Win the Weight Game at the Flat Rock Community Center

Flat rock, MI – Confused by all the weight loss information out there? If so, the Flat Rock Community Center will show you how you can give up dieting, lose weight and keep it off.  “Win the Weight Game” will be presented by Lorraine Stefano, A.C.S.W., on Wednesday, February 24th from 7 to 9 p.m.

“Over 95% of people who go on diets, regain their weight” states Stefano, a corporate wellness consultant.  “Instead of focusing on restriction and deprivation, we help people to change their thinking about food and develop a healthy eating style that is right for them.  We also look at creative ways to squeeze exercise into our daily routine.” Through this class participants learn how to permanently win the weight game, get trim and stay trim.

The Center is located at One Maguire Street and the fee for the class is $22.00.  To register or for more information: 734-379-1450 or www.flatrockrec.org or contact Lorraine Stefano at 248-828-7333

SJMO to Host Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management Classes

Pontiac, MI—St. Joseph Mercy Oakland (SJMO) will hold a Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management classes at 7:15 p.m. on the first and third Mondays in March 2010 in the hospital’s Franco Communications Center, 44405 Woodward Ave., Pontiac.  Hosted by the SJMO Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management Program, the classes will be held March 1 and 15.

Class topics include:

• · “The Facts About Fats: ‘Mediterranean Style,’” March 1
• · “Protein Power…and Risks,” March 15.

Tom Rifai, MD, Medical Director of the Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management Program at SJMO, will conduct the classes.  Dr. Rifai is Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and chief medical advisor to the Pritikin Longevity Center in Avenutra, Fla.

He is board certified by the American Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists, which recently named him to a three-year, at-large position on its board of directors, and the American Board of Internal Medicine.  His specialties are nutrition, prevention of chronic disease, weight management, nutritional and medical management of insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia and obesity.

“With the increase in obesity in our country and community, it is extremely important that we educate individuals how to take better care of their health,” said Jack Weiner, SJMO President and CEO.  “These classes will guide people toward that end by telling them how to eat healthier and manage their weight.”

The fee is $50 per class.  Each registered person may bring a guest at no charge.  Free parking is available on the north side of the hospital, adjacent to the Franco Center and Medical Office Building. The classes are open to the public.  A new series will begin in April.

To register or for more information, call the SJMO Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management Program, 248-858-2475.

The Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management Program at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is an integrated, educational medical program for those looking to control their metabolic issues related to insulin resistance and obesity through dedication to nutrition, physical activity and overall lifestyle change.

St. Joseph Mercy Oakland to Hold Free Educational Seminar

Pontiac, MI—St. Joseph Mercy Oakland (SJMO), in partnership with the Michigan Bariatric Institute (MBI), will host a free educational seminar focusing on bariatric surgery options at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15, 2010, in the SJMO Franco Communications Center Auditorium, 44405 Woodward Ave., Pontiac.

 Entitled, “A Minimal Surgical Approach to Treating Obesity,” the seminar will feature an overview of the bariatric surgery program and the types of procedures it offers, as well as a question and answer session.

 Speakers include Tallal Zeni, MD; Jacob Roberts, DO; and Paula Magid, MBI program director and former bariatric patient. 

Surgeons at MBI are experienced in advanced laparoscopic surgical techniques, including laparoscopic gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and adjustable gastric banding.  Laparoscopic bariatric surgery results in minimal pain, less scarring, shorter hospital stay and recovery time.  Weight loss of about 70 percent of excess body weight can be anticipated within the first year and maintained.

Dr. Roberts recently joined the St. Joseph Mercy Oakland medical staff as a general and minimally invasive bariatric surgeon.  He will perform surgeries at SJMO and at St. Mary Mercy Livonia, both Saint Joseph Mercy Health System member hospitals. 

Dr. Roberts received his medical degree at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and was chief resident at St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital, Oakland Center in Madison Heights, Mich.  He completed his fellowship training at the Chicago Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery at Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, Ill.  Dr. Roberts also is board certified in General Surgery.

Dr. Zeni, director of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at St. Mary Mercy Hospital in Livonia and MBI medical director, received his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine, where he completed his residency in General Surgery.  He completed his fellowship in Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Evanston, Ill.  He is board certified in General Surgery.

