12March2010
Posted by admin under: Dr Seale Weighs In.
Be Assertive!
How often have you started a new diet only to be derailed by well-meaning family or friends: your mother arrives at your door with your favorite homemade brownies, or your office buddies give you a surprise birthday party at your favorite all-you-can-eat Chinese restaurant? Even before these situations happen, you need to plan for them. If you desire ideal weight and good health, let your family and friends know your goals and then be assertive about keeping yourself on track.
To be non-assertive is to say, “Others matter, and I don’t.” On the other hand, if you are aggressive, the message is “I matter, and others don’t.” You need to find the place in between the two extremes. Being assertive states, “I am equal to others and we all matter the same.” Give assertiveness a try. Tell you mother that you love her brownies so much you can’t just eat one, and it would be more helpful for your weight loss goals if she could make you a high-fiber dessert like baked apples. Explain to your office mates that all-you-can-eat establishments are too tempting at this time and suggest a restaurant where the menu better fits your weight loss plan. It may take a bit of practice, but its well worth the effort. Assertiveness is probably one of the most important tools you will need to succeed.
During the holidays, don’t hesitate to assert your rights to have fiber foods available at the family gatherings, even if it means you bring the veggie platter or salad. Look at it as an opportunity to share your healthy new way of living with those you love. Everyone will benefit. When you find yourself at a restaurant with no menu items that fit into your weight loss goals, don’t be afraid to explain to your waiter exactly what you need. Ask for a steamed side of whatever fresh veggies are available in the kitchen. Or ask that your entree be broiled instead of fried. Odds are, the chef will be glad to break out of the same old menu routine and will welcome the opportunity to be creative. You will be a breath of fresh air!
Try on assertiveness for size, and wear it often. It will look good on you.
The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.
Posted by Stuart A. Seale, M.D.
12March2010
Posted by admin under: Dr Seale Weighs In.
Fiber – It Even Works for Dogs
Last evening my wife, step-daughter, and I attended a holiday party at a good friend’s home. As we arrived we were greeted by Molika, his Rhodesian Ridgeback hound. I hadn’t seen Molika in some time, but she was noticeably more fit, agile, and sleek appearing than I remembered from before. In talking to her master, I discovered that Molika had lost about 20 pounds. How did she do it? By eating green beans! That’s right – green beans. At every meal, Molika gets her usual dog food, but in smaller amounts, because the rest of her portion is comprised of green beans. She likes how they taste, and they fill her up, not out. I kept this in mind as I went through the serving line at the party. I filled up on fiber foods by eating a green salad, tabouli, carrots, and a dish made from cauliflower and broccoli. Because of this, I didn’t feel deprived when I split a piece of baklava with my wife for dessert. What worked for Molika worked for me. And it will for you too.
Remember Molika, the green-bean-eating Rhodesian Ridgeback, every time you eat. Fill yourself up on fiber foods like beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. When you do this, you will naturally eat less of the foods that caused you to gain weight. You won’t feel deprived, and before long, you will be fit, agile, and sleek – just like Molika!
The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.
Posted by Stuart A. Seale, M.D.
12March2010
Posted by admin under: Dr Seale Weighs In.
For Success, Control Your Environment
Imagine yourself after a hectic day at the office or following last-minute holiday shopping. You’re relaxing and watching TV when you begin to hear voices – soft at first, then building in volume. They seem to be coming from the kitchen. Now they’re recognizable – it’s Ben and Jerry, and your name is being called from the confines of your freezer. You initially resist, but then you begin to think of reasons to answer. After all, you want what they have to offer. Since you are a little hungry and also bored, you believe you really need them as friends. Plus, you’ve had a really hard day, so you convince yourself you deserve them. In the end, willpower alone is usually not enough so you, Ben, and Jerry have a little party. Sound familiar?
There’s a way to prevent this from happening. It’s by not letting Ben and Jerry into your house and freezer to begin with. Safety from their temptations, and also successful weight loss, begins at the supermarket. If you tend to make friends like Ben and Jerry, who will sabotage you when you are at your weakest, then avoid the aisle where they reside. Or, if you must be in their neighborhood for some other reason, certainly don’t invite them into your shopping cart. Along the same lines, if there are certain restaurants that don’t serve foods to help make you slim, then don’t go there to dine. By avoiding such places, you won’t be forced to make decisions you may later regret.
Control your environment. If you do, you won’t need supernatural willpower when you are most vulnerable to fend off “friends” that are really your weight-loss enemies.
The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.
Posted by Stuart A. Seale, M.D.
12March2010
Posted by admin under: Dr Seale Weighs In.
Follow the First Lady’s Lead
First Lady Michelle Obama was very candid in a speech she recently delivered to the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Speaking of the obesity crisis confronting the youth of America, she used her personal family experience in making her points. As a busy working mother, she admitted she too often turned to pizza or drive-thru fast food when feeding her young children. A nudge from her daughters’ pediatrician made her start re-thinking such habits, and the effect they were having on her family’s health. Now the First Lady feeds her family in part from produce grown in her White House vegetable garden. She correctly realized the real solution to the problem was dependent upon changes that she herself had to start making.
