My name is Cat. I help people get scheduled for weight loss surgery.  I am someone you will likely talk to when you call the office.  I love it at CFWLS!  My husband, Jeff and I have two college age children, Zachary and Courtney.  I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, walking, reading and creative cooking.

Although my husband Jeff and I have, for the past several years, been practicing SOMEWHAT of a healthy lifestyle, he, at just 49 years of age, “threw us for a loop” this past year by having a heart attack while running bases with the high school softball team that he coaches.  After emergency procedures, and a few days in the hospital, it was determined that it was time to “step up to the plate” and take our healthy lifestyle goals to a new level.

Although Jeff has extreme discipline, I tend to “cheat” and make choices that are less healthy.  Therefore, my goal is to get on the same page with my hubby.  Since I enjoy cooking, I’ve been experimenting with substitutions that are much healthier, but actually taste amazing!  Since I hope to lose 12 pounds, I’ll use the many tools and suppport at CFWLS…I’m excited.

My name is Starkisha.  I am a medical assistant/medical receptionist here at CFWLS.  I have a son named Nyzere who is 3 years old.  In my spare time I like to sepnd as much of it as I can with my son.  I also enjoy spending time with my family and reading.  My goal is to lose 15 or more pounds.  Bring on the “Losing It CFWLS” challenge!

My name is Dani.  I have been Dr. Clark’s Medical Assistant for the last seven years.  I truly enjoy seeing people so happy as they lose weight and change their habits for good!  I have four grown children and one grandchild.  Recently, my life has gone through some major change, not necessarily good or bad, just the natural order of things.

This year my youngest graduated from high school and in the fall was off to college.  This transition has not been easy for me as I have always worked and any free time was spend supporting the kid’s activities.  Band, soccer and swimming kept me busy most of the time.  Now what?  Sit in front of the TV and eat after work?  This is where I was headed…no way this can happen!  I have by chance become involved with horse rescue.  It is a place for horses that have been abused, neglected or in some cases the owners just cannot afford to keep them anymore.  I have found my passion!  This is so exciting and motivating for me.  I am so motivated to lose the weight and get in shape so I can give my best to these wonderful creatures.  I can feel my weight holding me back.  I need to be able to move more freely and look forward to maybe riding again.  So much ahead!

My name is Shawn and I am 42 years old.  I have been married 22 years and have 2 college age children.  I have worked in the medical field for 18 years.  I enjoy spending time with family and friends, going to the beach and playing softball.  My goal is to learn how to take care of me again and to lose 30+ pounds.

My name is Dawn. I have been with Dr. Clark’s Center for Weight Loss success for almost a year now! I work as a Lifestyle & Weight Loss Consultant and Personal Trainer here at the center. I too struggle to keep off those excess pounds and have joined the battle of the bulge here at our office. My goal is to drop 15 pounds in the next 4 months.

Health & fitness are my passion but traveling and cooking are my hobbies and I try to modify the recipes I collect on my trips to blend into a healthier lifestyle. My 50th birthday is right around the corner and I’d like to be around another 50 years!

My husband, Tim, and I have been married for 28 years and have a son & daughter who live in the area.

My name is Karol.  I am a nurse and Dr. Clark’s wife.  We have 4 children ages 8, 10, 13 and 14.  I have always worked full-time and really love the exciting things going on at CFWLS and the opportunity to lose weight with everyone here.  I work full-time here doing a lot of the “behind the scene” activities such as patient educational materials, website management, administrative duties, managing the construction for the new facility and anything else that needs to be done. I love the team here and I feel fortunate to be a part of something so special that will change the health of our community in such a great way.

I work long hours at the office and often at home and yet, I love what I do.  Between this and taking care of our great (and very active) kids, there isn’t much time to focus on me and thus…I have put on weight.  My goal is to lose about 15 pounds.  My husband practices what he teaches each and every day!  He always gets his protein in, eats properly and exercises nearly every single day - no matter how long his day was. You would think that would just “rub off”on me but we all make our own choices.  During stress…mine aren’t always the greatest.  I am motivated to lose this weight and join the ranks of our many patients who have easily incorporated great new habits into their lifestyle for good!

photo by Distec International

“Weight-loss goals can mean the difference between success and failure,” according to the Mayo Clinic.  Well-planned weight loss goals provide a plan that keeps you focused and motivated.  Poorly planned goals, on the other hand, are unrealistic and almost impossible to achieve.  If you set unrealistic goals, you will probably end up frustrated and discouraged and decide to quit all your efforts to lose weight.  These tips will help you create well-planned weight loss goals that will have you on the path to weight loss success:

1. Begin by breaking down one big goal into a series of smaller ones. Having one big goal can be overwhelming, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose.  Take small steps to meet your main goal and you will be more likely to succeed because small goals are more manageable.  Consider short-term goals as stepping stones to reaching long-term goals.

