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.

Dr Oksana Aron Medical Weight Loss Center

Fattening 'Diet' Foods

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Dec 27, 2011

True, or False? Healthy Food, or no?

The real calorie, sugar and fat content of popular diet foods will surprise you. Learn here about the fat traps lurking in foods you think are healthy for you.

Yogurt

Flavored yogurt can be packed with as much as 31 grams of sugar per cup. Low-fat plain yogurt is a healthier choice and fat-free Greek yogurt has less sugar than plain yogurt but twice the amount of protein.

Sugar-free snacks

Sugar-free snacks such as cookies and candy are no better than the real thing. When sugar is removed, fat and calories are typically added, so it’s not helping your diet at all.

Trail mix

You have to be careful with the type of trail mix you buy. The kind with banana chips (which are usually deep-fried) or yogurt-covered raisins (which may contain partially hydrogenated oil) will have trans fats and saturated fats.

Veggie chips

With veggie chips, be on the lookout for potato chips posing as a healthy snack, as veggie chips are often just potato flour with food coloring with plenty of salt, fat and calories. Make sure they are made of an actual veggie, which would be the first ingredient listed.

Smoothies

Smoothies can contain as much as 500 calories and 17 grams of fat depending on what’s added to them in the mixer. Stay away from those with frozen yogurt, sorbet or sherbet added. Better yet, make your own with fruit only.

Ground turkey

Many healthy eaters turn to turkey as an alternative to beef, but it can sometimes be as fattening or even more so than beef. How so? Ground turkey contains skin and a 3-ounce serving can contain 13 grams of fat, which is three times the amount in lean ground beef. Make it a point to check nutrition labels and always opt for the leanest meat selection.

Get started on a medical weight loss plan. Call WeightLossNYC.com today 718-491-5525

Learn from Dr Aron the best and easiest way to lose weight, with her medical weight loss diet program. Real medical treatment, read results.

Source: Fitness Magazine

Labels: 718-491-5525, calories, fat, low fat, new york, ny, nyc, sugar

Emotional Eating and Weight Gain

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Dec 23, 2011

The days are getting shorter and the holidays will soon be far behind us. During the winter months, many people turn to food for comfort and wind up gaining weight. Are you an emotional eater? Find the reasons behind emotional eating and learn how to avoid the weight gain that comes with it.

What is emotional eating?
Eating impulsively when in emotional distress

Why we emotional eat
To deal with and distract yourself from negative emotions such as fear, stress, anger, sadness and loneliness

What it does
It can cause you to gain weight because you may eat too fast when emotional or you eat too much because you are distracted by the negative emotions. It can also cause you to feel even worse over the resulting weight loss, which can trigger an ugly cycle of overeating and feeling bad.

How to get help
-Learn effective ways to cope with your stress, be it everyday stress or a major stressful event in life.
-Find something to do when you get bored instead of reaching for food. Go for a walk, do a craft or clean the house.
-Eat a healthy diet and don't deprive or starve yourself into losing weight. It takes time, so don't stress yourself out about it!
-Get therapy if you find yourself unable to deal with the cause of your emotional eating.
-Make an appointment with Dr. Aron to address your emotional eating and get on a path to weight loss success.

Source: Mayo Clinic

Labels: 718-491-5525, appetite, diet, dieting, emotional eating, success, weight gain, weight loss

The Important Difference Between Phentermine and Phentramine

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Dec 16, 2011

What are Weight Loss Medications?

What’s in a name?

The diet pill Phentermine may sound familiar to you, but then again, so may Phentramine. Are they the same thing? The surprising answer is something every dieter should be aware of.

These are the differences:

Phentermine is a safe weight loss pill that works by decreasing your appetite. It must, however, be prescribed by a licensed physician and be taken under the supervision of a doctor.

Phentramine is a common and deliberate misspelling of Phentermine. It is actually the name given to a product posing as an herbal version of Phentermine that does not help you lose weight effectively, is sold online without a prescription and fools people into thinking they’re buying the real thing.

Don’t fall into the herbal supplement trap. Try a real weight loss plan that actually works with a licensed physician and weight loss expert. Make your first appointment today!

Labels: 718-491-5525, appetite, diet, diet pills, lose weight, new york, ny, nyc, weight loss pills, weight loss program, weight loss supplements

If You're Trying to Lose Weight, Don't Do These!

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Dec 14, 2011

It's easy to get obsessive when you're in weight-loss mode. As tempting as it is, don't! Here are a few things to definitely avoid, so you can relax and take your weight loss regime at a reasonable--and healthy--pace.

Starving yourself (or skipping meals)
You may think this is a faster way to weight loss, but it actually has the opposite effect in the long run. Not eating, skipping meals and diets far too low in calories wind up decreasing your metabolism and increasing your percentage of body fat.

Scammy weight loss pills
These products found over the counter at drug stores and online promising rapid weight loss are not only unsafe and unregulated by the FDA, they don't even work. They can also cause problems. Diet pills are often loaded with caffeine and diuretics, which can dehydrate you and throw your electrolytes off balance.

