Dr. Aron brings you fun and important weight loss tips, exciting diet recipes, medical weight loss breakthroughs, and a steady source of weight loss motivation.
Her medical weight loss program provides real results for overweight and obese persons seeking non-surgical medical treatment, with lasting results.
Researchers discovered capsaicin — the heat-causing chemicals in a hot pepper — to have a mild effect in helping people manage their weight. Their study was published in the research journal, Chemical Senses:
If you like spicy food, you may like this tasty bit(e) of news: eating hot peppers has been found to help you suppress your appetite and lose weight.
“Adding a palatable level of spiciness might allow an average weight, middle-aged man to lose a little over a pound over 6.5 years. That’s not a pound a year- that’s a pound total over six and a half years. If the same man ingested it in pill form (so the dose could be higher), he might be able to lose just under six pounds over 8.5 years.”
Perhaps the spiciness causes you to want to eat less to avoid stinging your tongue or getting a heartburn, but adding hot peppers to a meal, if you can handle them, can aid your weight loss progress.
Ring My Bell
Did you know? Bell peppers can help you lose weight, too. Both hot and sweet peppers increase the body’s heat production and oxygen consumption, which means you burn extra calories.
[Bell Peppers] are an excellent source of cartenoids, flavonoids, vitamin E and vitamin C (even more vitamin C than in oranges), and contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
Bell peppers are a healthy addition to a well-balanced diet because they also have many nutritional benefits. They’re an excellent source of cartenoids, flavonoids, vitamin E and even more vitamin C than oranges — plus contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. It also adds flavor and variety to any healthy, delicious meal. So, enjoy!
Make Your Weight Loss Move
If you would like a personalized medical weight loss program for you, contact Dr. Aron today. Lose up to 10 to 20 pounds per month under physician supervision. Call 718-491-5525 or visit WeightLossNYC.com today.
Parents in recent years have been surprised to find pizza sauce being counted as a vegetable and junk food masquerading as a healthy snack, but change is starting to happen.
The National School Lunch Program was started 65 years ago to make sure children are nourished and can get through the school day on a full stomach.
While the program now serves 30 million children nationwide at a low or no cost, it’s also become increasingly criticized for the quality of foods offered and is being partially blamed for the rise in childhood obesity, especially in low-income children.
Taking action on school lunches and childhood obesity. The USDA called for more nutritious ingredients in school lunches, including more fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk and whole grains. It also urged limits on trans fats and high-calorie foods.
Taking action on school lunches and childhood obesity
In 2012, the USDA called for more nutritious ingredients in school lunches, including more fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk and whole grains. It also urged limits on trans fats and high-calorie foods.
Parents in some states have pushed for laws requiring healthier school meals and more stringent nutritional standards—and it’s making a difference:
Children in schools with more stringent nutritional standards had a healthier weight status.
The rates of obesity were much lower in states that exceeded the USDA nutritional requirements.
Obesity rates were doubled among students who ate reduced and free school lunches (26%) compared to students who didn’t eat school lunches (13%).
What you can do
If you’re unhappy with what your school is offering, speak up! You never know what kind of change you can make until you try. You can also pack a healthy, nutritious bag lunch for your child if the school lunches provided don’t meet your personal standards for your child.
Start losing weight today
If you struggle with weight loss, please contact us at 718-491-5525. Make an appointment with medical weight loss expert Dr. Oksana Aron, who can help you lose up to 10 to 20 lbs or more each month. A healthier family starts with a healthier You!
Some fad diets are low-carb or involve cutting out carbs entirely. That’s not exactly healthy, though, according to doctors. In fact, our diet must contain some carbs in order to get enough nutrients daily.
Carbohydrates are necessary for your body to obtain quick energy, while healthy fats and proteins are more of a long-term fuel source. Carbs are typically about 50 to 60 percent of your daily diet to get enough calories, nutrients and energy to your body, though with medical weight loss programs this value may vary.
Simple? or Complex?
Your carb intake should include healthy complex carbs, which take longer for your body to break down compared to simple carbs. Also, complex carbs give your body a nice, steady flow of energy. Simple carbs, on the other hand, cause you to experience energy peaks and crashes.
Remember to read food labels to verify whole grain versions of these items, or better yet, preparing fresh whole grains and produce at home.