2.  Be willing to change your goals as you progress. You may find that your smaller goals are not challenging enough and you may need to adjust them as you adapt to your new lifestyle.  Review your goals each week, think about what worked and what didn’t and make new goals accordingly.

3.  Set goals that take your personal capabilities into consideration. Take your schedule, fitness level and health into consideration, and your goals will be more achievable.

4.   Make sure that your weight loss goals are realistic. Don’t expect rapid weight loss.  Safe weight loss is usually around 2 pounds each week. This means that you will need to burn about an extra 1,000 calories each day.  You can do this by cutting back the calories and adding extra activity into your life everyday.

5.  Focus on changing your habits. Changing your habits and making a lifestyle change is the key to successful weight loss.  Focus on the process of change and not on the outcome.

6.  Identify potential setbacks. By recognizing potential setbacks before hand, you can brainstorm strategies that will help you to overcome them and keep you on track.  Setbacks are normal and most of us have experienced them.

7.  Write down your goals. You will be more successful if you write down all the details of your goals.  It will help to make you more aware of your expectations, give you more accountability and serve as a great reference tool as to what works and what doesn’t.

8.  Timing can make the difference between success and failure. Timing is crucial.  You may need to look at your life and resolve some issues first. Make sure that other stressors such as work and personal life are as calm as you can make them.  Don’t start a weight loss plan and a new job at the same time. Once you have chosen a starting date to lose weight – don’t put it off!

At Dr. Clark’s Center for Weight Loss Success you will learn that goals need to be SMART – meaning that they need to be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound.  Set your personal goals and get started!  You’ll find that realistic and well-planned goals will help you have a more successful weight loss program.

Photo by Woodley Wonderworks

Think about it…eggs were made as fully equipped little packages to sustain life.  They contain high quality protein.  Eating eggs for breakfast can also help you feel full and maintain your lean body mass.

But don’t just stop at breakfast- eggs are great for lunch, dinner or even snacks!  They are inexpensive, convenient & quick.  Eggs can be cooked in so many ways that you might never tire of them.

Eggs are “nutrition rock stars”, according to Frances Largeman-Roth, who wrote a wonderful article in the January/February issue of Health Magazine.  Largeman-Roth is a nutritionist who recommended these tasty ways to upgrade eggs:

• By adding a splash of hot sauce, you will “kick up” the flavor and add some health benefits.  It is the capsaicin in the hot sauce that revs up your metabolism and may help keep you slim.
• Asparagus spears can be dipped into soft-boiled eggs and you can try adding herbs and goat cheese to scrambled eggs.
• She also states that “simple poached eggs are a wonderful foil for salty salmon” and that eggs combined with a little diced ham in ramekins and baked at 400 degrees for 15 minutes offer a “big dose of flavor”.

Why are eggs “nutrition rock stars”?  Here’s a break down of the good nutrition found in eggs:

• Eggs are high in vitamins and minerals.  One large egg has 251 milligrams of choline, more than half of a woman’s daily requirement and 25 micrograms of vitamin K, one third of the daily requirement for women.  Choline is crucial for brain health as it important for brain development of unborn babies and affects memory later in life.  Vitamin K is a key nutrient in blood clotting.
• One medium whole egg has 65 calories, 1 gram of effective carbohydrate, 4 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein. A large egg has 75 calories, 1 gram of effective carbohydrate, 5 grams of fat and 6 grams of protein. An extra large egg has 85 calories, 1 effective carbohydrate, 6 grams of fat and 7 grams of protein.
• One large yolk has 60 calories, no carbohydrates, 5 grams of fat and 3 grams of protein.
• One large egg white has 15 calories, a trace of carbohydrates, no fat and 4 grams of protein.
• ¼ cup of egg substitute has 35 calories, a trace of carbohydrates, 1 fat gram and 6 grams of protein.

If you have high cholesterol, you might have been told to avoid eggs.  However, it is saturated fat that substantially impacts your blood cholesterol levels.  Recent studies have shown that adding eggs to a healthy diet did not increase LDL or heart disease.  It’s best, as always, to check with your physician before changing your diet, but why not ask if you can add a few eggs to your life?