Extreme exercise
Going to the extreme when exercising to lose weight can do you more harm than good. It can also lead to injuries, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and turning physical exercise into a punishment for your eating habits. Instead, get a moderate amount of exercise for weight loss--at least 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week. In time, moderate exercise coupled with a healthy diet will get you on track to lose weight--and keep it off--as long as you keep it up.

You don't need to go to extreme measures to lose weight. Work one-on-one with Dr. Aron to change your lifestyle for the better, and lose weight safely. Call today!

Source: WebMD

Labels: 718-491-5525, appetite, diet, diet pills, lose weight, lose weight fast, new york, ny, nyc, self-control, weight loss, weight loss pills, weight loss supplements

Science Doesn't Support HCG's Weight Loss Claims

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Dec 8, 2011

Obesity specialists from the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP) are also calling out makers of the HCG weight loss drug and support the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to remove these weight loss products from the market. The FDA states that there are no FDA-approved weight loss HCG products on the market, so there is no need to waste your money on them.

Obesity is a chronic disease which is best treated by a physician who specializes in weight loss and practices medicine based on sound scientific principles. Unfortunately, HCG does not live up to those standards. There is no scientific evidence that shows that HCG can help you lose weight in the long term, or that it is more effective than a restricted-calorie diet.

— ASBP Trustee Craig Primack, MD, in a press release by the American Society of Bariatric Physicians.

Don’t fall for gimmicks. Lose weight the safe and effective way—call us today!

Learn more about medical weight loss on our website.

Labels: 718-491-5525, calories, diet, diet pills, weight loss, weight loss pills, weight loss program

How Much Sugar Is in Your Child's Cereal?

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Dec 7, 2011

It's hard to believe, but your child's popular brand-name cereal may contain more sugar than a Twinkie. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but what do you do when your go-to breakfast option isn't good for your child's diet and can actually make him/her gain weight?

A study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) of 84 popular cereal brands in the U.S. found that Kellogg's Honey Smacks, which is 56% sugar by weight, contains 20 grams of sugar in a one-cup serving--more than a Hostess Twinkie snack cake. One cup of any of the other 44 cereals, including Cap'n Crunch and Honey Nut Cheerios, contains more sugar than three Chips Ahoy! cookies, or about three teaspoons.

The last thing any health-conscious parent wants to give their child is a sugar-laden dessert posing as a nutritious meal. Here's what you can do to make sure your child gets a healthy, quick meal in the morning (but this list also works for adults):

Choose a cereal with a short ingredient list
Find a cereal that's high in fiber, which will help fill you up more
Select a brand that has little or no added sugar, but also look out for honey, molasses, fruit juice concentrate, brown sugar, corn sweetener, sucrose, lactose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup and malt syrup.
Or, make breakfast from scratch with all-natural, non-processed ingredients.

Still clueless about your diet? Call us now and make an appointment to get your diet on track with Dr. Aron.

Source: Medical News Today

Labels: 718-491-5525, appetite, childhood obesity, childhood weight gain, diet, new york, nutrition facts, ny, nyc, sugar

Americans Gained 20 Pounds in the Last 20 Years

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Dec 1, 2011

Men and women in the U.S. on average have gained 20 pounds in the past 20 years--since 1990--says a recent Gallup poll.

Men on average weigh 196 pounds, while women weigh an average of 160 pounds. Additionally, Americans' ideal weight has also increased since 1990. On average, men's ideal weight is 181 pounds and women say it's 138 pounds.

Comparing the self-reports of actual and ideal weights, the average man weighs 15 pounds more than his ideal today, compared with 9 pounds in 1990. The average woman weighs 22 pounds more than her ideal today, compared with 13 pounds in 1990. The current figures for men and women are the highest Gallup has measured to date.

Also troubling is the fact that 67 percent of Americans in the poll weigh more than their ideal weight, which is up from the 62 percent who answered the same poll a year ago.

It doesn't have to be the same bad news for you! Make a change and call New York Medical Weight Loss Center today.

Source: Gallup

Labels: 718-491-5525, fat, lose weight, new york, ny, nyc, obesity, overweight, weight loss

Why Fat-Free Isn't the Way to Be

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Nov 29, 2011

"Fat-free" products aren't what they're cracked up to be. They can actually cause more harm than good, and knowing the difference between low-fat and fat-free is essential if you want to lose weight.

"Fat-free foods" have to contain less than 0.5 grams of fat, while low-fat foods must contain 3 grams or less, "reduced-fat" products must have at least 25 percent less fat and "light" foods must have either 1/3 fewer calories or 50 percent lessfat, per the USDA.

With fat-free foods, manufacturers often have to add extra sugar, flour, salt and thickeners to give them more flavor, which also adds more calories and can make you gain weight.

What matters, however, is whether you are ingesting good fat vs. bad fat, and that the amount of fat in your overall diet is less than 30 percent. "Good" fat is heart healthy and includes monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and can keep you at a healthier weight. So can eating less saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol.

Start losing weight today. Call now for your first appointment.

Source: WebMD.com

Labels: 718-491-5525, appetite, cravings, fat free, food, light food, low fat, new york, ny, nyc

Skip These Foods at Thanksgiving

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Nov 22, 2011

Thanksgiving could be a minefield for anyone trying to maintain a healthy diet, but a few helpful tips can hold you back from a dieting mistake. These are some of the foods you should skip in lieu of healthier Thanksgiving offerings.

