Dr. Oz's 16 Tips for Summer Weight Loss

An article about Dr. Oz's summer weight loss plan was featured on AOL on May 3rd: 
Dr. Oz's 16 Tips for Summer Weight Loss
by Norine Dworkin-McDaniel 

His main points were: 
- See yourself looking fabulous.
- Take a "before" picture in your swimsuit.
- Hang your favorite summer outfit where you'll see it every day.
- Let your family in on what you're up to.
- Kick off your efforts with a token gift to yourself. (i.e. walking shoes or pedometer)
- Take advantage of longer days. (physical activity)
- Skip the elevator.
- Have sex.
- Eat breakfast.
- Cut 100 calories a day.
- Have a drink.
- Snack before you eat your meals.
- Fill your plate with summer fruits and vegetables.
- Eat dessert in the afternoon.
- Have wine with dinner.
- Dine outside.

Abby's comment:

Dr. Oz’s inexperience in the field of weight management is glaring to any professionals who have been in the trenches for years.  Perhaps when the devastating stories of people regaining weight lost from his plan start pouring in, it will reshape his understanding about the biology and psychology of this issue.

Nearly 100% of people who lose weight gain it back, and many of those who keep it off develop eating disorders to maintain an unnaturally thin weight. Research suggests that yo-yo dieting can adversely affect blood pressure, lipids and insulin sensitivity.

A hundred years ago, as a psychologist specializing in weight loss, I often suggested that people imagine themselves looking thinner.  Regardless of its motivating factor, it did not help people to keep weight off, and for many people it is a biologically unattainable image.  Yes, the same strategies that work for sports psychologists work for weight management, but focus must be on the “process” not the goal.

Imagining crossing the finish line is not as empowering as imagining yourself performing excellently.  So, it is better to imagine living a healthy lifestyle, than imagining your body at a certain weight.  Your body will land at it’s healthiest place, which may not be thin, if your 7000 fat genes do not direct it to be thin.

Those fat pictures and summer outfits begin taunting people at some point, since weight gain is much faster than weight loss.  Been there, done that, with thousands of patients, regardless of what diet they did to lose weight.  Going public insures greater humiliation and shame when weight is inevitably regained.

If you follow many of Dr. Oz’s other suggestions, without an eye on weight loss, you may actually become healthier – regardless if weight is lost.  But if weight loss is the goal, it taints everything, and sets you up for failure.  I also advocate exercise, chocolate, wine, skipping the elevator, having sex, fruits and veggies, and snacking before meals.  Most were discussed in my book, Your Final Diet, back in 2004.  These add pleasure, health and control, regardless if weight is lost.

Dr. Oz is a great showman, and probably a great surgeon.  Perhaps he should stick with what he knows!

Dr. Abby Aronowitz
www.DearDrAbby.com

New Alarm Bells About Chemicals and Cancer

The New York Times ran an op-ed called:
New Alarm Bells About Chemicals and Cancer
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF on May 6, 2010

"The President’s Cancer Panel is the Mount Everest of the medical mainstream, so it is astonishing to learn that it is poised to join ranks with the organic food movement and declare: chemicals threaten our bodies. The cancer panel is releasing a landmark 200-page report on Thursday, warning that our lackadaisical approach to regulation may have far-reaching consequences for our health. "  Read more here: 
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/opinion/06kristof.html

Abby posted the following comment:

I am a psychologist specializing in weight management, and my work encourages “health at every size, naturally.”  We are bombarded with messages about getting healthy by losing weight, but if the focus was truly on health, then we would be encouraging nutrient-dense foods, free of chemicals, instead of “diet food.”   For instance, artificial sweeteners and artificial fats seem to disrupt the body’s natural mechanisms of hunger and satiation – which are key to maintaining a healthy weight.

Thinking more broadly about health - and what enters our bodies -  would lead to creative thinking, such as tax rebates to homeowners who refrain from using chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other toxins.  What about giving rebates to homeowners and townships that stop mowing lawns, stop cutting down trees, and allow natural local diversity to reclaim the land?  We have interfered with the earth’s natural filters, and cancer is probably the result.  Losing weight does not help with any of this, but getting back to nature seems to help.

In fact, cancer and weight have an interesting connection, but not what we have been led to believe.  Weight gain in our country is correlated with relative food abundance, which has allowed us to reach maximum heights, weights and IQs.  Higher weights were correlated with more cancer, but so were higher heights!