Ultimately, eggs are good for you.  Maybe the English egg industry had it right when I was growing up.  Their TV commercials used a very memorable slogan – “Go to work on an egg”.

photo by La Grande Farmers' Market

Did you know that salmon, avocados, honeydew, kidney beans and artichokes can actually help LOWER your blood pressure?  That’s right.  Those foods are high in potassium and scientists have recently discovered that a diet high in potassium and low in sodium can have positive effects on hypertension.

More and more evidence is mounting on the importance of potassium in a healthy diet, yet between 90 percent of men and 99 percent of women in America don’t get enough potassium in their diet, according to The Nutrition Action Health letter.

One out of every three adults in the U.S. has high blood pressure, and that jumps to two out of three if you’re over 65.  High blood pressure is a very common problem and can lead to other health issues. About three out of four people who suffer a stroke, a heart attack, or congestive heart failure also have high blood pressure.

“It’s absolutely clear that potassium can lower blood pressure,” says Dr. Frank Sacks, professor of cardiovascular disease prevention at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. In a study that tracked 43,000 men for 8 years, researchers found that those who consumed 4,300 mg of potassium daily were 38% less likely to suffer a stroke than those who consumed 2,400 mg a day.

Everyone has heard that decreasing the amount of sodium in your diet helps to lower blood pressure, but adding potassium to a low-sodium diet has an even greater effect. Recently over a 10 year study, Prevention researchers discovered that eating more foods with potassium and reducing high-sodium foods lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke more than if you just lowered the sodium in your diet.

Scientists aren’t really sure how potassium lowers blood pressure, but they do have a few ideas.  Potassium could be making the larger blood vessels more flexible, which is important in maintaining lower blood pressure.  Scientists also believe that potassium may dilate smaller blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure by decreasing the resistance to blood flow.

The good news is that some blood pressure problems that were considered permanent can be reversed, according to Dr. Sacks.  A diet rich in potassium and low-sodium can completely reverse the effects of age on blood pressure.

A big part of the problem in the American diet is that sodium is added to many processed foods, but potassium is not, and we all know Americans eat a lot of processed food. Eating more fresh and frozen foods, which are sometimes lower in sodium, may help you get your recommended intake and lower the amount of sodium in your diet.  Adding foods that are good sources of potassium include fish, such as salmon, cod and sardines, beef, chicken, spinach, bananas, leafy greens, and potatoes (especially the skin).

A balanced diet –eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, along with lean meats, fish and nuts-helps you get all the vitamin and minerals that you need.  Please check with your doctor before making any dramatic changes in your eating habits, but consider monitoring the potassium you are getting in your daily diet.  A balanced diet helps you get all the vitamin and minerals that you need.

A fiber super hero, the avocado has almost 12 grams of fiber!

Anyone who has been on a weight loss program at  our center has heard about the importance of fiber in your diet.  By calculating the effective carbohydrate content of our food, we determine how much fiber is in each food and try to get more of it in our diets.

Why is fiber our new best friend?  Fiber is great for weight loss.  First of all, its bulkiness gives you a feeling of fullness, and it is calorie-free!  It also has a lot of health benefits.  Research shows that a diet high in fiber can reduce cholesterol and the diseases associated with it, as well as improving your glucose tolerance.  This helps control swings in blood sugar.

There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble.  It is best to try to get both kinds into your diet.  Soluble fiber dissolves in water and has been linked to lowering bad cholesterol or low-density lipoproteins (LDL’s).  The other fiber-insoluble cleans out your gut and is associated with reducing risk for cardiovascular disease.

Fiber is found naturally in whole grains, fruits, vegetable and nuts and there are many fortified products on the market.  Try looking for products that are 100% whole wheat and have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.  Choose brown rice instead of white, or mix them if you don’t like brown as much.  Find whole-wheat pastas and breads in your grocery store.  Sprinkle nuts on your salad, in yogurt and in cereals.  Snack on fruits and vegetables.  No longer are fiber foods twiggy and bland!  There are delicious options out there.

So, how much fiber should you get?  If you are under 50 and a woman, you should shoot for 25 grams, and 38 for a man.  If you are over 50 it is 30 grams for a man and 21 for a woman.

Remember to work up to it slowly. DO NOT run out and eat all the fiber you can.  Adding too much fiber at once can cause nausea and other gastrointestinal distress.  Add just a few grams each day until you reach your recommended daily allowance.  Along with the fiber, be sure to drink more water, as fiber absorbs water, and you want to make sure to keep things moving.