Stuffing
They call it stuffing for a reason. This is one of the fattiest items on the Thanksgiving spread, so be sure to steer clear of this one.

Dark Meat
If you dine on turkey, opt for the white meat, which can save you 50 calories and 4 grams of fat.

Canned Cranberry Sauce
Although cranberries are natural, the added sugars can throw your healthy meal offtrack. Surprisingly, turkey gravy is a slightly healthier choice at 30 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per 1/4-cup serving.

Dinner Rolls
These are easy to keep eating and never stop, and pile on the calories and carbs. If you must, try one roll and go very easy on the butter (like a thin spread, not a pat) or try a dab of olive oil instead.

Pumpkin Pie
Just say no! A slice of pumpkin pie can add as much as 316 calories and 14 grams of fat to your meal.

A good rule of thumb: make choices at Thanksgiving based on what foods are closest to their natural state.

Source: EatingWell.com

Read more weight loss tips here or call to make an appointment with Dr. Aron for your first appointment.

Labels: 718-491-5525, appetite, calories, cravings, diet, dieting, fat, nutrition facts, ny, nyc, self-control

Americans Are Getting Fatter

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Nov 21, 2011

Things are about to change and it's not for the better. By the year 2020, the majority of American adults will be overweight or obese and will suffer from serious health conditions such as diabetes or pre-diabetic conditions.

In 2020, the following are expected to happen:

83 percent of men and 72 percent of women will be overweight or obese.
77 percent of men and 53 percent of women will have dysglycemia (either diabetes or pre-diabetes).

The reality in America today is that 72 percent of men and 63 percent of women are overweight or obese and 62 percent of men and 43 percent of women have dysglycemia. Less than 5 percent of the population is actually considered to have ideal cardiovascular health.

Don't be one of these statistics. To make a change for the better, you can improve your cardiovascular health by eating a healthy diet, getting physical exercise and being physically active, as well as leading an overall healthy life and avoiding such activities as smoking.

Let Dr. Aron simplify the dieting aspect of your healthy new lifestyle and call to make an appointment today.

Source: ScienceDaily

Labels: 718-491-5525, appetite, diabetes, dieting, exercise, manhattan, new york, ny, nyc, obesity, overweight

Lose the Pregnancy Pounds Like Mariah Carey

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Nov 14, 2011

Mariah Carey looks amazing just a matter of months after having twins. Her fit figure just may have you wondering, How did she do it? Was it safe? What can I do to drop the weight that fast after having a baby?

Whether you just had a baby or just have some extra pounds to shed, you don’t need a celebrity trainer or a crash diet to get the same results. Work with Dr. Aron and you can safely and effectively lose and keep the weight off with her medical weight loss program.

Lose as many as 10 to 20 pounds a month
Receive comprehensive one-on-one treatment
Lose weight safely without surgery
Experience weight loss success

Labels: 718-491-5525, diet plan, dieting, fast weight loss, lose weight fast, pregnancy, success, women

Consume Fewer Calories, Live Longer

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Nov 10, 2011

Did you know that a diet lower in calories could lengthen your life? That's what findings in a recent scientific study published in Molecular Cell say, which could completely change the way you look at what you eat daily.

"We are able to show that caloric restriction slows down aging by preventing an enzyme, peroxiredoxin, from being inactivated. This enzyme is also extremely important in counteracting damage to our genetic material," says Mikael Molin of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology.

By gradually reducing the intake of sugar and proteins, without reducing vitamins and minerals, researchers have previously shown that monkeys can live several years longer than expected.

Other benefits from consuming fewer calories include slowing down the aging process as well as diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes. The earlier you reduce your caloric intake the greater the effect, researchers say.

Making such changes to your diet as reducing total calories should be done with the advice of a knowledgeable medical weight loss doctor, and Dr. Aron can help.

Source: Medical News Today

Labels: 718-491-5525, appetite, calories, diabetes, diet plan, portion control, sugar

When Obesity Is in Your Genes

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Nov 8, 2011

A new study from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge, UK, which was published in PLoS Medicine, has great news for those who may have obesity in their genes: being physically active can actually reduce your predisposition.

According to the study, the risk of becoming obese if you have the "fat mass and obesity associated" (FTO) gene becomes nearly 30 percent less likely to happen for physically active adults compared to those who aren't.

"Physical activity is an effective way of controlling body weight, particularly in individuals with a genetic predisposition towards obesity. Thus, they contrast with the determinist view held by many that genetic influences are unmodifiable," Dr. Ruth Loos, who led the study, told Medical Daily.

So even if obesity runs in your family, your genes can't hold you back from a healthy body. Your ideal weight is now in your own hands, and there are no excuses either. Make an appointment today for your free weight loss consultation with Dr. Aron.

Source: MedicalDaily.com

Labels: 718-491-5525, exercise, motivation, obesity, weight loss

How to Lose the Pregnancy Weight Now

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Nov 7, 2011

Lose the Baby Weight

Motherhood

Caring for a new baby is all consuming, and losing weight is probably the last thing on your mind right now. Enjoy those first few months to bond with your baby, but don’t neglect yourself—or your weight loss goals—during that time either.

