Dr. Robert Kushner
A common refrain I hear from patients is, “Dr. Kushner, I know what to do to lose weight, I am a smart person. I just can’t seem to do it and stick with it!” I typically respond to them by making an analogy to coaching. Elite athletes, musicians and dancers know what to do, but…
If you struggle with overweight or obesity, you’re probably aware of the mixed messages in the media that surround the disease of obesity as well as its treatments. As exciting new obesity care treatments become available, the science of obesity care continues to be questioned. That’s why I was so pleased last month during Obesity…
Managing weight in a healthy way requires both zooming in to focus on the details of living a healthier lifestyle and zooming out to better understand the bigger picture. Too often individuals can get lost in the day-to-day specifics of trying to lose weight and may feel overwhelmed and frustrated by the ongoing immediate challenges.…
As I mentor medical students who are learning how to help patients manage their weight, I often ask them what the patient can do at home to help boost their success. Helping patients be more accountable to themselves with self-monitoring is one of the tools I teach medical students to use in counseling as it…
Improving your lifestyle to get healthier and manage weight better requires good intentions. You also need to know the strategies to follow that will give you the most bang for your buck in your quest for better health. After treating thousands of patients over my 4-decade career, I’ve learned some common pitfalls to a healthier…
If you’re looking for information and inspiration to help you eat better and get healthier, you’ve come to the right place. My approach is to recommend using skillpower to help you reach your healthy eating goals. Skillpower involves learning and practicing the strategies and skills that have the most likelihood of nudging you toward healthier…
I recently added a lecture on ‘diabesity’ to the medical student curriculum at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Here’s why. Over 90% of people with diabetes also struggle with their excess weight. ‘Diabesity’ is the term we now use for the dual epidemics of diabetes and obesity that are both rising worldwide and often…
Improving one’s lifestyle habits is foundational to all weight management treatment modalities, whether you’re taking a new weight loss medication or even undergoing bariatric surgery. I spend a lot of time talking to my patients to help them figure out the best mix of weight management strategies that fit their life and lifestyle habits. If…
We all struggle with eating temptations over the holidays. The key to healthy holiday eating is to plan ahead so you feel in control to enjoy the foods you love in moderate portions. Here are some tips that have worked for my patients and can work for you too: 1-Don’t Go to the Party Hungry…
Monitoring your weight, diet and physical activity are some of the most successful strategies seen across multiple weight-loss studies. Self-monitoring keeps you accountable and aware of how key behaviors are impacting your health. If weight loss is one of your health goals, then tracking weight on a regular basis is encouraged. However, weight tracking should…