So, eat your healthy carbs--incorporating them into your healthy meals along with good proteins to reduce insulin spikes and hunger crashes--for a well-rounded diet. Be sure not to load up on too many carbs, though, which will cause you to gain weight. As with everything else, balance is the key here.
Need More help?
Still confused on what a healthy carb is, or how many carbs are healthy or unhealthy? Make an appointment with Dr. Oksana Aron today to discuss a healthy, weight loss plan by calling 718-491-5525, or booking online via WeightLossNYC.com
Sources: EverydayHealth, diet.weightlossnyc.com, Image: Grant Cochrane, FreeDigitalPhotos
For women, weight gain happens throughout all life stages, but each stage contains its own set of reasons and risk factors. Review here--from puberty through menopause--how and why women may gain weight, and how you can use that knowledge to your advantage to keep off the weight.
The earlier a girl starts puberty, the more likely she is to be overweight or obese as an adult. If she starts her period before age 11, she is likely to weight between 9 and 11 pounds more than another woman who started hers after age 14. Additionally, as many as 26 percent of women who started puberty early were considered obese by age 30 compared with 15 percent of the other women.
It’s difficult to imagine weight gain as a problem during childhood, but the childhood obesity epidemic proves this is an important time to start healthy diet and exercise habits that will last throughout the child’s adult life. It’s never too early to start. In fact, the earlier you start your child on a road to healthy living, the better!
Pregnancy
Healthy habits during pregnancy help post-partum weight loss
Weight gain is expected during pregnancy, but you still have to proceed with caution and be careful not to gain an excessive amount of weight. Gaining 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy is usually the goal. Typically, a pregnant woman will gain 2 to 4 pounds in the first trimester, then 1 pound per week after that, but it depends on the woman’s pre-pregnancy weight because 1 pound per week may be too much for some. Your doctor will give you guidance on what your ideal weight during pregnancy should be.
After pregnancy, many women’s bodies will hold on to 5 pounds of that gained weight, which may never be shed, but they generally will lose about 10 pounds immediately following delivery. They can lose 5 pounds a month in the next couple of months depending on the following factors: breastfeeding, diet and exercise level. By staying active, getting exercise, eating a healthy diet and breastfeeding, you can lose weight faster and easier.
Menopause
Hormonal changes contribute to weight gain
Two-thirds of women are overweight by the time they reach their 50s. A drop in estrogen production is a possible cause, which causes the body to store fat, making weight loss more difficult.
Weight loss can be more challenging for women after menopause, so it’s important to seek the help of your doctor to ensure you’re getting proper nutrition, exercise and remain in overall good health. By doing all of the above, you’re increasing your chance of maintaining a healthy weight and leading a healthier, happier life.
Our bodies are made of complex systems that constantly control and self-regulate countless aspects including temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and hunger…
Ghrelin: from the acronym GHR (“growth hormone-releasing peptide”) + -lin (common hormone suffix), with an incidental pun on prefix greh- (“to grow”) and English growling.[1]
As we have blogged before, ghrelin is a powerful protein that our bodies use to signal hunger to the brain, a naturally produced hormone which we can indirectly affect by application of some good habits.
Medical weight loss addresses the hunger factor to help you reduce cravings and shed weight naturally by the body’s natural pathways. The benefits of losing weight may be obvious, yet worth considering some of the less familiar aspects as well.
You can discover how easy it can be to lose weight with physician supervision. Dr Aron is a bariatric physician — medical specialist in the field of weight loss.
Most people haven’t a clue how to eat healthy portions for everyday meals let alone at Thanksgiving. Your stomach is only the size of two fists, so it’s easy to overdo it with all typical Thanksgiving offerings, even when eating small amounts of everything.
Here’s how to fill your plate and not gain weight:
Turkey--no larger than a deck of cards
Two starches (i.e. sweet potatoes, dinner roll)--1/2 cup serving each or the size of a computer mouse
Vegetables--the rest of your plate
More tips:
Choose a smaller plate so you don’t fill up on too much.
If you’re going to be a guest at someone’s house and expect a smorgasbord of unhealthy offerings, try filling up on fresh greens at home beforehand so you don’t overeat.
Select sides you only get to eat once a year.