Now is the time

“It’s very critical that you do get the weight off, because if you don’t it has been associated with overweight and obesity 15 to 20 years later in life,” says Debra Krummel, PhD, RD, endowed professor in the University of Cincinnati Department of Nutrition.

Lose pregnancy weight the safe way

If you want to reach a healthy post-pregnancy weight, it’s vital to do so in a healthy manner with the assistance of a medical weight loss doctor. That way you can make gradual progress by following a diet plan that’s monitored by your physician. You not only reach your target weight, you’ll also have plenty of energy stored up to take care of your child.

The Power of Mom

These lose pregnancy pounds fast tips can help get you started.

Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet
Breastfeed if you are able to, which can help you lose weight faster
Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and speed your metabolism
Exercise as soon as you are physically able to (with your doctor’s OK). Even light exercise a few days a week makes a difference.
Get enough rest when you can. One study shows that new moms who sleep five hours or less a night were more likely to hold onto their extra pregnancy weight than women who slept seven hours.

Call WeightLossNYC™ today, 718-491-5525

Contact us once you are no longer nursing. We can help you quickly lose the excess weight gain from your pregnancy. Enjoy your new baby!

Source: WebMD

Labels: 718-491-5525, diet plan, lose weight, pregnancy, weight loss, women

HCG for Weight Loss: FDA says fraud

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Oct 25, 2011

Weight Loss Health

As we’ve reported often on our weight loss blog, FDA warnings on over-the-counter weight loss gimmicks should be taken very seriously. Most if not all of these items have never been clinically proven or tested as safe OR effective! Furthermore, the FDA clearly warns on their website:

[The] FDA has identified an emerging trend where over-the-counter products, frequently represented as dietary supplements, contain hidden active ingredients that could be harmful. Consumers may unknowingly take products laced with varying quantities of approved prescription drug ingredients, controlled substances, and untested and unstudied pharmaceutically active ingredients. These deceptive products can harm you! Hidden ingredients are increasingly becoming a problem in products promoted for weight loss.

If not harmful if nothing else they’re just not helpful: ‘economic fraud’, says FDA health fraud leader, as reported in USA Today.

FDA Warnings on OTC Weight Loss Pills

Overall, however, an extensive list of FDA warnings on fake over-the-counter weight loss pills read like a rap sheet of all the fad pills you've ever read about; Just a few of the dozens of warnings and recall notices on FDA.gov:

FDA warns consumers not to use Fruta Planta weight loss products
Acai Berry Soft Gel Contains Undeclared Drug Ingredient
Warning: Counterfeit Alli
Slender Slim Contains Undeclared Drug Ingredient
Hoodia Contains Undeclared Drug Ingredient

Safe Weight Loss Program

The only legitimate weight loss programs are those approved by the FDA for both safety and efficacy. Losing weight safely is the important goal in medical weight loss diet plans. Call WeightLossNYC™ for a medical weight loss consultation with Dr Aron.

Website: WeightLossNYC.com

Labels: 718-491-5525, diet pills, fda, quote, weight loss pills, weight loss supplements

Beverage Consumption and Weight Change

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Oct 17, 2011

What's in YOUR Diet?

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health recently conducted a study examining the relationship between beverage consumption and changes in weight with results confirming what doctors and dieticians have been telling patients all along: sugary drinks are not good for the waistline.

The public health study finds that not only are both liquid and solid calories associated with weight changes, but reduction of liquid calories can significantly affect weight loss after a 6-month follow-up, Benjamin Caballero, MD, PhD, told ScienceDaily.

“A reduction in liquid calorie intake was associated with a weight loss of 0.25 kg at 6 months and 0.24 kg at 18 months. Among sugar-sweetened beverages, a reduction of 1 serving was associated with a weight loss of 0.5 kg at 6 months and 0.7 kg at 18 months. Of the seven types of beverages examined, sugar-sweetened beverages were the only beverages significantly associated with weight change.”

Other study findings include that sugar-sweetened beverages were the only type of beverage associated with significant weight change over periods of 6 and 18 months, supporting recommendations to reduce liquid calories, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages, to aid weight loss.

Call WeightLossNYC™ at 718-491-5525

Source: ScienceDaily.com, April 2, 2009

Labels: 718-491-5525, metabolism, overweight, snacks, sugar, weight loss

Lose Weight Fast, Save Money Too

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Oct 12, 2011

Prescription Weight Loss

Our weight loss diet program may include appetite suppressants to keep you from feeling hungry during your low calorie diet plan. Your medical diet program may already include these as per the doctor’s recommendation for your health and fitness needs.

Your weight loss pills are provided to you by WeightLossNYC™ and are not part of the following plan authored by New York City Mayor Bloomberg:

New York Prescription Discount Card

For those of you who also have prescriptions from our medical office or any other doctors you visit here in New York, you will be very happy to learn of this great free program sponsored by New York City. There is no signup or paperwork to fill out. You just need to visit BigAppleRx.com website and print out your card. That’s it. You can even use one card for your entire family. Save up to 47% on your pharmacy purchased prescriptions.

