Facts not Fads

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.

Whole Foods, Whole Fiber

Popular examples of carb sources include:

• whole-grain breads
• whole-grain or lentil/chickpea pasta
• barley, bulgur, buckwheat, quinoa, oats
• brown rice, faro
• whole fruits and berries
• vegetables
• beans, lentils, legumes

Read the Labels

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

Women and Weight Gain

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.

Puberty

Teenage weight gain: Start healthy habits early

• 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.

Fast Weight Loss help is here

Find answers to your questions on weight loss, weight control, nutrition and more, by visiting Dr. Aron at WeightLossNYC.com; or call to schedule your first appointment with Dr. Aron today at 718-491-5525 and learn new skills for weight loss success today.

Butternut Squash Healthy meals are easy

Filling up on veggies is a top rule for anyone wanting to eat healthier, yet that doesn't have to sound boring. Check your favorite produce store for winter squashes, including the amusing shaped butternut squash. Like its cousin the sweet potato, it's often overlooked as a starch, yet the orange interior reflects it is rich in beta carotene, which converts to vitamin A in your body.

One cup of Butternut Squash (cubed and cooked) yields 127% of the US RDA for Vitamin A, with 80 calories, 4g sugar, 21g of carbs. Far more favorable than mashed potatoes with (or without) gravy! Factor in the 7g of fiber and you're on your way to RDA daily mark of 25-30g fiber per day.

Beta carotene, as one of the team members of antioxidants, on its own offers many nutritional benefits. Butternut Squash also has ample potassium (more than the benchmark banana) plus 30% of your daily RDA of Calcium. Other minerals at hand include Iron and Niacin, along with Vitamin E.

Other winter squashes you can try - (measuring nutrients to the one cubed cooked cup)

• Acorn Squash has more fiber and potassium, though less vitamin A than Butternut. 9 grams fiber per cubed cooked cup, potassium (896 mg).
  
• Pumpkin Squash has both alpha and beta carotene. Alpha carotene also converts vitamin A in the body; Pumpkin Squash has twice as much of alpha than Butternut.
  
• Spaghetti Squash is yellow and can even be used as an alternative to spaghetti. Lower in calories and carbohydrates than the other squashes mentioned here, but also lower in fiber. As a pasta substitute though, you'll consumer only 42 healhty veggie calories not pasta carb 200 calories.
  

Summing it up with preparation, all of these can simply be sliced and roasted, with familiar spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, or clove or allspice. For easier prep you can often buy these pre-cut in stores, though caution on canned variants due to added sugars. You can even puree squashes to make satisfying soups and sauces too. Some folks even suggest smoothies, accompaniments such as apple, nut butter and soy or almond milk.

Got Avocado?

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.

Why aren’t you losing weight?

Slow Metabolism could be a culprit

Fast, slow or so-so, your metabolism controls your weight loss. No matter how quickly your body burns calories, there are other factors involved. These are just some things that can slow down your metabolism, but the good news is you can easily control them.

5 Factors that can Slow your Metabolism

1. Stress

   How much stress are you under? It could be the reason you can’t lose those last few nagging pounds. When your body’s under stress, it releases the hormone cortisol, which tells your body to hold onto weight. Try to avoid stressors as much as you can, while also seeking out ways in which you can manage your stress.

2. Not exercising

   If you don’t burn enough calories through exercise, then your unused calories turn into fat. Be sure to exercise a few times a week to control your weight. Also wear a pedometer or track how many calories you burn through your exercise so you can keep up with your progress.

3. Poor diet

   Eating too much? Not enough? You’re asking for trouble. Feed your body the fuel it needs to get through the day and keep your body at a healthy weight. Believe it or not, eating too little or skipping meals could lead to weight gain. Instead, nourish your body with healthy natural foods to stay in top shape.

4. Not snoozing enough

   When you don’t rest enough, you can gain weight by disrupting your metabolic patterns. Sleeping an ideal amount of hours each night, however, can boost your metabolism. For adults, get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.

5. Medication

   If you’re on any medications such as anti-depressants, they could cause you to gain weight as well. Discuss it with your doctor if you believe that’s the case and find out if there are other options that won’t lead to weight gain.

How to Lose Weight

Improve your health, too

If you haven’t noticed, keeping your metabolism in check means simply taking care of your overall health. While it’s important to want to lose weight, you also have to do it in a healthy, informed way. Follow the above steps and you’ll be on your way to a fitter figure, and you’ll also be leading a healthier and more fulfilled life

We can help

Dr. Aron is able to test your metabolism to see if it is slow.

Whether you have a slow metabolism or not, let Dr. Oksana Aron help you find your weight gain triggers and develop a structured plan for weight loss success. Please call us at 718-491-5525 and make your first appointment with WeightLossNYC™.

Taste with Your Brain?

Over recent years many people have been reaching for artificial sweeteners, thinking that it’s healthier than the real thing. It turns out that your tastebuds don’t know the difference between sugar and sweetener — but your brain does.