Start eating the veggies first, then the turkey and sides.
Go for a walk after the meal. Don’t just sit around!
More Help is here
Call 718-491-5525 to schedule your initial consultation with Dr Oksana Aron, or book online via WeightLossNYC.com
To lose weight, you already know what to do: eat right, diet, exercise, and the pounds will come off, right? It’s not always that simple.
Aside from making these healthy lifestyle choices, you need to address the psychological aspect of weight loss. It’s just as much a physical switch you have to make as a mental one.
What’s your #1 weakness, the one treat that foils your dieting plans every time, guaranteed? Whatever it is, keep it out of your refrigerator or pantry to remove the temptation or craving.
Whenever you’re grocery shopping, skip the aisle if you can and certainly, don’t buy it! This is your first step in keeping the weight off and avoiding those vices that contribute to weight gain.
Avoid tantalizing images of bad food
Ever heard the term, “food porn?” Well, it’s called that for a reason. If you’ve ever salivated over a Pinterest board of ooey-gooey chocolate-chip cookies or drooled over a foodie blog’s Instagram of their latest dish while out on the town, you understand the danger!
Scientific research shows that viewing these images can actually make you feel hungrier—and overeat as a result. Instead, look at delicious images of healthy food to inspire your own homemade creations of health-promoting meals to make a healthier difference.
Swap bad cravings with good-for-you ones
It’s easy to say avoid unhealthy foods, but you may still crave them. Rather than deny yourself, satisfy those cravings in a healthier, savory way with alternatives.
If you realize the reason you crave a certain candy bar is because you want something salty or you crave the crunch of almonds, try a small handful of almonds or walnuts instead.
Rather than grabbing a fast-food burger, make turkey burgers with extra-lean meat ahead of time, topping it with fresh veggies in a variety of colors (how about leafy romaine lettuce, white onion, tomato, sprouts, and a little bit of avocado and mustard?) When you get home from work, it will be an easy leftover dinner night. Now that’s fast food, and you don’t have to wait in line for it, either!
Dr. Oksana Aron can Help, call 718-491-5525
Need help figuring out what’s healthy and what’s not? Get started on a weight loss plan that gets results, personally designed for you by Dr. Oksana Aron, by calling us at 718-491-5525 or book online via WeightLossNYC.com
Even healthy dieters need to snack throughout the day. But what should you do when you suddenly crave something that’s oh so bad for your weight loss goals? Don’t reach for your salty, greasy standby, the potato chip. Instead, grab something else that not only satisfies that same craving but is much healthier—and tastier.
Life has its ups, life has its dips…
A recent Harvard study found that potato chips are one of the top contributors to weight gain, and it’s no surprise, considering that they are fried and covered in grease. The snack options below, however, have fewer calories and fat.
Food awareness is important for all of us. Whether or not you are trying to lose weight, you still need to be concious of the calories you consume and quality of the nutritional content.
Nowadays, with food labels as available as they are, they don't always capture the complete picture of the quality of your food, most notably the source and processing of the ingredients, as well as informed knowlege of the additives and non-food ingredients therein.
Keeping a food diary can provide powerful insights into your habits
Best Steps
Your best diet plan starts with choosing real foods with minimal processing, and solid nutritional value. Ideally, if you like to cook, you are able to steer yourself to healthier recipes and freshest ingredients. If cooking is not an option for you, you can still work within your plan and fill in as many healthy options as able, such as a fresh salad bar instead of packaged foods, etc.
Food Journal
Keeping a food diary can be a powerful insight tool, as well as a habit tracker, for what, when and how you are eating. Choose a method that works best for you:
Paper Journal This may be the easiest way, as you can just jot down what you are eating and other observations, and go back to fill in any details when you have more time.
Online (free) The USDA provides a national database that is most often the source for many other websites, tools and apps. You can access their database to get current food facts, via their MyPlate app.
Other apps Many third party food trackers are available if you are more inclined to do your research for which one suits your personal style and needs. Some are visual, some more technical, some incorporate fitness tracking and more. Ideally what will work best is what is easiest for you to maintain on the go, and not be bogged down trying to keep up with a fussy app. Popular apps include Lose it and My Fitness Pal and many more popping up every year.