Like reading good news about weight loss? Subscribe to our blog (you’re reading it now) or follow us on Twitter @weightlossnyc for great diet tips, weight loss success stories, video testimonials and many more fast weight loss ideas.

Follow Weight Loss NYC on twitter

“New York City Mayor Bloomberg BigAppleRx program, save up to 47% on your pharmacy prescriptions.”

Don’t pay Park Avenue prices for your medications. This information was provided via New York Methodist Hospital newsletter.

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Weight Loss Office Hours

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Oct 5, 2011

Make Time for Healthy Weight Loss

Time and again we find people talking and wanting to lose weight, yet most of the slimming occurs in their actions. You do not need to struggle. There is no need to punish yourself. Just take the time to make the call and start your weight loss regimen with Dr Oksana Aron today.

Fast Weight Loss is possible

Fast weight loss can be achieved safely and effectively with Dr. Aron and WeightLossNYC™ care.

Our medical diet programs give you the tools and means to make real progress in achieving your weight loss goals and keeping the weight off.

Call Dr Aron Medical Weight Loss Center today, 718-491-5525

Dr Oksana Aron and WeightLossNYC™ is located in Brooklyn, New York at 7032 4th Avenue, Brooklyn 11209

Call us to make an appointment at 718-491-5525 or visit our website, WeightLossNYC.com

Labels: brooklyn, diet plan, easy weight loss, fast weight loss, lose weight, weight loss pills, weight loss program

Lose Weight Fast, You can do it

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Sep 22, 2011

Lose 10-20 pounds per month

Dr. Aron weight loss program and diet center gives you the best way to lose weight fast. No games, no guesswork. WeightLossNYC diet plan is FDA approved and proven to work. View our patient testimonials for more, or come in for a free consultation.

New York Medical Weight Loss Center

Don‘t pay Park Avenue prices

Labels: fast weight loss, fda, nyc, obesity, overweight, prescription, success, teen weight loss, testimonial

Weight Loss Diet Plan you've been dreaming about

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Sep 7, 2011

The Sleep Diet? Dream on…

“Sleep: As important as diet and exercise, only easier,” proclaims the National Sleep Foundation on a refrigerator magnet. How true, yet between 1960 and 2010, the average night’s sleep for adults in the United States dropped from eight hours to six and half.

Much has been written about the hazards of this sleep debt. Now new research shows that lack of sleep may also be making Americans fatter. While doctors have long known that hormone levels are affected by sleep, it is only recently that appetite has been linked to this picture.

Here’s how it works: The hormones leptin and ghrelin work in balance with each other to control feelings of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates appetite. Leptin is produced in fat cells and sends signals to the brain when a person is full.

When a person doesn’t get enough sleep, leptin levels drop so s/he doesn’t feel as satisfied after eating. At the same time, ghrelin levels rise from lack of sleep, meaning the person’s appetite is being stimulated. This combination sets the stage for overeating which may lead to weight gain.

Sleep researcher Michael Breus, Ph.D., has found, “Once a person is not as tired, they don’t need to rely on sweet foods and high carbohydrate snacks to keep them awake — and that automatically translates into eating fewer calories.”

A Stanford University study found that those who slept less than eight hours per night not only had lower levels of leptin and higher levels of ghrelin but they also had higher levels of body fat. Another study by Harvard researchers involving 68,000 middle-aged women found that those who slept five hours or less per night weighed 5.4 pounds more, and were 15 percent more likely to be obese, compared to the women who slept seven hours per night.

“The hormones leptin and ghrelin work in balance with each other to control feelings of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates appetite. Leptin is produced in fat cells and sends signals to the brain when a person is full.”

Lack of deep sleep may also affect a group of neurons in the hypothalamus of the brain, where another hormone, orexin, is involved in regulating feeding behavior. So it may be more than coincidence that Americans have gotten fatter while the amount of sleep has declined.

Some people with health or other issues may need medical consultation to address their sleep problems. For the rest of you (you know who you are), turn off the TV, send your last email, stop texting, close your book, and get a full night’s sleep. Your waistline will thank you.

Sima Michaels Dembo

References:
Bouchez, Colette, “The Dream Diet: Losing Weight While You Sleep,” WebMD, Sleep Disorders Center, reviewed 1/1/2007, WebMD

Brody, Jane, “A Good Night’s Sleep Isn’t a Luxury; It’s a Necessity,” New York Times, 5/30/2011.

“People Who Eat and Sleep Late May Gain Weight,” National Sleep Foundation website, SleepFoundation

Labels: 718-491-5525, appetite, diet, energy, hormone, hunger, sleep, weight loss, women

How often do you eat when not hungry?

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Jul 11, 2011

Are You Eating to Satisfy Non-Hunger Needs?

Dr. Aron admonishes snacking, favoring proper nutritional meals as the signpost to health and happy weight loss. Her prescription for traditional meals favors real table time with place settings and people.

“Building and keeping a structure to your meals maintains a signal to yourself to relax and eat normally, rather than snatch and grab snacking when under duress. [Furthermore] providing a healthy outlet for socialization helps you manage daily stress and foster stronger relationship and communication bonds.”
— Dr. Aron, Weight Loss Expert

Honest Food Needs and Fumbles

Many of the reasons people eat do not relate to true physical hunger. Being aware of physical and emotional needs and eating triggers is a step towards addressing them constructively. Dr. Aron can provide support in learning to address physical and emotional needs in non-food ways.

