Physical Activity/ Exercise
As you can see in this picture, I was a gymnast in high school. Being a gymnast was a part of my identity and I loved it – until I fell off the high bar during our state competition. Over time, my exercise identity changed to become a runner and more recently, a ballroom dancer.…
Lifestyle modification is foundational to all obesity care. This applies even to those taking the newer, highly effective obesity medications. Though the disease of obesity is complex, lifestyle modification can be simplified and should be targeted. One size does not fit all. This is the basis of my Six Factor approach to managing weight and…
We’ve known for a long time that the more you enjoy your healthier lifestyle, the better chances you’ll have of making health habits that can last a lifetime. Over 10 years ago, I took up ballroom dancing with my wife Nancy, who’s also my Patient-Centered Weight Management and Six Factors to Fit co-author. We immediately…
Lifestyle medicine is the nonpharmacological and nonprocedural management of chronic diseases that is practiced across many specialties in healthcare, as discussed in Lifestyle Medicine: Closing Research, Practice and Knowledge Gaps, our just-released book for health care professionals edited by Jeffrey Mechanick and myself. We were fortunate to have industry leaders author cutting-edge information in each…
We live in an obesogenic environment where high calorie foods are plentiful and physical activity has been engineered out of our daily lives. Despite your best intentions, this makes it hard for you to carry out your healthy lifestyle behaviors. In my 40+ year career helping patients manage weight and boost health, PLANNING AHEAD has…
Sitting less and moving more are universal healthy lifestyle goals for everyone – even if you’re already losing weight on one of the newer obesity medications. Prolonged sitting is a top risk factor for developing diabetes, weight gain, obesity, increased blood fats, cardiovascular disease, some forms of cancer, depression, and even premature death. Did you…
I learned long ago that generic weight loss advice doesn’t work well for most people. That’s because managing weight is personal, influenced by your likes and dislikes, health goals and personal challenges. This applies whether or not you’re taking one of the newer anti-obesity medications. I wrote my book, Six Factors to Fit: Weight Loss that Works…
We are a weight-focused society but when it comes to managing weight long term, having a weight-only narrow focus can be detrimental. Throughout my 4-decade career I have stressed the importance of lifestyle modification being foundational for losing weight and achieving better health. Now with an average 15-20% weight loss with the new injectable obesity…
One of my yearly medical student classes I teach at Northwestern University is helping our future physicians learn behavior change strategies to improve their own health. Examples of targeted health behaviors may include not exercising regularly, not eating enough fruits and vegetables, eating too many sweets or fast food, not getting enough hours of sleep…
Having health-related goals is one thing. Being able to follow through with them is another. To help my patients put health goals into action, I encourage them to think about the steps they can take up front to set themselves up for success. Here are 3 STEPS YOU CAN STAR TAKING TODAY to improve your…