Thick and Thin
Most importantly now is what to log in your journal (or app). Hopefully, as Dr. Aron advises, you are eating at a mealtime in a relaxed setting, eating mindfully not rushing thoughtlessly at your desk or tv. You can facilitate this in your log:
Why am I eating
How hungry I am
Where I am eating
How I am feeling
and of course, What am I eating
Include portion sizes and calories as minimal facts, with fat and other elements as you wish to track. Consider any condiments, and snacks and more — be honest with yourself, this is a guide for you only.
You’ve got enough in your life, how can you fit fitness into that too? —Oksana Aron, M.D.
Human Nature
Firstly no beating yourself up. It’s human nature to defy all the best logic and intentions and keep the status quo. So acknowledging that lack of inertia is a good place to start. You don’t have to want to start exercising to actually start! In fact ask anyone who does work out regularly, it’s a big part of it to just get yourself to get going each day to keep the habit going too.
Once you start, you will see you will still have good days and bad days, and that is ok. You just need to accept your mood doesn’t have to be the reason you don’t get moving.
Motivators
For many, the fun of fitness includes friends. If you have a workout buddy that does give a lot to help, though be sure you both focus on the fitness part and not fall into just socializing. Lunchtime powerwalks can be an easy place to start. Or morning dog walks (dogs are people too, right?).
Finding and setting up the routine is key here. Do you have a regular place to practice, whether a walking path, or yoga mat, or room in your home to exercise without distraction?
Youtube or even old school DVDs can make for easy access to fun workouts daily. You can keep the same channels and workouts or mix things up when want to break into a new skill or new drill. So even a tv, phone or tablet can be your workout partner and trainer.
Ready or not?
Overcoming any mental or physical constraints of course is essential to moving ahead into new fitness zones. Be mindful of your limitations and start simple, don’t get ahead of yourself, even once begun, keep the bar low to develop the habit not any desired result. Most important is to have compelling cause for wanting to workout. That will drive you ahead when feeling doubt, as much as enjoyment of the activities of choice.
So, finding a time and place, person to workout with, a clear mind and body, and good cause…
Keep it simple
Accept the bare minimum initially — getting suited up and psyched for some activity is first, so once there, just do what you can not what you think you should do. Maybe 15 minutes or walk one mile, or one block — do what you can to feel safely within your limits and return to repeat tomorrow!
You can mix it up too, especially with seasonal and other concerns. Indoor bike or floor stretches on Sunday, Yoga on Monday and Friday, Tuesday and Thursday strength exercises, and Wedneday walk, for example.
For some, variety breaks out of the perception of drudgery and also your body can experience the excitement of something different each workout. For others, the daily drill works best — taking that daily walk can become mentally as well as physically therapeutic. It may seem unlikely now, yet truly once you own your fitness experience it will carry you into higher levels of wellness you cannot walk away from!
Move on up
There is no goal or expectation for when you can exercise for 30 minutes every day. Avoid any talk that makes you feel discouraged or punitive. Compare yourself only to yourself. Hey I am not at my desk or couch. I am outside walking and that is 15 minutes of huge benefit for myself, both by working out, but also by not NOT working out!
Your momentum can carry you over those days when you feel discouraged. Know that the doing is more important than the feeling, and also once you get started your mood will change. Don’t be surprised if that 5, 10 or 15 minute workout turns into 20-30-40... good for you! Yet keep it simple and safe. Getting injured will set you back far more than any extra gains you are striving to achieve today. Remind yourself you are on the lifetime fitness plan!
Keep track
Recognize your interests and attempts,
Decide what your lowest bar is for the particular workout routine you’re wanting to establish (50 steps, 5 minutes of pedaling or jogging, one round of sun salutations) and use this tiny benchmark whenever you catch yourself dreading exercise to at least maintain the framework of the routine.
Focus on the behavior, not the ideal duration or outcome
and find the zones that inspire you most.
You don’t have to keep a fitness log, but may want to mark off what days you worked out and for how long, to give yourself a sense of history and purpose. There are even apps that help track streaks — how long you can maintain a good habit over time.
Shake off the Shoulds
Now you’re getting in stride. It’s called your workout because it is yours. So keep to yourself about your gains and just get into the enjoyment of the game. Healthy habits are priceless, in comparison to doing nothing!