Address Your Physical Needs

Tend to your health needs. Discuss with Dr. Aron if you have a pain or problem. Follow your treatment plan. Take your medication(s).
Drink 6-8 glasses of water per day. You may need more on hot days, after exercise or eating salty foods, or based on medications you may be taking. Often people confuse hunger with thirst.
Get enough sleep. It has been documented that lack of sleep makes some people eat more.
Move your body. Human bodies are designed to move. After years of cutting back on requirements for physical exercise, the current recommendation is to exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes/day.
Make exercise fun. If exercise isn't your thing, combine it with meeting other needs such as:
- Socialization. Bike or walk with a friend. Take a class with a partner. Join a softball league. Learn a new dance.
- Spiritual. Yoga or walking at the beach can feel spiritually satisfying.
- Fresh air. Take a 20-30 minute walk—even in winter. Choose a sunny or less cold day, bundle up and walk. It clears your head, leaving you energized.
- Care-taking. Take your children on a hike. Walk or run with your dog.
- Personal Growth. Try a new sport. Take swimming or tennis lessons.

Satisfy Your Emotional Needs

Listen to your inner voice and work on giving yourself what you need. Everyone needs the following to varying degrees:

Companionship/socialization. Spend time with people you love and enjoy; connect with them often. Eliminate (or minimize if that's not possible) contact with people you feel bad or stressed around.
Time to be alone. This may include sitting in silence for ten minutes per day.
Spend time doing what you love. If you can't do this every day, make some time every week.
Find constructive ways of dealing with interpersonal conflict. Take a class or read a book on what ails you. See a therapist or other healer if you need support.
Identify your stresses and find coping mechanisms. Try new ways of coping if you still feel overwhelmed.
Pay attention to and work on eliminating negative thought patterns. Re-program negative thoughts such as
"I'm never as good as X"
into
"I'm learning _____."

Healthy Lifestyle is Your Choice

Healthy eating is a lifestyle choice. A physically and emotionally tuned in you will create more positive outlets and feel less need to overeat.

Start Losing Weight Today

You can lose 10-20 lbs per month safely and easily under Dr. Aron's care and supervision. Her medical weight loss plan is fast and effective, and backed by FDA clinical approval.

Call for your first appointment, 718-491-5525

Labels: 718-491-5525, appetite, cravings, exercise, fast weight loss, lose weight fast, motivation, overweight, peer pressure, portion control, prescription, self-control, snacks, weight loss pills, women

Be an Oprah Weight Loss Makeover

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Jun 10, 2011

You Can Be in Oprah Magazine

If you're a current or former weight loss patient of Dr Aron who's lost over 100 lbs, please let us know if you're interested in an Oprah post-weight loss makeover. This is a current opportunity you must act fast to qualify, other criteria required, as per Oprah editor selection process.

Weight Loss Success Stories

If you're happy and you know it.. share your own weight loss success story on our Weight Loss NYC you tube channel. We're always glad to share motivating stories for your fellow New Yorkers to know what a difference your participation in Dr Aron's weight loss program has done for you.

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Dieting Bites

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC May 20, 2011

You Are What You Eat…

Extreme Eating: Do you want some lard with that burger?
In some Chinese-American restaurants customers can choose a dish from column A and one from column B. These meals typically come with soup and an egg roll. The menu items below may lead customers to choose the road to heart attack, diabetes, stroke and/or obesity. They come with the proverbial over-sized salt shaker and a superabundance of fat.

While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet set a date for implementation of a new law which will require restaurant chains with 20 or more outlets to disclose calorie counts to customers, many chains’ websites already contain jaw-dropping nutritional facts.

Applebee’s New England fish and chips, as an example, packs almost an entire day’s calories in one fatty over-salted meal:

Calories: 1910
Fat: 137 grams, 12 grams saturated
Sodium: 1350

In addition to the high caloric content, this meal contains the fat equivalent of ¾ cup of mayonnaise and more than half a day’s sodium requirement.

Calorie Guidelines

Federal nutrition guidelines readily available on most packaged foods consider a typical daily diet to contain 2000 or 2500 calories, the lower figure usually for women and children and the higher for men.

Federal guidelines also recommend that those on a 2000 calorie diet, consume:
less than 65 grams of fat a day and less than 20 grams of saturated fat
less than 2400 milligrams of sodium

Those typically needing 2500 calories a day need consume:
less than 80 grams of fat and less than 25 grams saturated fat
less than 2400 milligrams of sodium

Do you consider a tuna fish sandwich a typical light lunch? Think again when it comes to Quizno’s tuna melt sub. It weighs in with:

Calories: 1520
Saturated fat: 21 grams
Sodium: 2020 milligrams

A healthier option would be to share it with a friend (or two) and have an apple for dessert if half a sub isn’t satisfying. Ordering a plain tuna sandwich on sliced bread without the cheese would also greatly reduce calorie, fat and sodium content.

