Mindset

Be Strategic in Your Quest for Better Health

By Dr. Kushner / January 22, 2023 /

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…

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Track Weight in a Healthy Way

By Dr. Kushner / November 1, 2022 /

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…

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Make Progress, Not Perfection

By Dr. Kushner / September 17, 2022 /

A common misperception my patients struggle with is thinking they have to strive for perfection in order to be successful managing weight and boosting health. But this perfectionistic mindset only sets you up for failure because eating and exercise rarely go perfectly each and every day. Since managing weight tends to be a lifelong endeavor,…

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Strive to Try New Things as You Progress in Your Weight Management Journey

By Dr. Kushner / September 2, 2022 /

Living a healthier lifestyle and better managing weight have many benefits you may be unaware of. I’ve found that as individuals get healthier, many also start feeling motivated to try new things. I especially enjoy seeing my patients having new confidence as they set and attain new goals previously thought unachievable: One patient ran a…

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The Weight-Focused Visit

By Dr. Kushner / August 3, 2022 /

Whether you’re a patient or a provider, you know how quickly time can pass during a health care encounter. Your provider’s priorities may be to discuss your chief complaint, medications, lab results and other chronic medical problems. This doesn’t leave a lot of time to counsel you on managing weight. That’s why I recommend that…

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Tips to Improve Health Care Encounter when Talking about Weight

By Dr. Kushner / March 27, 2022 /

If you’re someone who struggles with weight, you may also struggle talking about weight with your health care provider. I know this because for the past 40 years I have talked to thousands of patients about weight and have seen firsthand how difficult this conversation can be for many individuals. Difficulties can range from people…

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Health Behavior Flexibility is Good for Your Weight & Health

By Dr. Kushner / January 29, 2022 /

Do you approach improving your weight and health with a more flexible or inflexible mindset? If you’re unsure, here are some questions to ask yourself: Are you someone who has strict rules you tell yourself you must follow? Do you have a long list of forbidden foods that you must not eat? Do you feel…

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Keeping Healthy Lifestyle Focus in Times of Stress

By Dr. Kushner / December 22, 2021 /

In my practice, stress and coping are topics I regularly address. I try and help patients see the connection between their life stressors, coping skills and overall health. The goal is to help patients cope more healthfully and keep the positive focus they need to maintain their healthy lifestyle habits. If life stressors impair your…

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Weight Loss Success Depends on Finding and Keeping Motivation

By Dr. Kushner / November 2, 2021 /

Whether you have in internal drive to lose weight to improve self-confidence or feel better, or you are encouraged to lose weight by your health care provider to improve your diabetes or hypertension, sustained motivation is a key factor for long-term success. However, it’s not uncommon for motivation to wax and wane at different points…

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From Deprivation Dieting to Enjoying a Healthier Lifestyle

By Dr. Kushner / October 19, 2021 /

Strict diet rules are hard to follow for long periods of time. Examples may include banning all carbs from your diet or never allowing yourself to enjoy treat-type foods ever again. Because losing weight and getting healthier are really important to you, you may challenge yourself to follow these rules in hopes that this time…

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