And then you step on a scale.

Why is it that it is so easy for us to gain weight and SO hard  to lose it?  Putting on weight is no problem for most of us but losing it is a huge struggle.  How can we gain several pounds in one short weekend of poor food choices?  And how come if we balance that off with two days of healthy eating and exercise, we are never back at our starting weight?  Why does it seem to take more work to lose the same two or three pounds than it did to gain it?

Well, one big reason it is easier to gain weight than to lose it is because eating more is easy.  Adding 200 calories to your daily food intake is no big deal, but take away 200 calories and you might feel hungry and cranky. Food is good, and junk food is especially inviting and convenient, and many of us are not really aware of how many calories are in those little indulgences.  There are many stumbling blocks out there- convenience stores, fast food restaurants, those kiosks in the mall, and even the grocery stores can all have calorie-laden choices.

A second reason that it is difficult to work off our weekend indulgences is reflected in a study conducted by Dr. Jules Hirsch at Rockefeller University.  He found that our bodies slow down their caloric burn rate after we’ve been losing weight.   We actually have to eat less to keep from gaining weight.  If you go back to eating the way you did before you lost weight, you may gain more back than you started with- even though you are not consuming any more calories.  It doesn’t seem fair, but that is the way our bodies are made.

Gaining weight is a survival mechanism.  As people evolved we had to endure lengths of time with unreliable food sources.  Our bodies became very good at storing and keeping fat that would be needed for energy when there was nothing to eat. When you’ve been reducing your fat stores by losing weight, your body worries that there might not be food coming, and so when you have a wild weekend, it is eager to store up fat, just in case there’s another famine.

Another aspect of your weekend weight gain might be water weight.   Salt and carbohydrates can make your body hold onto water.  So if your favorite weekend indulgence is a bag of potato chips, guess what?  You could be retaining water, and that will show up on your scale.  Many of us get discouraged by our water weight gain, but keep in mind it can take several days to lose water weight.

Bottom line – losing weight is much harder because it is work.  You have to work on your diet, work on your exercise and work on your lifestyle!  Try not to go hog wild every weekend so your body doesn’t grab back those pounds, and you don’t have to work so much harder to lose what you have already lost once.

photo credit Niklas Bildhauer

Why is breakfast considered to be the most important meal of the day?

1. Firstly: Eating a healthy breakfast can reduce hunger throughout the day so that better food choices can be made the rest of the day and portion sizes can be controlled.
2. Eating breakfast will give you more energy for the rest of the day and studies have shown that people are better able to focus and function throughout the day.
3. For many people, eating breakfast is part of a healthy lifestyle so they are more likely to set a healthy precedent for the rest of the day by making wiser food choices and exercising.
4. People who eat breakfast regularly tend to eat fewer calories from fat and have a better vitamin and mineral intake.

So, how can we work breakfast into our busy lives?

• Prepare the night before by planning what you are going to eat the next morning and have it ready to go.
• Place a list of foods on your fridge that are quick and easy but also ones that you enjoy.  It will make it easier to choose what to have for breakfast the next morning.
• Decide to drive through a fast food restaurant on your way to work but know ahead of time what healthy choice you will be ordering.

Finally, the following are some foods that you might consider for breakfast:

• Protein shakes.  Select already pre-mixed shakes or ones that are easily prepared by adding water.
• Eggs.  They are great for satiety and that is partly because they are high in protein.  Proteins require more calories to digest.  If cholesterol is a concern, egg whites are also high in protein and a great alternative.
• Dairy products such as cottage cheese, yogurts and milk are also high in protein but take the carbohydrate count into consideration for the rest of the day.
• High-fiber complex carbohydrates found in whole grains and cereals will also help to keep you satisfied because fiber increases the sensation of fullness.  Low carbohydrate tortillas are great for using as wraps.  Cheese, eggs, Canadian bacon and deli meat are just some of the foods that you could place inside the wrap.  Just make sure that you are getting adequate protein and keep track of your carbohydrate intake for the rest of the day.

Next time you are tempted to skip breakfast, remember that many studies, in both adults and children, have shown that breakfast eaters tend to weigh less than breakfast skippers.

QUESTION:

I’ve heard that water is necessary for weight loss and that I should drink as much as possible to help me in my weight loss efforts.  Is this true?

