Obesity in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. Nearly a third of Floridians are obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above. The BMI is a screening tool that physicians use to determine whether a person is within a healthy weight range or not for their height.
Although overweight or obese people often feel self-conscious about their appearance and have low self-esteem because of it, excess weight is also linked to mental health conditions such as depression. People living with obesity are also at higher risk for serious health conditions, including heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
Many with weight struggles have a long history of trying impossible-to-sustain diets that either focus on just a few foods, involve drastic calorie reduction, or feature other unrealistic requirements. Initial weight loss may come, but the lost pounds are regained — plus some.
Dr. Gurprit Sekhon knows how frustrating this cycle is and how yo-yo dieting further stresses your mental and physical health. Fortunately, Nu Wave Medical Center offers medically supervised weight loss so patients can lose weight safely.
Let’s face it. There are many misconceptions about weight loss out there, and stories about how to do it “right” seem to be ever-changing.
Dr. Sekhon knows lasting weight loss is challenging. Before she creates a customized weight loss plan for you, she talks about impediments that many would-be “losers” face in their weight loss quest.
Whether you’re trying to lose weight or not, it’s best to stick to a diet of whole foods as much as possible and stay away from highly processed ones. This goes for anything labeled “diet” or “low fat.” Unfortunately, eating these foods can work against you because they’re highly processed and loaded with sugar to make up for the lack of taste they’d have if they didn’t have all the additives and fake flavorings.
Case in point? Flavored yogurts can have over 25 grams of sugar in an individual serving. You can perform a do-over by purchasing plain yogurt and mixing it with a touch of maple syrup, berries, and walnuts. Then, you’re not only getting the probiotic effect of the yogurt, you’re getting fiber, protein, and other good things from the fruit and nuts.
Studies have also shown that eating these processed diet foods can actually make you hungrier, which doesn’t support your weight loss in the least.
Some diets can leave you high and dry in the protein and fiber department, which doesn’t support successful weight loss.
Eating enough protein helps you feel full, helps to keep your metabolic rate steady or improves it, protects your muscle mass while losing weight, and even helps to curb regaining the weight you’ve lost. Aim for getting 0.6-0.8 grams of protein per pound for your body weight. Protein is found in legumes, flaxseeds, and quinoa, too, not just in meat or dairy products.
Dietary fiber also helps you feel sated. A good rule of thumb is that women and men aged 50 or under should aim for 25 grams and 38 grams, respectively. For those over 50, men should get 30 grams of fiber per day, and women, 21.
Many people eat for reasons unrelated to hunger. For example, we eat cake to celebrate, or eat only one type of Thanksgiving dinner we consider “proper,” but where there are at least a dozen rich side dishes with generous amounts of butter and heavy sauces.
You can curb habitual or emotional eating. Think of making over recipes so they’re healthier, and grab a cup of tea when you watch a movie rather than raiding the snack drawer.
Changing your eating habits is only half of the successful weight loss equation. The other half is physical exercise. It’s critical to include movement daily, and even dancing, house cleaning, gardening, and walking your dog count.
When you’re under Dr. Sekhon’s care, she creates an ultra-personalized eating plan for you and counsels you about exercising as well so you can win at weight loss. She may also recommend weight loss products that can make your journey easier.
Two innovative weight loss aides we offer are semaglutide (you may recognize some of its brand names, Ozempic® and Wygovy®) and terzepatide. Both are FDA-approved medications delivered via injection that have been proven to help patients lose weight and keep it off. They were originally developed to manage the high sugar levels of type 2 diabetes.
The combination of support and treatment we provide will help you tremendously on your weight loss journey—and greatly increase your chances of success.
Call our office at 850-493-6948 to make an appointment with Dr. Sekhon, or request one online.