Another head spinner is Outback Steakhouse’s full rack of baby back ribs served with Aussie fries:

Calories: 1956
Fat: 133 grams, 56 grams saturated
Sodium: 2741 milligrams

The total fat is comparable to eating nearly a stick and a half of butter!

Sadly these examples are not isolated instances. Restaurants have found salt and fat to be inexpensive ways to make food tastier. Diners keep returning for more.

In the search for new and different enticements, the food industry seems to make many dishes and foods more fattening over time. Fried chicken morphs into KFC’s Double Down sandwich by adding two slices of bacon and two slices of cheese. Creative chefs roll chocolate covered pretzels in M&M’s, nuts and toffee chips, adding calories and fat. Cheesecake becomes gluttonous with the addition of Reese’s peanut butter cups, fudge cake and caramel as in the Cheesecake Factory’s Reese’s peanut butter cheese cake.

Start Losing Weight, Today

Choose your indulgences carefully and sparingly. Check restaurants’ websites ahead of time to select healthier options. Limit portions consumed. And find yourself en route to a healthier, slimmer you.

Sources:
Nutrition Chart, What's Cooking America
"Restaurants put obesity on the menu," Washington Post, 10.21.10, p.E1.

Call Weight Loss NYC now @ 718-491-5525

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Spring into a New You!

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC May 10, 2011

Bloom in Brooklyn

Bloom into a better you this spring at WeightLossNYC™ — We can help!

brooklyn, new york, spring flower blooms

Learn How to Lose Weight, Fast

Learn about our safe and easy weight loss plan, supervised by a bariatric physician, a medical doctor expert in weight loss treatment.

Look and Feel Your Best this Summer

Call WeightLossNYC™ Now: 718-491-5525

Start losing weight today! Lose 10-20 pounds per month on our FDA approved diet plan.

photo / commons

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Eat More Food Without Labels ... Especially Plants

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Apr 1, 2011

Don't Judge a Box by its Cover

Nutritional labels on prepared foods are meant to guide consumers in making healthy choices. What has evolved in recent years are scores of empty and misleading claims requiring time and perhaps a college degree to decipher which foods really are “good for you.”

Common misleading food labeling includes empty claims that imply health benefits which have no backing. Among these are “Made with natural flavor,” “Doctor recommended,” and “Made with natural goodness.”

Some claims are accurate but don't give the consumer additional information such as pasta packages labeled “no cholesterol” — Plain pasta does not contain cholesterol! More misleading are labels such as on Edy's Dibs Bite Sized Snacks. They boast “0 grams of trans fat!” giving the impression that these chocolate covered morsels of ice cream are heart healthy when in fact a serving contains 16 grams of saturated fat. The Center for Science in the Public Interest recommends that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibit companies from boasting of “0 grams trans fat” on products with more than one gram of saturated food per serving.

Don't Believe the Hype

Many labels for fruit-flavored items suggest that products offer the health benefits of fresh fruit when in reality, real fruit is found in small quantities if at all. Gerber Graduates Juice Treats-marketed for preschoolers- depict six different fruits on the package. The product actually contains grape juice concentrate and less than two percent raspberry and apple juice concentrate. The main ingredients are corn syrup and sugar, 17 grams worth, or about four teaspoons of refined sugars per serving.

One of the most widely used claims capitalizes on the food pyramid's recommendation that “at least half of recommended total grain intake should be whole grains.”^[5] Bread, cereal, cracker and even cookie packages often feature their whole grain and high fiber content. Yet these products often have refined flour as the first ingredient and a minimal amount of whole grains. Furthermore, a number of products which claim to be good sources of fiber are peddling fiber not from traditional sources such as whole grains, beans, vegetables or fruit, but from “isolated fibers” made from chicory root or purified powders of polydextrose and other substances. Unlike traditional sources of fiber, isolated fibers have not been shown to lower blood sugar or cholesterol, two of the key benefits of eating fiber.^[3].

Kellogg’s Froot Loops cereal boxes tout “Good Source of FIBER & Made with WHOLE GRAIN.” (A green leaf adorns the ampersand further fostering the image of healthy food.) While Froot Loops boxes list whole grains among the first five ingredients, the first ingredient is sugar. Ditto for many cereals and cookies labeled “made with whole grains.“

While the Center for Science in the Public Interest continues to urge the FDA to crack down on false and misleading food labeling, consumers can take proactive steps towards better nutrition. Read labels discriminately. When faced with choices among products (such as different yogurts), compare the nutritional facts and choose products with less saturated and trans fats and sugar, fewer artificial ingredients, and more nutrients such as protein and vitamins.

Eat more foods without labels, the foods your great-grandparents would recognize. As food guru Michael Pollan says, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

– Healthcare Author, Sima Michaels Dembo

References:

Center for the Science in the Public Interest, www.cspinet.org/new/200912291.html
Niman, Nicolette Hahn “Defending &rlquo;Foodies’: A Rancher Takes a Bite out of B.R. Myers,“ February 17, 2011, theatlantic.com/life/archive
Parker-Pope, Tara, “Six Meaningless Claims on Food Labels,“ New York Times, January 28, 2010.
Wikipedia, Nutritional Facts Label
DietaryGuidelines.com

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53% of Americans Trying to Lose Weight

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Feb 28, 2011

High Calorie Diet?

