Archive for March, 2010
Monday, March 29th, 2010
 Photo from Morethings.com
I saw an interesting article on the Internet the other day which looked at how our meal portion sizes have changed over the past generations and throughout history. Old paintings like The Last Supper were studied and the meal portion sizes were analyzed and compared to meal sizes today. Based upon this analysis, it was determined that the average American main course meal portion size has increased over 60% in the past millennium! The size of our plates have also increased by the same amount. Meanwhile, all our modern technology, i.e., cars, cell phones, computers, etc., has changed our lifestyles so that we burn MUCH less calories than prior generations. It’s no wonder the percentage of overweight Americans approaches 70%.
It’s simple math: If our daily energy intake (the number of calories we eat) exceeds our daily energy output (the amount of calories we burn), then our excess of consumption is going to catch up with us and cause us to gain weight. The average adult needs to eat between only 1,500 and 2,000 calories a day. For those that are more active, 2,500-3,000 is typically sufficient. If you have questions about your personal caloric intake and what you need to reach or sustain a healthy weight, I suggest you seek the advice of your personal physician or a dietitian who can evaluate your daily activity, age, height and weight to determine what your body requires.
– Dr. Darren Soong
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Tags: Allergan lap band, bariatric patient, Bariatric Surgeons, caloric intake, Dr. Darren Soong, Gastric Band, Gastric Band Institute of Las Vegas, lap band surgery, Las Vegas Weight Loss Doctors, portion sizes, The Last Supper portion sizes, Weight Loss Surgeons, Weight Loss Surgery
Posted in Bariatric Surgeons, Eating, Gastric Band, Las Vegas Weight Loss Surgeons, Nutrition, Weight Loss Support, Weight Loss Surgery, lap band |
Monday, March 8th, 2010
When most of us take time to analyze ourselves, we focus on our weight, skin or signs of aging. We rarely think about our mind; how we feel, how we make decisions or how we view the world. However, it is actually our mind that is the key to an overall healthy lifestyle.
“To look and feel your best, you MUST first think about and optimize your brain.”
– Daniel G. Amen, M.D.
Your mind is in charge of everything that you do. Every bite of food, every critical thought you allow yourself to dwell on or every workout you choose to complete or skip are all choices that start with the mind. Once you begin to change your focus from the external to the internal by focusing on your mind, you will start to notice changes in your behavior.
There are two things you can begin doing to assist you in taking charge of your mind and health:
1. Get mind gratitude! Take time to appreciate your mind and all the power and abilities that it has.
2. Begin a daily mindful breathing or mediation practice.
Meditation is a great way to exercise your brain. It activates the parts of the brain that are the most thoughtful. With daily meditation you make more thought-out, self-controlled decisions. Research has shown that focusing on the mind by practicing basic meditation and/or breathing techniques can relax your entire body and put it into a calm state. Simply focusing on breathing from the diaphragm can decrease stress levels. If you are an emotional eater, for example, similar mind exercises are more successful for assisting you as you work through a food craving than willpower alone. When you begin to focus on the mind you will be amazed at how you will transform to an overall healthier, more energetic and more satisfied you!
For more information about mindfulness, meditation and your mind, contact me at PrudenceT@bandandbypass.com.
- Prudence
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Tags: bariatric patient, Bariatric Surgeons, Gastric Band, Gastric Band Institute of Las Vegas, lap band, lap band surgery, Las Vegas Weight Loss Doctors, Weight Loss Support, Weight Loss Surgeons, Weight Loss Surgery
Posted in Bariatric Surgeons, Gastric Band, Las Vegas Weight Loss Surgeons, Nutrition, Psychological, Weight Loss Support, lap band |
Monday, March 1st, 2010
At the most recent support group meeting, several patients who have not yet had gastric band surgery were in attendance. To the approximately 40 gastric band patients in attendance, these pre-op patients posed the question: “What was the hardest lifestyle change they needed to make to be successful with their weight loss?”
Not a single post-op patient raised their hand when asked if better food choices and avoiding junk food and sweets was the hardest lifestyle change after gastric band surgery. No one raised their hand when asked if exercising and being more active was the hardest lifestyle change they had to make. But all forty patients raised their hand when asked if eating slower and taking smaller bites was the most difficult change. If you are thinking about having surgery and know someone who already has a gastric band, ask them this question.
If you are preparing to undergo a weight loss surgery, please consider all the changes you will need to make to be successful with your weight loss and maintaining that weight loss. If you feel you may struggle with instituting those changes, you should seek the support of others who have done the same. If you are not willing to make those lifestyle changes, then weight loss surgery is not for you and will not be able to help you. Weight loss surgery is a tool, not a miracle cure. If you are interested in attending the Gastric Band Institute of Las Vegas support groups, please call us for a schedule at 702-313-8446.
– Dr. Darren Soong
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Tags: bariatric patient, Bariatric Surgeons, Dr. Darren Soong, Dr. James Atkinson, Gastric Band, Gastric Band Institute of Las Vegas, Gastric Band Institute of Las Vegas Support Groups, lap band, lap band surgery, las vegas, Las Vegas Weight Loss Doctors, lifetsyles changes post weight loss surgery, Weight Loss Support Groups, Weight Loss Surgeons, Weight Loss Surgery
Posted in Bariatric Surgeons, Eating, Gastric Band, Las Vegas Weight Loss Surgeons, Weight Loss Support, Weight Loss Support Groups, Weight Loss Surgery, lap band |
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