Higher weights and heights suggest that more “robust” people live long enough for deadly cancers to develop, whereas lowest incidents of cancer were found in countries with lower heights and weights – and much earlier death rates.  Cancer simply did not have time to develop, ostensibly because of worse nutrition, health, and early death!  The idea that being overweight leads to most types of cancers is simply not true.

Furthermore, having some weight on your body seems to protect the body from many illnesses, and assure better recoveries.  Not only does fat offer some reserves during times of stress, but it may also contribute towards certain immunities and protect against bone fractures.   Population studies around the world consistently find highest death rates for extremely thin and extremely fat people, with lowest death rates for the overweight.

Environmental impact on health is an essential consideration.  I was thrilled to read about the President’s Cancer Panel supporting organics.  Organic food tends to be much more nutritious than inorganic foods, and focusing on health instead of weight loss is the way to go!

Thank you.

Dr. Abby Aronowitz
www.DearDrAbby.com

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT FATTENING!

Originally posted @diet.com

 

My good friend, Chef Devin Alexander has done it again! This Best Selling Author of The Biggest Loser Cookbook has created over 150 deliciously easy recipes for the super-busy, decadent-craving, yet health-conscious person in her new cookbook: I Can't Believe It's not fattening!!

These mouthwatering, home-cooked, and absolutely guilt-free favorites can be ready in mere minutes! After telling her that I have never actually followed a recipe, she challenged me to break the spell, and try out one of her treats.

After drooling over more than 50 beautiful color photographs, I was stunned by something so simple, so creative, sooo... funny! Ya gotta see her chocolate chip banana boat. This looks like a treat we might dig up when raiding the house for something yummy, and putting together two odd ingredients. Create a long slit down the middle of a banana, and stuff in dark chocolate mini chips. After 5 minutes in the oven, you are left with a divine mix of melted dark chocolate, slathered over a warm banana, in it’s own boat – that has charred, but not caught fire! It is delicious, adorable, and EEEEZZZZ!

There are recipes for caramelized apple butter-topped pork chops, asian grilled london broil, and parmesan garlic soft pretzels, Squeal with delight at her 351 calorie bacon cheeseburger, and enjoy digging down into her comforting mexican mac and cheese. The diversity of tastes blows my mind, as it seems every country and food group is represented through creative, imaginative, low calorie dishes.

At times she offers options between using “regular” and “light” ingredients, which embraces my penchant for using natural products, for those willing to finally ditch artificial ingredients.

Chef Devin is a gift for our culture by helping us towards healthy food that actually tastes delicious. This is what I mean by living a healthy lifestyle; it’s a plan that can last for life. Incorporating these charming recipes and sweet delicacies will surely help us to become fitter and happier. Thanks, Devin!

Purchase Here: I CAN’T BELIEVE ITS NOT FATTENING!

Dr. Abby - Your Final Diet

Dr. Abby Hearts 'Dr. South Beach'

Originally posted @diet.com

Lifestyle Management for Cardiac and Diabetic Concerns

Welcome to our fourth installment of “Face-Off: Dr. Abby Vs. Dr. South Beach!” In this piece, we discuss hearts and sugar – appropriate metaphors for love and sweets during this Valentine week!

Dr. Agatston's profession as a cardiologist originally led him to investigate dietary changes that positively affected heart problems. His discoveries led to some important conclusions and recommendations about preventing cardiac sumptoms as well as diabetic concerns.

Dr. Abby: Dr. Agatston, can you please comment on the connection between diabetes and cardiac problems, and the best prevention for both?

Dr. Agatston: One thing you can say about diabetes that is not recognized enough, is that Type 2 adult onset diabetes was considered a problem of blood sugar, primarily because of the technology available for testing. Now we appreciate that insulin clears fats after a meal, not just sugar. The clearing of fats is probably more important. When fats are hanging around because of insulin resistance, they are definitely making differences in lipid particles that produce atherosclerosis. The main message is that adult onset diabetes is more of a cholesterol/lipid problem than a sugar problem, and of course a weight issue. One bad thing I see in my practice occurs when adults with high blood sugar/ Type 2 diabetes are put on insulin. They tend to gain weight, and tend towards dislipidemias. Some endocrinologists unfortunately concentrate on the blood sugars instead of dislipidemias.

Dr. Abby: So the way to get rid of the lipids hanging around is not through insulin, but through...

Dr. Agatston: Diet and exercise!

Dr. Abby: OK, that’s what I thought you were going to say. So it’s not all medication based, it’s more lifestyle.

Dr. Agatston: Yes, lifestyle. There are situations where it is not lifestyle at all and it’s inherited, but insulin resistance and adult onset Type 2 diabetes is primarily lifestyle. If you just give medications you’re just papering over. There’s a place for medication, but it’s primarily lifestyle.