Since the program’s inception in 2005 at St. Mary Mercy Hospital, MBI has performed more than 500 bariatric surgeries to date. 

The MBI program provides a comprehensive approach to the bariatric surgery experience, including

• Medical director
• Program director
• Team of specially trained registered nurses, registered dieticians, behavioral specialists and exercise physiologists to assist the patient through the process
• Free educational seminars
• Comprehensive pre-surgical classes
• Post-surgical follow-up visits
• Monthly support group

 To register for the educational seminar or for more information, call 877-Why-Weight.

SJMO to Host Nutrition Classes

Pontiac, MI—St. Joseph Mercy Oakland (SJMO) will hold a series of nutrition classes at 7:15 p.m. on the first and third Mondays in February and  March 2010 in the hospital’s Franco Communications Center, 44405 Woodward Ave., Pontiac.  Hosted by the SJMO Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management Program, the classes will be held Feb. 1 and 15 and March 1 and 15.

 Class topics include:

• · “The Essentials on Carbs:  How Do Veggies, Fruits, Legumes, Dairy and Whole Grains Compare?” Feb. 1
• · “Salt (aka Sodium): Pressure, Bones and Stones…Maybe Cancer Too?” Feb. 15
• · “The Facts About Fats: ‘Mediterranean Style,’” March 1
• · “Protein Power…and Risks,” March 15.

Tom Rifai, MD, Medical Director of the Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management Program at SJMO, will conduct the classes.  Dr. Rifai is Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and chief medical advisor to the Pritikin Longevity Center in Avenutra, Fla.

He is board certified by the American Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists, which recently named him to a three-year, at-large position on its board of directors, and the American Board of Internal Medicine.  His specialties are nutrition, prevention of chronic disease, weight management, nutritional and medical management of insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia and obesity.

“With the increase in obesity in our country and community, it is extremely important that we educate individuals how to take better care of their health,” said Jack Weiner, SJMO President and CEO.  “These classes will guide people toward that end by telling them how to eat healthier and manage their weight.”

The fee is $75 per class.  Each registered person may bring a guest at no charge.  Free parking is available at the Franco Center.  The public is invited.

To register or for more information, call the SJMO Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management Program, 248-858-2475.

The Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management Program at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is an integrated, educational medical program for those looking to control their metabolic issues related to insulin resistance and obesity through dedication to nutrition, physical activity and overall lifestyle change.

St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Expands Weight Management Program

Pontiac, Mich.—St. Joseph Mercy Oakland (SJMO) has expanded its weight management program by enhancing its offerings and naming a new medical director. The newly named Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management program offers an educational and intensive medical program for those looking to control their metabolic issues related to insulin resistance and obesity through dedication to nutrition, physical activity and lifestyle change.

 Comprehensive medical and nutritional histories will be obtained, and there will be frequent physician follow-ups to monitor patients’ progress with their individualized medical nutrition therapy and physical activity.  Resources for behavioral psychology and physical activity will be made available to patients.  If appropriate, referrals will be made for bariatric procedures.

 The program is headed by Dr. Tom Rifai, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and chief medical advisor to the Pritikin Longevity Center in Aventura, Fla. 

 Dr. Rifai is board certified by the American Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists, which recently named him to a three-year, at-large position on its board of directors, and the American Board of Internal Medicine.  His specialties are nutrition, prevention of chronic disease, weight management, nutritional and medical management of insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia and obesity.

 Dr. Rifai will conduct informational seminars for prospective patients interested in diabetes prevention or treatment, state-of-the-art lipid/cholesterol management and weight management.  The first seminar will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, 2009, in the Franco Auditorium at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, 44405 Woodward Ave., Pontiac.

 In addition to his duties at SJMO, Dr. Rifai is serving as a consultant to Andiamo Restaurants, helping them design a longevity-driven, healthy gourmet menu called Andiamo Lean.  Dr. Rifai also is a nutritional consultant for Warren (Mich.) Consolidated Schools, for which he is developing a healthy school lunch program.

 Beginning in August, Dr. Rifai will see patients in the SJMO Medical Office Building, 44555 Woodward Ave., Suite 305, Pontiac.

 For an appointment, call St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management, 248-858-2475. 

