A new study found that about 40 percent of patients had problems ranging from diarrhea after eating fatty foods to hernias and intestinal leaks. And because gastric bypass shrinks the areas of the digestive tract that absorb nutrients, patients can develop deficiencies that must be supplemented for Life.

Surgical Complications

There are two common types of weight loss surgery. Gastric bypass surgery involves stapling off the lower part of the stomach and connecting the upper part to the small intestine. This procedure has more risks because it requires larger cuts and re-connections with stitches. The other type, gastric banding, is usually done laparascopically, involving just a few cuts in the skin. During the procedure a band or balloon is placed snugly around an area of the stomach like a belt. This method also results in a small pouch with a capacity of just a few ounces. Risks for any surgery include heart attack or stroke during the operation, infection in the incision or in the lungs and excessive blood loss. Dangers specific to gastric surgery are injury to the stomach or intestines during the procedure. These are more likely with gastric bypass surgery than with laparoscopic banding.

Post-Surgical Complications

After gastric bypass surgery there is the risk of leaking through the staples in the stomach, which may require emergency repair. After gastric band placement, there can be erosion of the band into the stomach, esophageal spasm and inflammation of the esophagus or stomach. With either method rapid weight loss leads to gallstones and gall bladder attacks at a higher rate than in the normal population.

Mechanical Complications

Over time, a patient who underwent weight loss surgery could experience a narrowing of the passage from the stomach to the intestine or breakdown of the pouch, both of which may require surgical repair. Vomiting and/or dumping syndrome are side effects that can happen from the change in the digestive anatomy. After a gastric band or balloon is inserted some patients have nausea or vomiting from eating too much at one time, blockage of the stomach outlet and constipation.

Malabsorption and Malnutrition

Anemia from iron or vitamin B12 deficiency is a risk, because the healthy stomach is normally involved in the absorption of these nutrients. After any gastric weight loss procedure the drastic decrease in food consumed brings danger of inadequate nutritional intake. After months of eating so little, patients sometimes experience symptoms of malnutrition. All patients are prescribed multivitamins and some are prescribed protein supplements as well. Protein malnutrition can lead to a weakened immune system, hair loss and fatigue. The American Society of Bariatric Surgery lists symptoms to watch for that may indicate nutritional deficiencies, such as poor wound healing, easy bruising, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet or bone pain.

One Woman's Story, from Self Magazine
Patsi Parker felt fat and was eager to find a solution. She thought she'd found it when she decided to have her stomach surgically stapled, drastically reducing its size. But there is mounting evidence that some doctors are performing weight-loss surgery on patients who are not obese enough to require it. Parker soon discovered that she was one of them. Before the surgery, Parker stood 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 218 pounds. The attractive 45-year-old brunette had tried the standard weight-loss tactics, including diets and aerobics, but she couldn't stick to any of them. Then Parker ran into two colleagues who had undergone gastric bypass surgery. Once very overweight, both women were now remarkably slim. Parker immediately asked the name of their weight-loss surgeon, made the call and prepared for her own operation. In order to qualify for the procedure, she actually put on additional weight. Recently, however, Parker was featured in Self magazine's investigative report on the dangers of weight-loss surgery — especially for those who undergo it for cosmetic reasons.

Struggling with abdominal pain, vomiting and an inability to gain weight, she wishes she had stuck with her old body. Patsi like so many believed the hype about surgical options for the obese from the media attention given to celebrities like pop singer Carnie Wilson who had it done and began trumpeting her success on television and in magazines. Wilson lost 150 pounds in the 18 months after weight-loss surgery (also called WLS). Prior to that, she weighted 300 pounds and suffered from sleep apnea, a potentially deadly breathing disorder, so she was an appropriate candidate for the procedure. despite the undesirable consequences.

Parker, however, feels she was not. Within a week of her surgery, she felt awful and was vomiting constantly. "I started having complications almost immediately post-op," she says. "I've had two surgeries since to remove adhesion's, and unfortunately, they're back again."

After the operation, patients are supposed to slowly begin eating spoonfuls of solid food, but sometimes they cannot digest certain foods and may experience vomiting, explosive diarrhea, or cramping and faintness (known as "dumping"). Patients have to take vitamin and mineral supplements, because they are prone to deficiencies. Complications from the procedure include chronic malnutrition, osteoporosis, infections and intestinal leaks. According to the National Institutes of Health, a candidate for WLS should suffer from "clinically severe obesity," with a body mass index (BMI) of 40, or higher. BMI measures the weight to height ratio, and is used by doctors to calculate obesity.