The International Food Information Council Foundation conducted an online survey between February 19 and March 11 called the "2009 Food & Health Survey, Consumer Attitudes toward Food, Nutrition & Health" to study how Americans are managing their weight.

The survey found that 53 percent of American respondents are trying to lose weight, while 25 percent are trying to maintain weight. Seventy one percent were found to be changing the types of food they eat, 62 percent were engaging in physical activity, 44 percent were changing how often they eat and 19 percent were counting calories.
Forty four percent did not experience results quickly, 43 percent reported a lack of willpower and 40 percent cited a lack of time when it came to making an effort to lose or maintain weight.

The survey also attributed problems with weight control to a general confusion about the relationship between calories and weight gain.

Only 30% believe that calories in general are what cause weight gain, while just 11% correctly estimated the number of calories a person of their age, weight and height should consume per day. Close to half (47%) overestimated, 16% underestimated and 26% didn’t even venture to guess. [1]

Next Steps

You can read more weight loss and obesity articles, or read Dr Aron’s Obesity FAQ

Call 718-491-5525 — Start Losing Weight, Today

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Directions to Dr. Aron Medical Weight Loss Center, WeightLossNYC

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Feb 21, 2011

You Can Start Losing Weight — Today!

WeightLossNYC™ provides non-surgical approach to the treatment of obesity and overweight conditions. Our weight loss programs are based on the latest developments in the fields of nutrition and weight control. You will be treated by a Bariatric Physician and Weight Loss Expert, Oksana Aron, M.D. She is medical doctor with special training in Bariatric Medicine and specializes in the treatment of overweight and obese patients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Dr. Aron?
What is the program? How does it work?
What happens during my first visit?
How much does the program cost?
Do I qualify? Am I overweight?

Office Location

Patients come to us from the greater NYC region, including New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and YOUR town too!

We are located in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn at 7032 4th Avenue, corner of 72nd Street at 4th Avenue:

brooklyn office map — Directions to our office

We are accessible via public transportation, R train to Bay Ridge Avenue.

Schedule Appointment

Call 718-491-5525 or schedule your first appointment online to begin.

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What can you accomplish at Weight Loss NYC?

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Jan 29, 2011

Achieve Your Dream

She lost 56 pounds in 6 months at WeightLossNYC™ with Dr. Aron’s medical diet plan:

Live Your Dream

Stop wishing you could be someone else — when all you really wish for is to be yourself. Be the inner you you know you’ve always been. You can do it, and Dr. Aron is here to help.

Call WeightLossNYC™ Today

Call 718-491-5525 or visit WeightLossNYC.com

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How can I lose weight fast?

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Jan 25, 2011

Weight Loss NYC Diet Tips

Nothing is more important than your own resolve to achieve lasting weight loss success. Working with Dr. Aron and Weight Loss NYC staff provides you with the steady structure and guidance to define and develop your customized diet plan and your means to remain nutritionally strong in the process.

Fat Burner Burnout

Weight loss is achieved via the normal pathways your body uses to accomplish it. There is no secret formula or magic pill out there to "burn fat" — the only "fat burner" is … your own body!

Dr. Aron's Weight Loss NYC Diet Plan

Our medical weight loss program is the medically prescribed, FDA-approved weight loss program, with real medical science behind the results. Many people are not yet aware of the reality of bariatric medicine as the fundamental means for achieving non-surgical weight loss results. In fact, most surgeons recommend following a medically supervised weight loss program prior to surgery.

Proven Results. Guaranteed Weight Loss

Call Weight Loss NYC at 718-491-5525 today

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Healthy Weight Loss? Weight Loss for your Health!

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Jan 6, 2011

Lose Weight Safely at WeightLossNYC.com

Overweight Ain’t So Great

A recent study found that healthy, nonsmoking white adults whose body mass index (BMI) indicated they were overweight had a 13% greater risk of death than those with a normal BMI. Obese subjects faced an increased risk ranging from 44% to 88%.

Visit WeightLossNYC.com to check your BMI

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is one measure of height and weight used to determine overweight or obesity. Overweight begins at a BMI measurement of 25, obese at 30 and morbid obesity at 40.

Obesity & Mortality

Two-thirds of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. A 5-foot 6-inch person is considered overweight at 155 pounds, obese at 186 pounds and morbidly obese at 248 pounds.

The study’s conclusions, published in late 2010 in the New England Journal of Medicine, are similar to those of three other large studies. The body of evidence supporting the finding that being even slightly overweight is associated with an increased risk of death is continuing to grow. It debunks the notion that a “few extra pounds” might actually be good for one’s health.

Even being a little overweight increases the risk of early death

The government–funded study analyzed 19 long term studies using each person’s BMI and checked to see who died during a five to 28 year follow up period. The researchers focused on people who were healthy at the study’s start, who were nonsmokers and did not have heart disease or cancer. The results were similar for women and men. Evidence suggests that for the same BMI level, African-Americans may have a lower risk of death and Asians a higher risk. Further research is needed to confirm this.

Lose Weight Every Week

Now is the best time to lose weight quickly and protect your health:

Call Weight Loss NYC at 718-491-5525 to learn about medical weight loss plans or to schedule an appointment today.

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