Get Fit Challenge Contest Winner Update

Health & Leisure:  How do I feel today compared to when I entered the Get Fit Challenge?

Elizabeth Schmaltz: When I entered the contest, I was at a point in my life where I knew something needed to change, but I wasn’t sure what to change, or how. I think like a lot of people, when you’re trying to discern what’s broken but you can’t quite figure out what it is, you either get easily overwhelmed and quit, or try to change a lot of things at once. I decided to enter this contest, enroll back into classes for another bachelor’s degree and begin a search for a new job all at one time! I had a gym membership to Bally’s already, and would stop in from time to time just to make sure the treadmills were still there in the event I ever decided to try them. Or, would randomly tuck myself into the back of a yoga/Pilates class, not because I enjoyed it, but because I thought it was what I should do. My point in saying all this, was when I sat down and wrote my essay on why I wanted to lose weight, I was hoping you would pick me because you saw potential (and maybe that I was funny. Maybe!).

Today, as I am sitting here, I just want to hug the old me, and let her know how the story turns out (except I have yet to know!). In the two years it’s been since I’ve started this Elizabeth overhaul, I feel as though I have become a completely different person, and to my surprise, am really comfortable with that! I’m still me, but I’m a better version of me. I’m known in my office as the ‘healthy eater,’ which is a role I’ve never had before, and am happy to have. Don’t get me wrong! I still have days when I traipse through the office with Taco Bell in tow, but for the most part I do what I can to make sure whatever I’m eating has some sort of nutritional content. I’ve also become the person who has been known to schedule days off around classes offered at the gym, something, I myself, sometimes can’t believe. I have also just started taking aerial yoga classes!! It’s very Circ Du Soleil, and as a person who gets tangled in my own bed sheets, I didn’t know if I would be able to do it, but I’m there every Saturday flipping upside down from a cloth hammock suspended from the ceiling! When I first suggested it, my parents suggested that maybe I wear a helmet, as I may be a little clumsy, but it’s actually a lot of fun! (Way better than when I tried Bikram yoga last summer…I didn’t realize 105 degree room packed with 50 people would be quite so hot!!). I’m working out with my new trainer twice a week, plus he runs a Saturday afternoon boot camp for some of his clients, which I go to just about every Saturday. I have to laugh as I am writing because now it appears as though I have become an exercise crazed maniac who does nothing but run laps and eat tofu (a person at whom I would have scoffed a few years ago), but I can honestly say that I am a changed person. I went from wandering around the gym without a purpose to changing work schedules with a co-worker to pick up an extra yoga class during the week.

HL: What was your biggest challenge after completing 12 weeks with Brian?

ES: I don’t know exactly how to answer this because I trained with Brian for almost a year and a half! Really, the only issue I faced was when I changed trainers in January of this year. I met with Aaron before I officially changed over to him, but was still really nervous about it. Brian and I had settled into a routine and worked really well together, and I became really nervous about changing everything. Much to my surprise, a lot of old insecurities began to creep up and I didn’t know if I would be able to keep up with a new trainer, what he knew about me and my abilities, if he was going to make me do push ups all the time (which he does, incidentally! Secretly I don’t mind….much) etc. I remember being on a treadmill one day and toying with the idea of not working out with a trainer anymore, but as quickly as that thought enterer my mind, it left. I need the accountability a trainer offers, their expertise (because even though I work out 5-6 days a week, once workouts get beyond squats and lunges, I have a tendency to still get a little lost), and both Brian and Aaron push me to work as hard as possible during my time with them and on my own.

HL: What did Brian do to help you stay motivated, focused and allowed me to continue on?

ES: When I first started training with Brian I was super motivated and excited, so Brian’s job became to keep me from being really overwhelmed, and perhaps his biggest task was keeping me focused – not only on whatever he had me doing at the time, but just focused overall. From the very first workout, he went around the weight section with me, set up a circuit routine which included how many reps of each exercise to do, where the weights should be set, and even made sure I knew which machines to do and in what order. Because he was literally starting from scratch with me, he made it very easy for me to follow the exercise regime, and I think that really helped in terms of keeping me motivated. As I continued to get more comfortable with the routine and progress, Brian would add various exercises into the workouts, but knew better than to throw 50 new things at me at one time! The other thing Brian would do just to make sure I was keeping up with my workouts (especially the ones I did on my own), was he would check the computer system at Bally’s to confirm I was actually showing up! I don’t know whether that actually helped or if it just scared me enough to keep showing up, but it definitely kept me accountable for my workouts. Actually, I don’t even know if it’s possible for them to check the computer system!! I MAY have to check into that….