A new study out of the Netherlands used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain responses in people sipping two different orangeade drinks — one mixed with sugar and another mixed with four artificial sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame K, cyclamate and saccharin).

The sugar and sweeteners were found to stimulate the amygdala, which is the part of the brain that detects pleasure. Only the sugared drink stimulated the caudate in the brain, showing that the human brain can tell the difference between a caloric drink and a noncaloric one.

Other research on artificially sweetened beverages include:

• They can activate parts of the brain that create appetite, but do not satiate it.
• Increased appetite has been found to occur in people who don’t consume artificially sweetened beverages often.
• People who drink artificially sweetened beverages regularly tend to weigh more than those who don’t.
• For those who consume a lot of artificially sweetened beverages, however, their brains, can become used to the sweeteners and may not necessarily cause them to eat more.

Sweet Opportunity

Visit WeightLossNYC.com to learn more about medical weight loss and how you can lose weight fast under physician supervision. Dr. Aron is a leading bariatric physician in Brooklyn.

Tips for Winter Weight Loss

While overeating and under-exercising in general is one sure-fire way to pack on the pounds, if you experience a minor slip-up, you can stay on track as long as you keep up with your exercise. Both exercise and diet are critical to your success, but it’s good to know you don't always have to be perfect.

Here are a few ideas for staying active and losing weight this winter season.

Stay Active and Smart

• Get your family on board with planning healthier menus for gatherings
• Only take a few bites of a dessert without overindulging
• Plan to take a walk outdoors right after dinner
• Create ways to burn extra calories such as walking laps around the mall while shopping sales or using the stairs several times a day
• Go ice skating or play ice hockey for outdoor exercise
• Get the blood pumping at the gym if it’s too cold outside

How to Enjoy your Holidays and Keep the Weight Off

Whether it’s Hanukkah or Halloween, Superbowl sunday or super-love Valentine’s day, temptations always exist.

Indulge in a few too many latkes?

Swipe a couple extra frosting-and-sprinkled sugar cookies?

Drank a little more eggnog than you’d care to admit?

You can still work Off the Weight

Celebrating the holidays doesn’t have to derail your new year weight loss resolution. A recent study published in the Journal of Physiology found that if you continue to exercise daily —even in short bursts— then your few extra nibbles won’t do much harm.

In a Bath University (U.K.) week-long study of 26 healthy young men, all were asked to overeat.

Half exercised for 45 minutes daily, while the other half remained inactive

The non-exercising group ate 50% more calories, while the exercising group overate by 75%.

The results: In just one week, the non-exercising group experienced a decline in blood sugar control. The exercising group, however, exhibited stable blood sugar levels. Additionally, “the activation of genes within fat cells in the non-exercising group were also found to be negatively changed to those levels needed for a well-functioning metabolism.”

Looking to improve your health and need some guidance?

Dr. Oksana Aron of WeightLossNYC™ is here to help you reach your healthy weight loss goals. Call today at 718-491-5525 for your initial consultation. Make this year your year to shine.

Her clinic specializes in treatment of obesity or overweight persons, who have struggled to lose weight via other methods and are seeking medical help.

Weight Loss Nutrition

Maintaining a healthy weight and/or losing unhealthy weight is a science. What does it all boil down to? Calories, plain and simple.

Figure out how many calories you need

Here’s a quick formula to estimate calorie needs on a daily basis:

Your Weight X 12 = Number of calories needed for weight maintenance

To lose about 1 pound per week: Reduce intake by 500 calories/day

Weight Loss Tip:

Need help coming up with a healthy diet program you can actually stick to?

Call Dr. Aron 718-491-5525 today and get started

Dr. Oksana Aron recommends taking a fresh look at the foods you eat every day is an important healthy start. Keep switching out some of the unhealthy items in your diet with healthier ingredients, you will feel and see the difference in your diet.

There are No Secrets, Just Healthy Facts

Media love to hype up celebrity diets, but you don’t need an endorsement to read up on healthier food options for your diet.

Healthy Dieting Program

Healthier foods, healthier you

On the quest for foods that help you lose weight? Or are you in a meal planning rut? Look no further than the following healthy foods to incorporate in your next meal to mix it up and drop some pounds. The only celebrity here is you, making famous food choices to build a healthier you.

1. Black Beans

   An excellent non-meat source of protein, 1 cup of black beans give you 15 grams of protein to keep you full and satisfied

2. Green Tea

   It boosts your metabolism and may even prevent fat absorption

3. Cucumbers

   Cucumbers help you feel full and satisfied, but are low in calories

4. Olive Oil

   Its healthy monounsaturated fats lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol

5. Bran Cereal

   A high-fiber alternative to other breakfast cereals, it can help you cut calories and stay fuller

6. Pears

   With 5 grams of fiber, they're as filling as they are delicious. They also contain pectin, which helps lower bad cholesterol.

7. Dark Chocolate

   Its antioxidants may help boost your metabolism

8. Wild Salmon

   Salmon can keep you feeling full and satisfied with its high levels of omega-3s

9. Eggs

   Eating eggs for breakfast can lower your daily caloric intake by 400 calories.