Parker had a BMI of 37 when she got the operation.

"No Going Back"

Dr. Edward Livingston, director of the University of California at Los Angeles Bariatric Surgery Program, says the weight-loss surgery should be reserved for people who have problems that result from obesity. "You do this once and there is no going back," he told ABCNEWS' Good Morning America. "They have to be emotionally prepared to change their eating habits for good." The American Society of Bariatric Surgery says weight loss surgeries have increased from about 20,000 in 1995 to an estimated 45,000 in 2001. It estimates a 7 percent complication rate. But Livingston's own study of 800 patients found complication rates of 20 to 40 percent, with everything from intestinal leaks to nutritional deficiencies. Gastric bypass surgery entails shrinking the stomach from about the size of a small melon to the size of an egg. Doctors reroute the intestinal track so that patients eat less, absorb fewer calories and lose weight — fast. Obesity and Surgery Surgeons recommend the procedure for patients whose obesity is life-threatening and who can't lose weight any other way. For that group, the dangers are real: Every year about 280,000 obese people die from illnesses related to their excess weight, including diabetes, heart disease and sleep apnea.

My Personal Take on Weight Loss Surgery

Any one below 500 pounds can lose that weight without weight loss surgery! We have all seen it time and again on the Biggest Loser and show like it. And if you have spent any time on this looking through the posts on my blog, you know the answer. First you need to consume, and be able to absorb, the critical nutrients that your body is screaming for. Second, and the most important element behind every weight loss show, coaching. You have to be guided through this process by some one who knows, and cares enough to get you through it. And lastly you have to have a community of people who have been, or are going through the same journey as you are. You have to have fellowship, and you will accomplish your goals.

Thank you.

John Cardinal

June 19, 2012

Easy Come, Easy Go: The Truth About the hCG

Dieting trends come and go. One year, the Atkins Diet is all the rage, while the next year it’s all about the South Beach Diet. This year, the diet of choice is the hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). Instead of portion control, eating healthy foods and exercising, the hCG diet is about messing with hormone levels and drastically cutting calorie intake.

What is hCG

hCG is a hormone produced by women during pregnancy. When on this program, a person needs to inject themselves frequently with hCG and eat little to no food. hCG is used for dieting purposes due to the belief that it reduces hunger and will help the body get rid of fat in specific areas like the arms, thighs and stomach. Many people – women in particular – are very interested in this program, which supposedly can help you lose up to one pound a day without having to suffer through pangs of hunger. Women across the country are flocking to doctors’ offices and shelling out thousands of dollars to get started on this program.

Side Effects of hCG

Sounds good, doesn’t it – losing all the weight you want in all the right places with a minimum of effort. However, the Food and Drug Administration has something to say about this fad. Using hCG to lose weight is not a new idea – it’s been around at least since the mid 1970’s. Although prescribing hCG for weight loss is legal, the FDA has reissued and recently released the same warning they gave everyone in the past – there is no evidence that the use of hCG promotes weight loss either in general or in specific parts of the body, or reduces hunger.

In fact, preliminary evidence suggests that hCG can cause gallstones , headaches, breast tenderness or enlargement, hair loss, headaches and depression. Many doctors and dietitians also express unease about the fact that the hCG program strongly resembles anorexia and does not promote healthy long-term eating habits. With little evidence in its favor, why has the hCG program become so popular? Some doctors suggest that is has to do with the fact that it’s only available by prescription. Because of that, hCG seems quite reputable – you have to make an appointment and talk to a real doctor, not some quack, to get it. People tell themselves that if hCG didn’t work, then it wouldn’t be available, and certainly not promoted by respectable doctors who supposedly know what they’re talking about.

hCG Bottom Line

For those looking to lose weight, keep in mind that easy comes, easy goes. If you don’t make healthy changes to your lifestyle in the areas of diet, nutrition and exercise, the weight you lose will all come right back when you stop a program like hCG. Losing twenty pounds in a month may do the trick for that wedding you want to attend, but in the long run it won’t help and may even harm you.

Thank you.

John Cardinal

June 18, 2012

Easy Come, Easy Go: The Truth About the hCG

Easy Come, Easy Go: The Truth About the hCG

What is hCG

Side Effects of hCG

hCG Bottom Line

Thank you.

John Cardinal