HL: What do you say to anyone who doesn’t think they have time or energy to start?

ES: When I started this program, I had no idea how much of a commitment I was actually making. I figured I would be in the gym with my trainer once a week and would then have a couple of day’s worth or cardio on my own. I also figured that I could just keep eating what I was eating, and it wouldn’t matter because I was working out ‘so much’!! Turns out, losing weight is more of a commitment than that! It really more about changing your lifestyle than it is about trying to fit what you think you should be doing into your life as it is. I know it sounds cliché, and when people used to say that to me, I would instantly tune them out. But, it’s about changing your mindset and finding what works for you. My issue was not that I hated exercising; I thought I did, but really I hated not knowing what to do. I have read what seems like 1,000′s of articles about what sorts of exercises to do if you’re a pear or an apple shape, or if it’s raining and you’re standing at a 45 degree angle to the clouds, but it wasn’t until someone actually took the time to sit down with me and say ‘this is a treadmill, and this is how you turn it on’ that I actually got it. As much as no one wants to hear and/or admit it; takes time to go through a significant weight loss process. It’s as much of a mental game as it is a physical one, and I would say to anyone willing to make the commitment, that it is completely worth every moment you put into it. Every ounce of sweat and effort that goes into changing the person you are into the person you want to become is worth it.

HL: What are you most proud of?

ES: I’m proud of myself for breaking out of my comfort zone, embracing the experience and becoming a new person. Two years ago, I was sitting at home waiting for something to happen that would magically make me a size 4. the truth is, I don’t know if I will ever be a size 4, and at this point, the process is more than that for me. I have looked at this process as an adventure from the start, and as a way to help me figure out who I am. I’ve had some missteps along the way, but I have learned something from every one of them. I am so proud of myself for even starting this, because although I was very excited about it, I was also very terrified! I feel like it takes a lot of courage for someone to take on a 150lbs weight loss challenge, and once I figured out I could do it as long as I took it day-by-day, it became a lot more manageable. I’m proud of myself for trying new things; I have been talking about trying cross country skiing for years, and I finally did it this past winter, and it was awesome! I spent a lot of time on my butt, but, I was willing to get out there and at least try it, which is huge for me! Now, I’m working out with a trainer twice a week as a ‘gift’ (such as it is!!) to myself for making it through a really tough academic year, I’m taking aerial yoga (a co-worker gave me the info because he said I was the only person he knows crazy enough to try it!) once a week just for something fun to do and to get me out of the gym one day a week, I’m training for a 5k (I don’t know if people are actually supposed to train for a 5k because it seems like it is something you’re just supposed to be able to do! People train for marathons, but does anyone aside from me train for a 5k?!!), which I have also wanted to do for a really long time, and am hoping to do by the end of the year. It’s just been an amazing experience, for which I am more grateful than I can say. So, there isn’t one specific thing about which I am most proud, but if I had choose something, I’m just proud that I’m out there trying new stuff I would never have tried two years ago!!

HL: What is your current weight loss

ES: When I started, I had managed to lose a couple of pounds on my own before hand, but my highest weight on record was 299.99999 (the scale never once tipped to the 300lb mark!), and I am present right at the cusp of the 80lb weight loss mark!! I have hit a wicked plateau that just may kill me (she says laughingly!!); as I have been playing around with the same five pounds for the past six months or so. I am in the process of doing everything I can to break the plateau and completely understand that it is just a part of almost any weight loss process. In addition to those 80lbs being shed, I have dropped 10 inches from my chest, 12 inches from my shoulders, 12 inches from my waist, 9 inches from my hips, and most surprisingly, 5 inches from my arms!! I didn’t think an arm could shrink like that!!

Politically Incorrect Weight Loss

W A R N I N G !

If you are easily offended or are looking for someone to blow sunshine up your you-know-what, do not read this article.

The following was an email I recently received from a friend:

The following is the winning entry in an annual contest at Texas A&M University calling for the most appropriate definition of a contemporary term: This year’s term was Political Correctness.