10. Low-Fat Mozzarella String Cheese

    With no carbs and lean protein, it helps you feel full.

11. All-Natural Peanut Butter

    Its piceatannol content helps block the formation of fat cells.

Lose Weight Fast Diet Plan

You can lose weight quickly by calling us at 718-491-5525 for your initial consultation. By taking a holistic approach to your unique needs, Dr. Aron will help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

“Today’s diet is tomorrow’s body” — Oksana Aron, M.D.

Medical weight loss is the only clinical solution recommended by the American Society of Bariatric Physicians.

Visit Dr Aron at WeightLossNYC.com

How to Have a Happy Thanksgiving without Really Trying

We’ve prepared this Thanksgiving Survival Guide^* to give you ideas on how to best avoid overeating this Thursday, and keep yourself together on your weight loss program.

Abate Your Appetite; Trounce Temptation

The best way to battle any festival meal, where eating is the presumed focus, is to reduce your appetite thus obviously significantly lowering your temptation. You can follow these steps as guidelines to keep you on track with your diet plan.

Before You Go

• As always, eat an appropriate breakfast as Dr. Aron has provided for your plan.
• Be sure to include a real protein source to invoke satiety.
• Keep up on your hydration. Drinking water will also help keep you feeling full.
• Likewise, throughout the day, avoid alcoholic beverages for their dehydrating effects and of course insane caloric values.

Boots on the Ground

Once you’re there, keep it simple and safe:

• Salad is always your friend. Enjoy the simple greens, not salads overladen with extras you know aren’t helpful to your diet.
• Veggies, again mostly green, also round out your plate nicely and fill you up before looking further.
• 4 ounce skinless white meat turkey as your meal protein. Keeping to the lower fat cut is the obvious choice.
• Small samples of gravy or sauces for flavor are ok yet at a minimum. Avoid alcohol drinks entirely.
• Small portion of potatoes or stuffing are better than breads and rolls.
• Dessert? Only if you must, enjoy a small one. Better to enjoy a little more turkey, or better yet veggies/salad, we suggest.

“When facing the challenges of dieting during the holidays, remember to keep your focus on what’s really important — the people you’re spending the holidays with." - Oksana Aron, M.D.

Remember Why You Came

Truly, the holidays are about getting together with friends and loved ones. Open your mouth more for the laughs and conversation, and keep the focus on the fun not the food. Think ahead when you get back home how much happier you'll be knowing you spent the day in conversation not in consuming unneeded calories.

Leftovers are Left for Others

You’re on a diet plan. You can leave them for others and keep the holiday meal behind as you walk out the door. Weather-permitting, keep on walking … and enjoy more conversation and fresh air as you move your body after a festival meal. When you get home, get back on your regular plan and keep the fond memories of the friends you enjoyed your holiday with.

Happy Thanksgiving, from Dr. Aron and Staff of WeightLossNYC

For more information on safe and healthy weight loss diet plans, visit our website WeightLossNYC.com and start losing weight, today.

^*Thanksgiving Survival Guide, from Oksana Aron, M.D. is a copyrighted work by Weight Loss NYC® adapted from HRI Thanksgiving Success Plan. Image adapted from morgueFile.

Beauty is truly skin deep

The most common goal of following a healthy diet and exercising routinely is to lose weight and help you to get your body looking great. However, most people don’t realize there are so many other countless benefits of following a strict diet and a good workout plan, other than just dropping the pounds. One of the best kept secrets of following a good diet is the huge impact it has on your complexion, which keeps you looking younger.

Cutting back on certain foods can really improve the aging of your skin. The breakdown of sugar, for example, can really damage your collagen, which helps your skin to look smooth and firm. Try cutting back on your daily sugar intake or using substitutes, such as all natural sweetener. Also, hormones that are in certain foods such as dairy products, beef, and even poultry can contribute to acne breakouts. Eating grain-fed beefs and poultry can help make a huge difference in your skins complexion.

The many benefits of dieting and exercising

Exercising correctly is equally as important as doing it routinely, and is also a huge plus for your skin. Doing cardio on machines such as the treadmill can be beneficial in burning calories, but weight training helps to tone muscle and prevent sagging. Also, a yoga class is a much better work out to help relieve stress, as well as losing weight. Cutting down your stress level has a large impact on the aging of your skin, and relieving your tension. High tension levels can cause terrible skin breakouts, so try adding in a few yoga sessions to your weekly work outs.

Low Calorie dieting is a good way to lose weight but you can also make your diet beneficial to your body in other ways. Eating foods that are healthier and higher in vitamins can help improve your skin by making it smoother; capable of healing faster, harder to bruise, and can even improve some chronic skin conditions.

Nutrition and Weight Loss Diet Plan

Dr Oksana Aron will guide you to healthy weight loss with her nutritionally sound low calorie diet program, can direct you to lose the weight you want to lose every week. Call WeightLossNYC.com today at 718-491-5525 for more information or to schedule your first appointment with Dr Aron.

Call WeightLossNYC™ today at 718-491-5525