lifestyle habits

GLP-1s Quiet the Appetite. You Steer the Journey.

Dr. Robert Kushner August 19, 2026 No Comments

Having health goals is one thing; setting up your environment to make those goals effortless is another. Today’s GLP-1 medications are game-changers for managing appetite and body weight, doing the biological heavy lifting. However, medications work best when paired with intentional behaviors. To get the most out of treatment and build long-term success, practical strategies

How Obesity Medications Can Anchor a Healthier Lifestyle

Dr. Robert Kushner July 6, 2026 No Comments

Obesity medications are frequently in the news for their ability to drive weight loss, but their true value goes much deeper: they can be a powerful gateway to long-term health. For many living with the chronic disease of obesity, these medications serve as an anchor. They secure foundational weight loss that previously felt completely out

Droplet of water dripping into a rippling puddle

Ripple Effects of GLP-1 Obesity Medications on Society

Dr. Robert Kushner March 17, 2026 No Comments

The effects of game-changing GLP-1 medications on individuals and society was the topic of my recent keynote address at the Northwestern University Alumni Association event in Naples, Florida. Individuals on GLP-1 medications are changing how they eat, shop, live, play and get their healthcare and companies are taking notice. We usually think of big tech

Black and white photo of a young Dr. Kushner, when he was a gymnast, pointing his feet toward the sky while using his hands to hold himself upright on two bars

What’s Your Exercise Identity?

Dr. Robert Kushner January 10, 2026 No Comments

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.

Dimly lit room filled with people dancing

Dance Checks All the Boxes for Good Health

Dr. Robert Kushner August 14, 2025 No Comments

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

Hand holding a camera lens in front of a mountainous landscape and lake

Take a Closer Look at the Advancing Field of Lifestyle Medicine

Dr. Robert Kushner June 10, 2025 No Comments

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

Nameplate on a desk that says, "Lesson #1"

Are You Doing this One Essential Strategy for a Healthy Lifestyle?

Dr. Robert Kushner May 6, 2025 No Comments

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

Black and white photo of a person walking their dog

Enjoy the Benefits of a Physically Active Lifestyle

Dr. Robert Kushner April 7, 2025 No Comments

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

A canvas bag with the words "Eat better. Live better." hanging on a hook

Be Better, Not Perfect – a Lifelong Healthy Eating Strategy

Dr. Robert Kushner January 7, 2025 No Comments

Seeking perfection in your diet plan is a set-up for failure. A common misperception my patients struggle with is thinking they have to strive for perfection in order to eat more healthfully. Whether it’s banning all carbs, sugar or fat from one’s diet, extreme food restrictions are hard to maintain for the long run. They

Cover of Dr. Kushner's book, "Six Factors to Fit"

Personal Weight Struggles Require a Personalized Approach

Dr. Robert Kushner January 1, 2025 No Comments

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