Dr. Abby: Right, it’s not instead of a healthy lifestyle. I would agree 100%!

Commentary: Once again, Dr. Agatston and I found an area of agreement! I find this information fascinating, since general knowledge typically assumes that blood sugar imbalances are the main culprit in adult onset Type 2 diabetes. The fact that insulin clears dietary fats as well as sugars is an important discovery, ostensibly due to innovative technology. How unfortunate that insulin treatment often causes weight gain. Yet, it is encouraging that a healthy lifestyle can create significant improvements in this condition, as well as improvement in cardiac concerns. Thanks for enlightening us, Dr. Agatston!

This is part 4 of the Dr. Abby vs. "Dr. South Beach" interviews. Check out the first three installments here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Dr. Abby

NOTE: A more complete version of this interview will be found in my next book, Dr. Abby’s Diet Revolution! This is a small excerpt from a rather extensive interview. To obtain a free PDF of my current book, Your Final Diet, please click here. Some editorial license was used to edit Dr. Agatston’s lengthy answers to my questions. Every effort was made to preserve the integrity of content.

YourFinalDiet.com

The Perils of Yo-Yo Dieting!

posted originally on diet.com

Face-Off: Dr. Abby Vs. Dr. “South Beach!”

In the next phase of our interview, Dr. Agatston and I discussed yo-yo dieting. My biggest concern about dieting and weight loss is the near-inevitability of gaining back weight lost. Not only is this emotionally devastating, but research strongly suggests that adverse physiological harm results from weight cycling.

Dr. Abby: Some of my patients have abused Phase 1 of The South Beach Diet by returning to it frequently and yo-yo dieting.. Can you comment about harmful effects of yo-yo dieting?

Dr. Agatston: People go for quick weight loss, and that’s the whole sense of “diet.” The idea of fast weight loss was always a concern for us. The first phase is certainly for people who are really overweight, who have insulin resistance, or are hungry all the time. It works very well if you get rid of cravings and get some good psychological feedback.

But you must move towards a lifestyle or you will yo-yo. Rapid weight loss lowers muscle mass and lowers metabolism, and it gets tougher and tougher each time. What I always say is, you can even lose weight quickly with a cabbage soup diet. However, you’d just get tired of it and go off it. You must turn the diet into a lifestyle or you will yo-yo back, and it gets tougher and tougher.

The thing with yo-yo dieting that’s not really out there, is that people who are insulin resistant are able to yo-yo easily. Fat and thin people have more trouble, since they don’t gain or lose so easily. Insulin resistant people lose cravings and lose weight rapidly. But once they go back to what they were doing, they also gain more rapidly.

People with the highest risk are able to yo-yo the most. But yo-yo dieting puts them at the highest risk the for coronary disease. For people who are able to yo-yo, it is most important not to. They need the lifestyle. The ability to yo-yo almost connects you with a high risk person, and somebody who shouldn’t yo-yo, I guess.

Dr. Abby: Wow, I’ve never quite heard it put that way! Thanks for clarifying. I was kind of going for the belly fat answer, but am glad to hear this. However, so many people who yo-yo diet add more belly fat on the way up. They’re less healthy than before losing the weight, right?

Dr. Agatston: Right! They’ve lost some muscle mass, and belly fat comes back very rapidly; usually more than before.

Dr. Abby: It has compensatory effect. The body doesn’t know when the next famine is coming, so-to-speak. And it’s useful when we’re starving but not useful when we’re not.

Dr. Agatston: Exactly.

Commentary: Many people view The South Beach Diet as a diet, and not a lifestyle. They return after regaining lost weight, and therefore yo-yo diet. Although Dr. Agatston admits that fast weight loss in Phase I can offer psychological encouragement, the great majority of people who lose weight do gain it back. Encouragement can quickly turn to discouragement. Can we eliminate Phase I and go straight to maintenance? The program Dr. Agatston implemented in some Florida schools did just that; there was no emphasis on weight loss or even portion control; just healthy choices. It is very heartening to see evolution and growth in his philosophy.

My forthcoming book, Dr. Abby’s Diet Revolution!, helps people to personalize food plans so they can stick with it forever. Incorporating “healthy junk food” can help. Learn about it in this free download of my first book, Your Final Diet.