ANSWER:

There is some confusion surrounding the importance of water as it relates to weight loss.  Unfortunately, more research is needed to clarify the issue.  However, studies have clearly shown the importance of water in many other aspects, including some that are indirectly related to weight loss.  Let’s review what we do know:

1. To function at its best, the body needs to be well-hydrated.  Our bodies are largely composed of water – about 55-60% of body weight.  It helps with many tasks including
   temperature regulation, cardiovascular function, waste product removal and metabolism.
2. Although the body is efficient at regulating fluids, regular fluid intake (through food or drink) is required to keep the body hydrated.  We lose fluid through respiration (breathing), sweating, and feces & urine.  The result is a total body water turnover of approximately 5-10% per day.  Luckily, our bodies are very good at compensating for normal fluctuations in fluid intake by either diluting or concentrating urine.  However, sooner or later, water losses need to be replaced by fluid intake.
3. Exercise is a hydration stressor.  Due to water loss through sweat, dehydration can set in quickly during prolonged exercise – especially in hot and humid environments.  The effects of dehydration are many and include decreased physical performance, cardiovascular stress, fatigue, depressed mental function, and heat illness.  Increased perceptions of fatigue during exercise reduces your tolerance for exercise – and therefore your ability to burn more calories.  (See Exercise & Avoiding Dehydration.)  In addition, even small amounts of dehydration have been shown to cause general fatigue, which may affect your desire to even start an exercise session.
4. The extreme opposite of dehydration can cause problems too.  Ingesting large amounts of water without other added content (such as electrolytes, sugar, vitamins, etc.) can result in a medical complication known as hyponatremia.  When too much plain water is ingested, large amounts of electrolytes (especially sodium) are transported from the blood and tissues into the small intestine, resulting in a dangerous electrolyte imbalance.
5. A small study has indicated that metabolic rate increases following water consumption by as much as 30% and is sustained for over an hour.¹ The mechanism of the increased calorie burn is thought to be a combination of the energy needed to heat the ingested water and additional unknown factors.  The long-term effect of increased water consumption and weight loss has not been studied.
6. Research has shown that cell hydration influences metabolism.  However, changes in reactions at the cellular level cannot necessarily be extrapolated to whole body calorie balance.  More research needs to be done to reveal whether extreme changes (either dehydration or optimal hydration) can actually influence the whole body’s caloric expenditure and/or fat loss.
7. Contrary to popular belief, water intake before or with meals has not been shown to decrease the number of calories consumed during meals.^2,3 However, it is interesting to note that when foods with high water content (such as soup) are consumed prior to meal, subsequent caloric intake at the meal is decreased.

In summary, the direct link between water intake and weight loss is not clear and should not be the main reason for your hydration efforts.  However, the importance of hydration to your health is very clear and hydration efforts are well worth your time.  Maintaining optimal hydration levels enhances your vitality and ability to exercise, thereby increasing caloric expenditure.  Although there may be caloric expenditures associated with water intake, the added benefit is small compared to the caloric cost of exercise.  Given the rare but potential danger of excessive water intake, keep your water intake within the recommended daily water intake.

Read more at myfooddiary.com

¹ Water Induced Thermogenesis.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab 88:6015-6019, 2003.

² Water Incorporated Into a Food But Not Served With A Food Decreases Energy Intake In Lean Women.  Am J Clin Nutr 70:448-455, 1999.
³ Does the Consumption of Caloric and Non-Caloric Beverages With A Meal Affect Energy Density?  Appetite 44:187-193, 2005.

Water May Suppress Appetite Naturally

• Try drinking before a meal
• Some studies have shown that a decrease in water intake causes fat deposits to increase

Best Treatment for Water Retention

• The body perceives insufficient water as a threat to survival and holds onto every drop – resulting in swollen feet, legs and hands
• Give your body plenty of water so that stored water will be released
• Sodium – culprit, “wherever salt goes water follows” so, drink more water – water forced through the kidneys takes away excess sodium

Overweight / Larger People Need More Water

• Water is key to fat metabolism, also, metabolized fat must be shed
• Mayo clinic – body weight in pounds divided in half, convert into ounces, divided by 8 to determine cups needed

Weather / Exercise

• Increase in hot weather (especially dry heat)
• Drink before, during and after exercise – 1 cup within ½ hour, 4-8 ounces  every 20 minutes, 1 cup following.  Weigh before and after exercise Replace every pound lost with 20 ounces
• Cold water absorbed faster than warm

Constipation

Having difficulty drinking the 8 cups of water that is recommended daily for most people? Plan! Plan! Plan!

• Flavor it
• Have it with every meal
• Carry bottled water (drink on your way to work and on your way home) DRINK UP!