The winner wrote, “Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”

I figured, what’s the point, so hence the title of this article.

Okay, so I need to call it like I see it. Americans are getting fatter by the day, even though more money (we’re talking billions!) is constantly being spent on weight loss. We are so delusional about weight loss that in spite of the economic disaster, people continue to throw their money away on things that simply don’t work. Even our views of proper weight are screwed up. A 2008 study by CalorieLab, Inc., which ranked the states from “fattest to fittest,” determined that Mississippi is the fattest state in America, with 32.6% of the adult population obese; Michigan ranks 10th, with 28.2% obese (Detroit ranks as the 13th fattest city according to the 2008 Men’s Fitness poll).

Here’s the kicker: Colorado is the “leanest” state, even though 19.3% of adults are obese! Congratulations that almost 1 out of every 5 adults walking around your state is obese (obese, not just overweight or a little chunky) – you’re the best!

Everyone seems to be willing to pay a lot for someone to take away all accountability, make it completely brainless, and allow you to put absolutely no effort into it at all. Of all the billions being spent on weight loss, looking for that “magic pill” that will solve all problems, most people just need to get their heads out of their butts, start moving, and stop eating like crap.

Now I know some people are thinking about all the people they know who never work out and do eat junk constantly and stay thin – if you aren’t one of those people, deal with it, you’re not going to get away with it like they

do (here’s a little eye opener, most of those other people will only get away with it for so long anyways).

Don’t get me wrong, there are people who are lucky, they are usually genetically gifted with higher metabolisms. However, just because people look thin, does not mean that they are in shape. Also, don’t believe the hype from some of these fitness professionals, actors, models, or others who make bold statements about how they used to be huge, and now, due to all the hard work they put forth, have “rediscovered a thinner, happier, more successful version of themselves”!

I personally know of local people who make a lot of money in the fitness and/or weight loss industry who made the above claims, but the real hard work they put in was a visit to the local “Dr. 90210.”

Others never were as large as they claimed, but make it seem like the 10 pounds they lost had an extra zero on the end. Again, don’t get me wrong, a lot of people have worked hard to lose a lot of weight and are an inspiration to many, but just because someone says it, doesn’t make it true. I can tell you that there was a time in my life when I suddenly gained some weight. It was called the “Freshman 15,” and came during my first year at Michigan State. Was the weight loss I achieved between my freshman and sophomore years the result of hard work? No, it was the fact that I stopped making beer, pizza, and dorm food my regular diet, and stopped acting like a sloth. Did I have some epiphany that made me do it? No again, my mother walked in and told me to get off the girl I was dating because I was going to crush her!

So let’s cover the two big areas regarding weight loss: nutrition and exercise. Realize these are vast subjects, and I will not cover everything, but this should give everyone some ideas.

NUTRITION

You don’t need a Master’s degree in Nutrition to know that 6 packs of beer, pizza, burgers, and Kentucky Fried Chicken should not be a staple of your diet. Supplementing three “gorge yourself” meals with a constant supply of cookies, potato chips, and other junk that gets shoveled mindlessly into your mouth by the handful throughout the day is also generally bad. Let’s go over some things to know:

1. Different people will respond differently to different diets. Just because one diet works well for one person does not mean it will work well for you. Most of the well-known diet plans do work for many people if done correctly. A lot of people claim to follow diets correctly, but they like to make their own modifications – generally the diets were created by people with more nutrition knowledge and experience than the people following the plans, so stop trying to act like you know better. And, if one diet doesn’t work for you (after you’ve given it a legitimate chance), try another one.

2. “Fake food” is bad. This includes anything processed, “preserved,” chemically laden, artificially colored/flavored/sweetened/etc., or anything else you haven’t heard of or don’t know what it is.

3. Small (meaning don’t stuff yourself), regularly spaced (5-6 per day) meals (not snacking all day long) per day increases metabolism. Metabolism is defined as “how many calories your body burns during rest and activity.”

4. You need a relative balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat to live and to maintain proper body weight/composition. Everyone’s needs are slightly different, but most have too much sugar/carbohydrates, as well as the wrong kind of protein and/or fat (see #2 above).

