weight loss and happiness

Defining your relative state of "happiness" is usually based on a number of factors...job satisfaction, financial stabilty, relationships, our family;s state of health and happiness and a number of other factors.

One of the components of happiness for many people is their own health and self-perception of "image". One of the really fun things for me in administering the Serotonin=Plus Weight Loss Program is watching the transformation of our patients during the program. Yes, the person starts becoming thinner, wearing more stylish clothes, using less prescription medications. However, im addition the "happiness" meter seems to go up tremendously. Overall, many patients who came in frustrated and upset leave their visits with a big smile on their faces and a new resolve to make this new image their permanent one.

Weight loss will make you healtheir for sure. But it also makes you happier. When we embasrk on a weight loss effort, usually we are somewhat "sad" because we initially perceive that we are being punished and deprived. The "act" of losing weight is not fun...but the end result brings much happiness.

weight loss and ridicule

This morning's topic is sensitive and almost brings us back to our childhood when we witnessed the cruelty of children to each other based on physical issues. Being "made fun of" whether it be acne lesions, stuttering, weight issues or other physical characteristics was a horrible experience that many children experienced growing up.

In the newspaper yesterday, I was reading about a controversy up in New Jersey involving an overweight candidate for Governor. The article descibed a situation in which the incumbent Governor was running ads discussing how his opponent is "throwing his weight around" on various issues. Clearly, the message wan't just using the expression to imply that the candidate is being persistent on issues, but in fact was also ridiculing his obesity.

Being overweight or not should not at all affect the job performance of a politician. Playing running back for the GIants may be affected by weight issues, but the jobs that most of us have, including a Governor position, do not rely on us having a certain BMI.

What this episode does show however, is that there is a subtle "prejudice" against overweight people on the workplace, as the ads are implying that if someone cannot control their own weight , how can they be expected to control issues at work that are of importance? These ads are trying to turn votes against the candidate because of his weight.

One of my motivations for not being overweight is, in fact, "professional" in that by running a weight loss program, my credibilty would be diminished if I was overweight. Nost people's occupations are not healthcare and therefore "credibility" is not lost by being overweight. However, is there a subtle prejudice at any work place? Are promotions adversely affected? Is being hired to a new job adversely affected because of physical appearance? I am interested in tyour comments.

weight loss and darkness

This morning I woke up at my usual 515am (it really sucks to be an old guy) and it is pitch dark. As I am writing this at 545am, it is still pitch dark. During the summer months, by this time the sun is out and it is warm with the birds singing. A number of my patients do their exercise outside. They do not like treadmills and other inside equipment and would much rather do their caloric burnoff outside. However, when we hit the fall and winter months, the opportunity to be outside is much less. The person will find themselves exercising less and less and weight loss will therefore become more difficult.

Many people do not like gyms. For those people, I would strongly encourage the purchase of a piece of equipment for home usage. Place a ttreadmill in front of a TV set and when it is dark outside, you have a means of caloric burnoff that can take place despite the dark and cold.

There are 2 ends of the equation: calories coming in and calories being burned off....try to work on nboth ends and do not let the dark and cold derail your exercise plans.

weight loss and the environment

Good morning ....first...thanks again for tall the GREAT comments on the blog...I encourage everyone to read these comments and get into the foray yourself as well! Great advice....fun to hear others insights....Yesterday there was a discussion about the "environment" and controlling this via ensuring that there are not challenging foods/snacks around to tempt you. I strongly encourage people to NOT have things around the house that will make it easy for you to derail your weight loss efforts. Face it..if there is ice cream in the freezer, Godiva chocolate in the cabinet, these will, in fact, calll out to you by your first name...if there is nothing like this in your house or desk at work, you would have to get up and actively search for it...."self control" is VERY difficult as this relates to fighting off immediate gratification behavior patterns. Food is a very inexpensive immediate gratification...massages, buying a new car, going on a vacation...all of these are "gratification" but they cost lots of money.....a food item? not lots of money at all. Battling instinctual behavior patterns is very difficult...but by controlling our own environments, we will be more successful. Once again gang, thanks for the comments and keep them coming! I am learning more every day because of your insights...it is helping me become a better physician for you all!

weight loss and "self control"

Good Sunday Morning...you all know this is my favorite day this time of year...why? the weather and I get to watch hours of the NFL. My predictions will come at the end.