This is part 3 of the Dr. Abby vs. "Dr. South Beach" interviews.
Check out the first two installments here: Part 1, Part 2

Dr. Abby graduated from Columbia University, and holds 2 masters degrees and a Ph.D. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and Mensa. As a psychologist in private practice for 16 years she helped people with a wide variety of concerns, and has spoken on many topics related to weight loss, mental health, parenting and relationships. Dr. Abby is also president of DAA, Inc. For information regarding coaching, speaking, or therapeutic products, please visit her website at www.DearDrAbby.com.

Dr. Abby says Women Crave Food Differently than Men

posted originally on diettogo.com

diettogo.com reader Sally K. recently asked me this interesting question:

Are there gender differences with regard to food cravings?

YES Sally... there are important differences regarding our biological needs, which create different cravings. Estrogen causes cravings for fat/sugar combinations to create our beautiful breasts, hips and thighs, which aid us during pregnancy. Testosterone creates cravings for fat/protein combinations to build strong muscles for the "hunt." Doesn’t it ring true that women want their sweets but men want their steaks?

See, it’s not our fault; it’s hormonal!

Additionally, women have lower levels of serotonin, the brain chemical which regulates calmness, wellbeing and depression. Precursors of serotonin are found in carbohydrates.

Do you know of any women who binge on pork chops when stressed? Never! It’s always carbs!

Flooding the body with serotonin-producing substances calms us down even though it doesn’t solve our problems. Cravings seem psychological because they’re biological.
Ever notice that some premenstrual women will do anything to get their hands on some carbs? It’s because serotonin levels drop during PMS.

Understanding biological needs helps us to work with our bodies rather than against them.

Fighting natural instincts might set us up for failure. It is wiser to program in the foods we love, while keeping an eye on weekly caloric totals as well as balanced nutrition.

Of course not all fat, carbohydrates and proteins are created equal.

For instance, complex carbohydrates contain fiber, which keeps blood sugar stable and fends off cravings for much longer periods than simple sugars. However, eating an apple when you really want apple pie might just be adding calories when you end up having the pie, too!

Working with our cravings makes good sense biologically and psychologically. Consider this permission to indulge in whatever you really want, cuz it’s gonna getcha sooner or later! Planning helps to manage calories appropriately.

Dr. Abby graduated from Columbia University, and holds 2 masters degrees and a Ph.D. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and Mensa. As a psychologist in private practice for 16 years she helped people with a wide variety of concerns, and has spoken on many topics related to weight loss, mental health, parenting and relationships. Dr. Abby is also president of DAA, Inc. For information regarding coaching, speaking, or therapeutic products, please visit her website at www.DearDrAbby.com.

Dr. Abby: Best Way to Deal with all that Halloween Candy

posted originally on diettogo.com

Dear Dr. Abby,

My kids brought home a stash of Halloween candy, which was enough to haunt any parent! What’s the best way to deal with this delightfully decadent supply?

Candy

First and foremost, I hope you shared their excitement about your kids' wonderful accomplishment! Grabbing all that loot required walking and enthusiasm, both of which burned calories. The bigger the pile, the further the mile!

Now, educate them about candy.

Anything with nuts is actually fairly healthy. Nuts contain good oils, while protein and fat minimize the high glycemic index of sugar.

Lollipops and gumdrops are pure sugar, but fairly low in calories. Brushing teeth should be a rule after eating these, since lingering sugar causes cavities.

Dark chocolate tops the list of good stuff.

You might also discuss portions, and/or calorie counts. A few little pieces might be equivalent to a bigger piece, unless it’s a peanut butter cup or peppermint patty, which may have more calories.

If your children are old enough to reason, ask them how they think they should be allowed to eat it.

If they come up with a moderate plan, such as one piece every day after school, or 3 small pieces after dinner, congratulate them on a great plan and let them win. If not, do some negotiation.

Allow them to have a bit more than they should have for the rest of the week, and then wean back towards a typical allotment of sweets.

Be careful about restriction and overindulgence, twin enemies contributing to eating disorders and obesity.

Restriction will probably lead to sneaking and overindulgence, and overindulgence can lead to all sorts of problems. Just keep it in perspective, and avoid sugar battles.

Food battles contra-indicate a lifetime of peace, regarding food and body image. Remember, food may not make them fatter, but food abuse might!

Dr. Abby graduated from Columbia University, and holds 2 masters degrees and a Ph.D. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and Mensa. As a psychologist in private practice for 16 years she helped people with a wide variety of concerns, and has spoken on many topics related to weight loss, mental health, parenting and relationships. Dr. Abby is also president of DAA, Inc. For information regarding coaching, speaking, or therapeutic products, please visit her website at www.DearDrAbby.com.