The other skewed belief is what people consider to be balanced. Having a bowl of cereal and considering the milk to be your protein is not balanced – it’s excess carbs.

Half of a chicken breast mixed in with a bowl of pasta and a salad is also not balanced. Next time you’re at the grocery store, check out the nutrition labels on various foods and see how many grams of protein vs. carbohydrates are in things – it’s a lot easier to get carbs than the protein.

EXERCISE

Just like diet, everyone responds differently to different exercise regimes. Effective exercise ranges from just getting out of bed for some people, to needing extremely intense regular bouts. As with people’s false claims about their own weight loss, don’t always believe what you hear about exercise either.

I had an experience with a well-known person in the weight loss industry who adamantly told me that “walking is the only exercise people need, and that everyone will lose weight by walking.” She then proceeded to tell me about all the weight she lost just by walking. I found it interesting that later in the conversation she told me about all the machines and circuits her personal trainer had her doing, and I wanted to ask her what happened to just walking? Let’s address some exercise principles that people need to know:

1. Intensity. Regarding the walking example above – I don’t have a problem with people walking for exercise. In fact, many people do lose weight this way. On the other hand, many people don’t. The problem with walking, as well as any activity performed regularly, is that your body becomes more efficient at it (as it should). The problem is that efficiency is often the enemy of effectiveness when it comes to weight loss. When your body moves more efficiently, it uses less muscles and less energy to perform the task. Using less muscles and energy translates into fewer calories burned. People think that calorie-burning exercise must last a long time, often at a low to moderate heart rate range. If this works for you, great! If not, this may be why: more total calories are burned at a high intensity range, and metabolism is increased with high intensity exercise greater than low or medium intensity.

2. Strength training. Muscle mass dictates metabolism, therefore strength training is beneficial for weight loss. As with other forms of exercise, strength training should also be high intensity to maximally promote increased muscle growth.

3. Flexibility. Besides the more obvious benefits of stretching, proper flexibility allows the correct muscles to work during exercise. For example, tightness in the hip flexors (in front of the hips) is one of the most common flexibility issues due to peoples’ tendency to sit most of the time. Tightness in the hip flexors may not allow the gluteals (butt muscles) to work during any lower body activity/exercise. Since the gluteals are relatively larger muscles, if they are not working right, fewer muscles are activated and fewer calories burned. Not to mention the increased potential for injury.

4. Frequency. One work out per week won’t cut it. Aim for at least four days per week, with strength, cardiovascular, and flexibility training all included.

5. Poor movement mechanics. It’s easy to go through the motions of exercise, but doing them correctly are a different story. An example that I have seen all too often is the walking lunge exercise. This is a popular exercise among trainers at various gyms because in theory, it is a good exercise. However, when you watch people do walking lunges, you see legs and knees going all over the place, torsos falling over, and arms flailing. Executing a good exercise poorly is not going to give anyone the results they are looking for.

6. Lack of proper recovery. Recovery does not just mean taking days off of working out – everyone does that (too often). Proper recovery means getting the right amount of sleep at night as well (see March 2008 Health and Leisure).

All of this can be done without spending excessive amounts of money, it just takes using your head, making some effort, and planning – a difficult task for some, but give it a try.

Nutrition: October 2008

Have you ever wondered why many “health conscious” individuals think of foods such as diet soda, artificial sweeteners, and TV dinners – with names like “Health” or “Lean” as a part of their brand name – to be “healthy foods” despite their ingredient panel containing a long list of unnatural or artificial ingredients?

Since the 1950’s, America has seen a tremendous growth in its food supply. In the mid 1980’s, this country saw an enormous increase in the number of available diet and artificial foods, intended to promote weight loss and “health”. However, since then, our country’s population has been getting heavier and increasingly wrought with chronic disease. We are consuming food that truly is not food, and our bodies do not know how to process these many foreign substances!

Slow Food is a breath of fresh air. Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat: where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

Slow Food members around the world work to build relationships with producers, campaign to protect traditional foods, organize tasting and seminars, encourage chefs to source locally, nominate producers to participate in international events and work to bring taste education into schools. Most importantly, they cultivate the appreciation of pleasure and quality in daily life.

Slow Food is good, clean and fair food. Slow Food members believe that the food you eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or your health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work.