Thanks for the comment debate yesterday...we discussed the concept of people on the workplace maintaining candy dishes on their desks, enticing people to eat them and perhaps derailing their weight loss efforts.

The concept of "self control" applies to many issues in our lives. From not spending money on that pretty paif of shoes that costs 300 dolllars, to not over drinking at a wine and cheese evemt to not getting that second plate of food at a buffet restuarant...all of these are examples of when our "self control" mechanisms are being tested. What it comes down to is that we, the most intelligent organism in this world, is still in the kingdom called "animals" and we do have to some extent an instinctual part of our genetic base that makes us an immediate gratification species.

Buying the large screen tv provides an immediate fun thing whereas redirecting that money to you 401K provides NO immediate gratifcation. Eating that chocolate dessert is much more fun than that thinking that by foregoing that dessert, you may have less chnaces of getting diabetes in the future.

Fighting our immediate gratification urges for the purposes of the delayed gratification of better health and looking better is a very difficult thing to do but a necessary step to acheive long term weight loss results.

Okay.....your Dr Predictions: Giants destroy Oakland even without Eli, Sorry Skins fans...they go down to Carolina by one touchdown, New England defeats undefeated denver, to you Eagles fans, you will have your way with tampa...you will win the game by 3 touchdowns and unfortunately Dallas fans will be very happy with your beating of (?) Kansas City

weight loss....debate about "treats"

Good morning....as in every morning, before i write the blog i check the comments.....I am going to debate the person who posted a comment yesterday..

subject: my rant about people, especially supervisors, NOT having candy dishes on their desks thereby minimizing the opportunity for overweight people to walk by and pick them up and derail their efforts

Comment: ( you can see it on yesterdays blog in entirety) Having a "treat" available is not very harmful, a person taking one small candy will not hurt him/her and people need to exhibit "self control"

I DISAGREE!!! If people could exhibit "self control", 67% of America would NOT be overweight. Weight issues are killing Americans and even though "one piece of candy" will not kill someone, in the aggregate, lots of camdies will. Women tend to be "nurturers" much more than men, and in professions dominated by females, such as teachers and nurses, constantly foods/snacks are appearing at the workplace to "treat" others. Is a "treat" something that derails someone's efforts to become healthier? If 67% of the workers in your environment were alcoholics, would you have travel bottles of alcohol in a basket on your desk?

I respectfully disagree with my commnentator yesterday, as "treats"do not and should not be caloric-driven. BUT.......I want to THANK YOU for talking the time to read and comment and I want ALL of you to become involved with these discussions!!!! Thank you for being involved!!!!!!

weight loss an "treats"

This morning I saw a patient who has been doing GREAT in the program (as most of you do!!!) and she did tell me she had one sidetrip off the dietary plan by eating some chocolate. I asked her where the chocolate came from and she told me that her boss has a candy dish on her disk.

Attention bosses, non-bosses and anyone else at the workplace who has a desk that is visited by others: Obesity is the NATION'S LARGEST HEALTH CONCERN. AMERICANS ARE DYING EARLY AND DEVELOPING VERY BAD DISEASES BECAUSE OF OBESITY... DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT HAVE CANDY DISHES ON YOUR DESK.

If you value your co-workers/employees lives, why tempt them with snack sources that contribute to declining health? What you think is some sort of "treat" is in fact, a sabotaging effort that is contributing to the declining health of America and a time when we can least afford this. Please think about these issues before "treating" someone....

Okay...bring on the comments!!!