Setup the structure to win, and then get into it!
One pitfall though is to reward yourself for fitness, with something bad! Ouch. Don’t do it. Make fitness the reward! This cannot be understated. Make physical activity the fun highlight for each day.
You have a grocery list, make a fitness list! What are some activities you’ve often aspired to do. Make a list of them, skiing? bike riding? even horseback riding! Reaching those milestones are far more life altering than any food or counterproductive “reward”
Mix it up more now
Fill in fitness to everything you do! Do some easy yoga while the coffee brews. Some leg stretches while you brush your teeth. Take the farther (less crowded!) parking spot and walk those extra blocks. Oh yeah. It’s really that simple. You do not need a gym membership! You just need to use your time the right way.
Make extra trips when setting/clearing the table. Carry LESS than you can to make you make more steps — that adds up to a lot over the course of a day, week, year
Put down your phone in another room so you have to get up to get to it. Especially if that keeps you from just sitting down and doom scrolling! Don’t carry the phone around, make yourself have to get up to answer it.
Now you’ve got it. There’s no reason to NOT exercise. Just move your body more, stay away from sedentary habits. The more you move, the more you get results. Give yourself a big hug and get walking!
About WeightLossNYC™
Dr. Oksana Aron is medical weight loss physician: A medical expert trained in treatment of overweight and obese persons who may have struggled to lose weight other methods and seeking results where others have failed. Visit weightlossnyc.com for more information about the doctor and her weight loss programs.
Start losing weight today, with Dr. Aron and her team at WeightLossNYC.com
We’re all familiar with the popular adage 10,000 steps a day, yet recent research has tested this assertion for validity, with helpful results. The origins of this value were the the invention of a pedometer marketing campaign and seemed to have stuck with us ever since. Now we know more:
Popular convention asserts 10,000 steps daily, yet how many steps are really needed for health results?
[The] word mile was derived from the Latin phrase mila passum, which means 1,000 paces — about 2,000 steps. [The] average person walks about 100 steps per minute — which would mean it would take a little under 30 minutes for the average person to walk a mile.
Walk on by
With so many health guidelines encouraging fitness in varying degrees, this recent study from Harvard Medical School found 4,400 steps to initiate benefits, with increases up to 7,500 steps a day, as a metric centered on women and mortality risk. Note this also addressed the urgent need to reduce sedentary lifestyle habit, as these values are in comparision to 2,700 daily steps.¹
Fat Metabolism
Fat metabolism is also a component of fitness. Studies have shown walking fewer than 4-5,000 steps per day can affect your fat metabolism the next day.² Many health benefits are associated with low impact fitness, so you can simply try and step up your game to adding more steps each week to maintain a stable plateau of activity.
If you want to increase how many steps you get daily or want to move more, one easy way to do that is to increase your current step count by about 2,000 steps a day. … And given that even small amounts of physical activity positively impact your health, taking regular breaks to move around if you’re working at a desk all day will easily get more physical activity.
Learn More
If you are looking to improve your health and fitness outcomes in a weight loss context, visit WeightLossNYC.com for more actionable advice and information on how to lose weight.
¹,² Sources: gratisography, inverse, cited research studies: Walking and Measurement, Daily Step Count and Fat Metabolism, Effects of Moderate/Intermittent Low-Intensity Exercise on Lipidemia
Vitamins are a group of … compounds which are essential for normal [function] but which are not synthesized … by the body and [must be included] in small quantities from the diet. In total, humans require adequate amounts of 13 vitamins: four fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and nine water soluble vitamins, which comprise vitamin C and the eight B vitamins… {NIH}
Lipotropics are a class of nutrients that target body fat and aid in its metabolism. Particularly, choline, inositol, and methionine have clinically shown to increase fat metabolism thus aid in weight loss. {NIH}
Along with B vitamins, these may be administered to intensify fat burning. B vitamins help convert energy from the compound protein, carbohydrates, and fats you eat.
What are B Vitamins?
These vitamins help a variety of enzymes do their jobs, ranging from releasing energy from carbohydrates and fat to breaking down amino acids and transporting oxygen and energy-containing nutrients around the body. {HSPH}
B1 (Thiamine): Conversion of carbohydrates into energy and glucose metabolism. Important in nerve, muscle, and heart functions, as well as brain and digestive systems.