Carlo Petrini, an Italian journalist dismayed by the opening of a McDonald’s in Rome, stated, “Pleasure is a way of being at one with yourself and others.” Slow Food recognizes that the best place to preserve biological and cultural diversity is not in museums or zoos but on our plates.

Slow Food is a great adjunct to Mindful Eating, which you may have heard about recently as a way to slow down and appreciate what you are eating. Mindfulness is being aware of what is present for you physically, emotionally and spiritually in each moment. Mindful Eating is:

• Allowing yourself to become aware of the positive and nurturing opportunities that are available through food preparation and consumption by respecting your own inner wisdom.

• Choosing to eat food that is both pleasing to you and nourishing to your body by using all your senses to explore, savor and taste.

• Learning to be aware of physical hunger and satiety cues to guide your decision to begin eating and to stop eating.

If weight management is primarily your interest, bringing awareness and attention to how and what you are eating can help you eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. If everyone in this country practiced this rule, weight loss diets would be obsolete! Here are some other ways to practice mindful eating:

• Bring the palms of your hands over your food, and notice if you feel anything from it. With your palms here, give thanks for the food and the experience.

• Journal what is coming up for you at this moment

• Begin to eat. Again, appreciate the food with all five senses. Chew slowly and completely, keep your eyes closed. Can you chew each mouthful 30 or 50 or even 100 times? Explore the full flavor and the variety of tastes that make up this food.

• Explore the food with all of your senses:

Sound – Does the food have a vibration or sound?

Smell – Odors, familiar smells that bring up memories, feelings

Visual – Color, presentation

Taste – Describe taste

Texture – Describe all sensations

How can you support the Slow Food movement?

• Reduce your intake of processed foods

• Eat lower on the food chain

• Eat locally grown and organic produce as much as possible

• Cook more meals from scratch vs. dining out

• If cooking is not your forte’, try the “meals to go” in whole and organic food stores

A “slow” approach to dietary changes will pave the way to long-term changes. The “slow” approach to making life long dietary changes involves a comprehensive nutrition assessment. This assessment is an important first step in order to peel back the layers and pave the way for a successful nutrition counseling experience.

Many individuals expect to transform themselves in one meeting with a registered dietitian. They want to learn and internalize everything in less than an hour of time. Just like any other credible healthcare profession, you are not healed in one visit to your healthcare provider, whether it be your physician, psychotherapist, physical therapist, occupational or speech therapist.

Learning how to make healthy and wholesome food choices, over time, will give you much more clarity vs. loading up on sugar and junk food. This is how you create balance and move away from the “all” or “nothing” approach.

Gadgets & Gear: “Wii” All Want to Get Fit

Several months back I wrote an article about how video games aren’t just for the couch-potato, Doritos-munching crowd but in fact, can be used to help get into shape and have fun with it at the same time. In that article, I mentioned that Nintendo had really taken notice of just how many people were using the Wii Sports game to help get fit and was planning on releasing a fitness themed game. Well that time is now (mid-May to be specific) and that game is Wii Fit.

The Wii Fit system consists of a balance board and the game disk. The balance board performs a variety of functions. It monitors your center of balance, your weight, and where you are standing/pressing on the board. It uses this data to help you control your on-screen character in the games as well as track your overall fitness.

You start out by telling the system some basic info about yourself such as your age, height, and sex. It then measures your weight and calculates your Body Mass Index (BMI). If you happen to fall into one of the overweight categories it will even adjust your Mii (your onscreen avatar) to be a little more plump! You can then tell the Wii your fitness goals – be it to drop two points on your BMI or to lose ten pounds – and the Wii will keep help develop a plan to get you there using the exercises and games on the disk. You can even input data from exercises you do away from the Wii to help keep track of everything in one place.

The Wii will also keep track of the stats for everyone in the family, so that you can make it a project to all get fit together and add a bit of competition to the mix.

The fitness games are grouped into four categories: yoga, muscle-building, aerobic, and balance. Some examples of the games are a skiing simulator that has you swooshing down the slalom by shifting your weight back and forth on the board, to doing push-ups, to step aerobics, to performing yoga postures such as tree and warrior. All-in-all there are about 40 different activities included in the system. You start with the more basic routines but as you get better, it unlocks some of the more challenging activities.

