HEALTH & BEAUTY :: JUNE/JULY 2008
Why Can’t I Lose Weight??
If you are dieting, exercising, and not losing the weight, it’s quite possible that you are consuming more calories than you think. Studies have shown that dieters who prepare their own foods tend to overestimate their caloric intake. Similarly, dieters usually overestimate the intensity, frequency, and duration of physical activity. As you can imagine, this combination of underestimating caloric intake coupled with overestimating calories burned can lead to a very frustrating cycle of failed weight loss attempts.
Research shows that the wider variety of foods available in a given meal, the more calories people consume. A study performed at Johns Hopkins University has shown that as the number of food choices decreases, the lower the caloric intake. We know that stimulation of the senses, including taste, smell, and texture, contribute to satiety, or the sense of being full. Therefore eating the same foods all the time allows you to be less over stimulated (hungry), and more easily satiated by those foods.
Limiting the variety and quantity of available foods is called stimuli narrowing. By controlling the amount of stimulus one receives while eating, people eat less, are less hungry, and lose more weight. Multiple studies show that weight loss is improved when all of the foods are provided and no choices were made by the subjects.
Liquid based formula diets are a perfect application of the stimuli narrowing technique. These meal replacements are portion controlled and calorically precise. Only physicians can prescribed a nutritionally complete formula based diet, such that it provides 100% of all necessary vitamins, minerals, protein, and essential fatty acids. Due to the overall lack of stimulation, patients report feelings of fullness while consuming very little calories. These diets are successful not only due to the caloric restriction, but also improved adherence achieved on this diet. Taking this “food vacation” also allows dieters to recognize environmental situations which may have caused them to overeat so that they can make lasting behavioral changes.
While a stimuli narrowing formula based diet is not for everyone, it is a great and healthy way to loose a significant amount of weight without constantly having to worry about food. While on this diet, it becomes much easier to recognize those triggers that caused you to over eat in the past, and change bad eating habits for good. When transitioning back to prepared meals, those who have been through this “eating rehab” can use their new found restraint to make better eating decisions for life.
Dr. Linda G. Everett is pleased to announce the recent opening of The Center for Medical Weight Loss. As a practicing Internist, she sees the effects of obesity on a daily basis and decided to start taking a proactive approach to the epidemic. At The Center, she offers rapid, long-lasting weight loss even for the most difficult cases. Unlike commercial programs, Dr. Everett is able to use products and techniques only available to medical doctors. These include FDA approved prescription appetite suppressants, medically prescribed low calorie diets, and metabolic enhancing injections. Emphasis is also placed on behavior modification and exercise, which is the key to long term weight management. Dr. Everett conducts one on one counseling sessions with each patient at every visit and monitors all medical conditions that may be affected by rapid weight loss.
Since insurance coverage for the treatment of obesity is variable, insurance is not accepted for care at The Center, but she does provide the necessary information so that eligible patients can submit their own claims for reimbursement.
Dr. Everett received her undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University, and her Medical Degree at Jefferson Medical College. She also has a Masters in Healthcare Administration from Widener University. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Christiana Hospital in Newark, DE. Dr. Everett is board certified in Internal Medicine, and has received extensive additional training in bariatrics. She is a member of the American Society of Bariatric Medicine, and the American College of Physicians.
The Center for Medical Weight Loss is located at 2217 Baltimore Pike, Oxford, PA. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 610-467-0446.