B2 (Riboflavin): Breaking down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates; maintaining the body's energy supply; assists in blood circulation and thyroid activity.
B3 (Niacin): Helps lower LDL cholesterol
B5 (Pantothenic Acid) Production of blood cells, skin, hair, and eyes; assists functions of the nervous system, liver and digestive system.
B6 (Pyridoxine): Improve mood and promotes brain health
B7 (Biotin) Metabolizes food components into energy; and aids in blood glucose levels, insulin resistance and glucose tolerance.
B9 (Folate, Folic acid) Helpful in a number of domains including memory loss, sleep problems, nerve and muscle pain, also in prevention of high blood pressure and heart disease.
B12 (Cobalamin) Improve mood and symptoms of depression and provides an energy boost -- helps with fatigue and weakness.
B-ring it on
Vitamins help the process your body uses to get or make energy from the food you eat. They also help in development of core components such as red blood cells. B vitamin deficiencies can also cause disease. Your best plan is to seek out foods that naturally contain the vitamins and nutrients your body needs for normal, healthful, growth and development.
Learn More
Dr Oksana Aron can help guide you to proper food choices to aid in weight loss and fundamental good life practices. Visit weightlossnyc.com to learn more about her medical weight loss programs and also for additional online weight loss resources.
A common complaint these days is staying home has only made maintaining or even achieving weight loss success a greater challenge than ever before. Whether its reduced social engagement or remote work that's kept you more bound for cabin-fever, we've got your back with a few simple tips to stay slim while home.
Activity
Perhaps the most obvious and least achieved, yet you can surely spend just half an hour daily following your favorite youtube fitness type online, be it eXercise, Yoga, Zumba or another other alpha fitness. Best to schedule the same time each day, or at least a regular interval each day that you can guarantee yourself to be there and aware. Better still if you've got a friend or family member at home willing to keep you on track and join in the fitness fun.
Hydrate
Before you reach for that morning joe, get some water into your system. Consider you've been fasting all night and likewise needing to rehydrate too. You may even find your caffeine urges will temper once you've had some morning water, before, during and after a workout too.
Sleep
We've blogged a few times on this, the easiest weight loss tip ever. Your body needs to recharge and provide all the regenerative benefits that go along with a solid night's sleep. No surprise that fitting fitness into your life will help you sleep better at night too. Being too sedentary robs you of all the natural rhythms of life you need for balance.
Nutrition
Eating proper meals at mealtimes is the best way to keep energy high and hunger cravings low. Now that you're at home, guess what -- you're always steps away from preparing your own healthy meals instead of so many tempting and unhealthy ways from your on the go ways.
Keep tabs on yourself though, by avoiding temptation to graze around the kitchen when home.
More to go on
Consider breaking out of the habit of staying in house clothes all day too. Get up on a regular schedule and gear up and groom for a real day ahead. Having a steady routine is fundamental for all things mental and physical too. You can do this! and you may pick up some great lifetime habits along the way.
Learn more
Visit WeightLossNYC.com to learn more about ways to lose weight and how Oksana Aron, M.D. can help you achieve weight loss success where other methods may have failed you.
Losing weight is a daunting and frustrating challenge that many Americans face. Weight loss doctor Oksana Aron, MD, of Bay Ridge’s WeightLossNYC™ is here to help you lose weight and feel comfortable in your own body. Dr. Aron, a licensed physician who has received special training in Bariatric Medicine — the medical treatment of the overweight and obese — will guide you with programs based on the latest developments in the fields of nutrition and weight control through comprehensive non-surgical approaches. The time is now to do something that can truly change how you look, feel and your overall wellbeing! — Best of Bk
Thank you for all who voted for us, we are appreciative of the honor of recognition and distinction by our community.
— Dr Oksana Aron and staff of WeightLossNYC™
About Dr Aron and WeightLossNYC™
Dr Aron provides a structured diet program that promotes faster weight loss, and supporting methods to achieve fast weight loss.
… It could lead to a much higher mortality risk for you, too
”Adult children of mothers who were overweight or obese had up to a 90% higher risk of dying from heart disease or stroke compared with peers born to mothers who were not overweight or obese, a study[1] indicated. The results were presented at the American Heart Association meeting.”