So if you are still hemming and hawing about getting that Wii for the little ones, just know now that in addition to a little family fun, you (and the kids) can now use system to get into better shape. The Wii Fit package will cost about $90 when it launches on or about the 19th of this month. Better reserve one quick because they will probably be in just as short supply as the Wii itself.

That’s it for this month. As usual if you have any questions or ideas for future articles, feel free to write me at jeff@healthandleisureonline.com.

Ask the Doctor: February 2008

Question: I am 36 and have been trying to get pregnant for about 6 months, and we have not yet been successful. I haven’t decided if I want to go through fertility treatments yet. Do you have any suggestions? -L.D., Troy

Answer: There are a few things you can do on your own before consulting with your gynecologist. You can start by determining when you ovulate. First of all you need to know your cycle length. This is the number of days between the first day of one period and the first day of the next. If your periods are not regular and you can never predict them, there is a good chance that you are not ovulating and you should talk to your gynecologist about the reasons why you might not be ovulating.

Most women have cycles ranging from 26-31 days. It doesn’t matter if your cycle is long or short, if you are regular; you are most likely ovulating on schedule. Most women average about 28 days, so I will use that as my example. If the first day of your period is day 1, you are most likely to ovulate on day 14.

There are commercially available ovulation monitors that can help you predict when you are going to ovulate, but there is also a technique you can do yourself called basal body temperature. Your normal body temperature will go up around the time of ovulation and back down after ovulation. If you plot your temperature every day you should be able to tell when you will ovulate.

For an accurate basal body temperature, you must take your temperature at the same time every day – first thing in the morning. You should use a digital thermometer to be accurate to the decimal point, because the rise in temperature that you are looking for is very subtle. You should keep the thermometer right next to your bed and take your temperature as soon as you wake up, BEFORE you get out of bed or have any water or coffee.

Like I said, the difference in temperatures is small and different for everybody, but if you are ovulating you will begin to notice a pattern, and then can try to get pregnant around your time of ovulation. The last patient I explained this too got pregnant within a few months!

Question: My New Years Resolution is to lose weight, as it is every year. THIS year however I don’t want to give up! I already think I eat healthy but I am not losing weight! Can you help? – R.A., Utica

Answer: It’s great that you are already eating healthy, but unfortunately, healthy is not always enough to lose weight. It is really about calories. Healthy food will give you all the vitamins and minerals that you need but can have the same amount of calories as junk food if you are not careful. To lose weight successfully you really need to understand the math of calories.

There are 3500 calories in a pound. This means to gain a pound you have to eat an extra 3500 calories and to lose a pound you must burn off that same amount. I have 2 examples for you. One banana is about 100 calories and two Oreo cookies are 100 calories. The banana is much healthier and provides the nutrients that we need. But, if you give up your snack of two Oreos in the afternoon for a banana and think that will help you lose weight, it will not since the calories are the same.

My other example is those “Big Grab” bags of potato chips you can find in the convenience stores. You think that they are one serving size and that they are a good value since they are usually 99 cents. If you read the nutrition information on the back you find out there about 3 servings in one bag, for about 450 calories. So, if you are in the habit of picking up a bag of chips for a snack, and if you have eaten one bag a day, you can almost gain a pound a week!

There are a lot of other foods that are packaged in a way that makes you think they have fewer calories. The muffins at Starbucks are another example. I try to think of them as cupcakes and not muffins because the term muffin implies that they are healthy, when they really have about 500 calories each.

So, if you want to lose a pound a week, which is realistic, you need to get rid of about 500 calories per day in either exercise, cutting back on food or a combination of the two (the better choice). I know this sounds a little overwhelming but there is a lot of information out there about calorie counts and I would start by figuring out how much you are eating now and then seeing where you can cut back. You would be surprised to find out how much you might be eating and how easy it is to get rid of some of the unnecessary foods you put in your mouth every day. Good Luck!

Dr. Karen Lockwood is a graduate of University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.  She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.  She is board-certified in Internal Medicine and is currently in private practice in Troy, MI.

If you would like to submit a medical question to Dr. Lockwood, Please email your question to askthedoc@healthandleisureonline.com.

*Advice found within this article is for informational purposes only and should not replace the advice or recommendations of your physician.

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