Mindset
When I hear physicians state that their patients just need to learn how to ‘eat less and move more’ to lose weight, I think about how much this message oversimplifies and under-delivers in offering real help to people who struggle with weight. This message reveals a misunderstanding about the complexity of overweight and obesity that…
Too many times, people can feel defeated in their quest for better health. Maybe they have difficulty choosing the right foods or struggle sticking with an exercise program. Or maybe stress keeps getting in the way of their good intentions. A lack of confidence can cause many to throw in the towel and give up…
Those who are interested in losing weight successfully spend a lot of time looking at different diet plans to find the one they think will work best for them. You may relate. Maybe you’ve considered trying the Keto diet, intermittent fasting or going gluten-free. As a weight management specialist who has spent nearly the last…
You are probably all too familiar with the drill – you lose weight and feel good but when life throws you a curveball, you stop doing the healthy lifestyle behaviors that kept your weight under control. Though the specific life challenge can vary from person to person (examples may include a new illness or injury,…
I like to think of healthy living as a 3-legged stool that incorporates diet, physical activity and mindset. If one of these legs is ignored or not attended to on a regular basis, you won’t feel steady and your health may suffer. For this holiday season, I asked staff from our Northwestern Center for Lifestyle…
Holiday times are usually a time when you need high energy for all the family get-togethers, gift buying and cooking that are piled onto your day-to-day routine. But this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing, family gatherings will be smaller, big meal festivities will be downsized and gift buying…
No matter where you are in your weight loss journey, it’s not uncommon to find your motivation waning over time. Because weight management is typically a lifelong endeavor, boredom can easily set in or life can get in the way of your best intentions. Either way, there are strategies that can work across the board…
A common misperception my patients struggle with is thinking they have to strive for perfection in order to be successful managing weight. 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, I encourage all…
Some of my most frustrated patients are women requesting help for weight gain and changing body shapes that develop during their menopause transition years. And though each woman’s personal story and weight journey differs, what they share is a feeling of powerlessness to take back control. If this sounds like you, know that though I…
As the weather changes along with family schedules, Fall can be a time for personal renewal and transformation. But the energy you used to put forth toward creating new schedules and healthier self-care practices in past autumn seasons may now be focused on dealing with pandemic-related stress, uncertainty and fears. This can lead to procrastination,…