With fewer than 1,200 medical weight loss doctors for over 100 million obese Americans[2], it’s time you take control of your own health and wellness. Don’t be a weight loss mortality statistic — be a weight loss success.
Get the latest information on medical weight loss and health tips from Oksana Aron, M.D. at WeightLossNYC™. Her medical weight loss program has helped thousands of New Yorkers lose weight where other methods did not.
Tomatoes are a very popular fruit, or vegetable… No matter how you slice it they are a very versatile and nutritious ingredient that can be enjoyed raw or cooked in so many ways including juice and sauces, grilled, and in salads. Also the variety of tomatoes from heath beefsteak to pop sized cherry bites give all the more encouragement to include them in your diet.
Some fun facts
One cup of tomatoes can provide:
8 percent of your recommended daily fiber intake
15 percent of your daily B6
12 percent of your iron
Sorry oranges! One tomato can provide 28 percent of your vitamin C for the day
Cooking tomatoes can provide the highest levels of lycopene, a nutrient known for many essential health benefits
Hydration too: fresh tomato juice can provide antioxidant benefits, just caution on high sodium store bought brands. Eating raw tomatoes also can fill you up due to the high water content.
Healthy Buddies
Lentils
Adding cooked lentils to your tomato sauce can provide much needed protein (about 9 grams per half cup lentils) as well as iron. This also aids in making a heartier, more filling sauce without the negatives of other means.
Shredded Kale
Lightly cooked kale adds a big nutritional boost to any dish. Including into your tomato sauce a few minutes before serving can rock your vitamins A, C, And selenium, plus dozens more antioxidant flavonoids
What’s in your brown bag for lunch? While packing a lunch can be difficult (a sandwich again?!), here’s one idea to switch things up a bit and lose weight: eating avocado with your lunch can aid weight loss. Here’s how:
An Avocado a Day Keeps the Hunger Away
Consuming up a half of an avocado can help you feel as much as 26% more satisfied and can even keep you from wanting to reach for an afternoon snack later on in the day, according to a study published in Nutrition Journal. Those in the study reported a:
40% decreased desire to eat 3 hours after lunch, and
28% decreased desire to eat 5 hours later
Just a little avocado a day can go a long way in eating a healthy diet without overeating.
What’s in an Avocado
A whole avocado contains 250 calories and 23 grams of fat, most of which is healthy monounsatured fat, which can reduce bad cholesterol levels. It may even be helpful in regulating blood sugar levels, which has yet to be investigated.
Any way you slice it, avocados can be healthy for you and boost your weight loss efforts. Try some in a healthy green salad or spruce up a boring sandwich with it and notice the difference.
Want to lose weight fast?
Become our next success story at WeightLossNYC™. No gimmicks or crash diets, just sound advice for healthy living. Give us a call at 718-491-5525 today.
Several striking news reports reflect that in the US, more adults who are obese outnumber those who are just overweight. The LA Times reported notes from published in JAMA Internal Medicine quoting “adults who are obese now outnumber those who are merely overweight.”
[Researchers] estimated that 67.6 million Americans over the age of 25 were obese as of 2012, and an additional 65.2 million were overweight.
Washington Post remarks “"[this is] a startling shift from 20 years ago when 63 percent of men and 55 percent of women were overweight or obese and a depressing sign that campaigns to get Americans to eat healthier and exercise more may be failing.”
CBS News (website) notes the ”analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007 to 2012 to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity.” including details on “15,208 men and women age 25 or older.”
TIME magazine iterated “40% of men were overweight and 35% of men were obese” — “30% of women were overweight and 37% were obese.” Numbers “are similar to those estimated by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which suggest that one third of American adults are obese.”
and MedPage Today remarked “33% of Americans ages 25 to 54, and 28% of those 55 and older, fell into the normal weight category of having a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5-24.9.”
Am Iobese? or just Overweight?
You can test your own body mass index at WeightLossNYC™ for free online now, and determine your health risk and obesity/overweight metric.
Nationwide statistics show Americans dining out for almost 1/3 of their meals, with almost 1/2 of their food budget spent at these establishments.[1]
Given our tendency to dine out, it is worthwhile to consider ways you can manage and maintain your weight loss dieting program on the go. Some simple guidelines follow, as well as some links to some of our more popular posts past:
Avoid unlimited buffets and junk food franchises. Salad bars are good if you choose the healthy staple items not the dangerous ones.
Cater to places with extended menus to help you find healthy choices you will like. Favor seafood and salad places for healthier fare. Soups can be good, but know what you are choosing. Ask.
Best to plan ahead to dine out instead of splurging on surprise outings. Consider reviewing online menu before going so you will know what you will have.
Focus on eating for nutrition, not as a social activity. Make reservations to manage your cravings and limit the temptations to drink and snack while waiting. You can even have some small healthy crudite before leaving home to settle your stomach.
Stay away from large portions and fried food places. Know what is reasonable for you to eat and enjoy with your diet.
Consider sharing entrees with friends to manage your portions. Don’s be shy about tossing aside bread and extra carbs. Send away any extra munchies the waiter puts on your table. Only eat what you intend to eat.
As always, start to drink water as soon as you arrive and while waiting for meal.
Ask your server about options — extra salad instead of a heavier side dish. Bring your own dressing if you want to be sure of low calories. Add veggies to your entree to fill you up and slow you down.
Power Tips — Know your Menu Vocabulary
Bad: Buttery, Breaded, Buttered, Fried, Pan-Fried, Creamed, Scalloped, Au Gratin.
Avoid: Cream sauces, made with milk, mayonnaise, cheese or oil.
Look for tomato based sauces instead. Order all sauces on the side and use sparingly.
Follow Your Diet Plan
As always, follow the diet guidelines presented to you by Dr. Aron. She will have told you your calorie limits and suggested foods for you to enjoy and avoid. Fill up on water, salad and vegetables first. Focus on your friends more than the food. Slow down and pace yourself so you can enjoy your meal and not be left hungry and crave more. Your body also needs time to recognize the food in your system to trigger satisfaction. It is also more than OK to leave the table a little hungry. You never need to stuff yourself, be gentle to your body.
Looking for More Motivation to Lose Weight?
Align with Dr. Aron at WeightLossNYC™ and start losing weight today. Call 718-491-5525 or visit WeightLossNYC.com
Sources: [1] USDA, National Restaurant Association. Adapted from Sparkpeople
New Weight Loss Medication Contrave® approved for treatment of Obesity and Overweight conditions
“Several safe and effective prescription medicines can be used to overcome the hurdle of weight loss, the latest of these to receive FDA approval is a combination of two other medications, naltrexone hydrochloride and bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets. Additionally, liraglutide has received favorable recognition from the FDA.” –Oksana Aron, M.D., WeightLossNYC®
“Contrave is a combination of two FDA-approved drugs, naltrexone and bupropion, in an extended-release formulation. Naltrexone is approved to treat alcohol and opioid dependence. Bupropion is approved to treat depression and seasonal affective disorder and as an aid to smoking cessation treatment.
“The effectiveness of Contrave was evaluated in multiple clinical trials that included approximately 4,500 obese and overweight patients with and without significant weight-related conditions treated for one year. All patients received lifestyle modification that consisted of a reduced- calorie diet and regular physical activity.” – FDA statement, Sept.2014
Safe and Effective Weight Regimen
Like similar treatments, medical supervision is highly advised, as part of a comprehensive program of proper diet and exercise. The unique combination of this new medication also underscores compatibility with the current state of health and fitness for any individual. Similarly, an FDA panel greenlighted Saxena® (liraglutide) as another effective candidate for medical weight loss treatment. Whereas most weight loss medications address hunger mechanisms, each approach offers a different biological or neurological pathway, providing alternative options for practitioners and patients to optimize for individual results. Ask Dr. Aron which is the best treatment option for you.
Oksana Aron M.D. is an internist and bariatric physician in New York City. Her medical weight loss center, WeightLossNYC®, helps you develop and maintain healthy habits and proper structures to build a sustainable, lifelong reduction of weight and weight-related health conditions. Her philosophy is the sum of your actions is the yield of your results. Call for an appointment today at 718-491-5525 or visit her WeightLossNYC practice website at http://WeightLossNYC.com
Sources: ASBP.org, FDA.gov, Takeda/Orexigen, Novo Nordisk, WeightLossNYC.com