Overweight children did not create the epidemic that affects them, nor can they be expected to solve it. After all, kids can’t control their environment at home, school, or elsewhere. Telling them to make better choices when they are surrounded by nothing but poor options is pointless. Their condition is really only a by-product of adult actions that have had a trickle-down effect upon them. Adults must take responsibility and change their own behavior before we can expect our youth to change theirs. It is apparent from her actions that Mrs. Obama must agree.
There will need to be changes made in numerous arenas if America is to truly win a war against childhood obesity. Food manufacturers, advertisers, school administrators, teachers, health care providers, parents, and others will all need to join forces. But too often it is overlooked that small changes can lead to big results. As a first step, just follow the example of our First Lady. Serve children more fiber foods at every meal, and avoid most anything that can be delivered through a car window. America’s children will soon be slimmer and healthier as a result.
The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.
by Stuart A. Seale, M.D.
16February2010
Posted by admin under: Dr Seale Weighs In; Taking Charge of your Type 2 Diabetes; Type 2 Diabetes Prevention-Maintenance.
by Stuart A. Seale, M.D.
During a recent 5-day Stopping Diabetes Workshop, a patient presented me with a packet of material for review and comment. The information was professional in appearance and design, marketing a product that claimed to be a solution for the chief complaint of most diabetics – fatigue. According to the material, all one needs to do is consume 1 to 3 servings of their “energy drink” per day, at a cost of $1 per serving, and fatigue will disappear. What is this amazing product? Nothing more than an effervescent multivitamin, priced 10 to 20 times higher than standard, and comparable, multivitamin pills. A multivitamin will not treat the underlying cause of your fatigue, nor will it help your diabetes or weight problem.
Fatigue does commonly accompany diabetes, and can be caused by a variety of factors: being overweight, sedentary, or depressed; and in uncontrolled diabetes it may be due to an inability to efficiently convert blood sugar into energy.
In my clinical experience, most patients with type 2 diabetes feel a total lack of control over their disease, and with that lack of control comes depression and fatigue. The ultimate solution is to gain control. There is a way to do this, but it is not found in a pill, an energy drink, or any other “quick fix.” Gradual weight loss, acheived by eating high-fiber foods as recommended in The Full Plate Diet, combined with becoming more physically active, will cause blood sugars to lower and become stable. What follows is a sense of control and hope, and you realize “I can do this!” Energy levels increase as a result. Making big changes is not required – even taking small steps can lead to big results.
Today this is what you need to do – eat more fiber and take a 15-minute stroll after every meal.
16February2010
Posted by admin under: Dr Seale Weighs In; Losing Weight; Type 2 Diabetes Prevention-Maintenance.
by Stuart A. Seale, M.D.
The last few years of my professional, as well as personal, life have been dedicated to helping others lose weight. The mantra has become simple – eat more fiber foods, drink more water, don’t eat when you aren’t hungry, and move a little more. But in the course of delivering this message, I am afraid a more deeply philosophical point has often been overlooked. This is understandable, because it is disregarded by almost every American on a daily basis. What I am referring to is the ethics of eating.
Let me give just a few examples. Our planet’s resources are slowly being depleted, and at the same time population is increasing. Growing fiber foods is 10 times more efficient than raising livestock. Because of this, eating fiber foods contributes far less to water and air pollution than eating, say, a steak. Wouldn’t ethics dictate that we should eat more fiber foods and not eat when we aren’t hungry?
Here’s another. Childhood obesity is rising at an alarming rate, and the health of our children is suffering as a result. It is now estimated that children being born today will be the first generation who don’t live longer than their parents. A major contributor is the standard American diet, consisting of processed and fiber-poor foods. Ethics would dictate that parents should not only defend their children from a diet that harms them, but adults should also set an example by eating the healthiest diet possible themselves. This just so happens to be a diet high in fiber foods. Think of it this way – naturally occurring fiber in a food is a marker for other healthy nutrients. The more natural fiber there is, the healthier the food.
There are many more examples – too many to list. What I am asking is this – just give thought to what you eat, and ask yourself whether or not you are eating ethically. For every instance you can think of, consuming a diet rich in fiber foods and not eating when you aren’t hungry will always be the most principled way to live. And besides, it helps you slim down, look great, and feel years younger.
16February2010
Posted by admin under: Dr Seale Weighs In.
by Stuart A. Seale, M.D.
I talk to a lot of patients who don’t set the right goal as they try to lose weight. They get side-tracked and focus only on the amount of fiber they eat, instead of what they really need to be concerned about – getting thinner.
If you focus only on how much fiber you eat, there is a possibility that you may succeed in achieving your fiber goal, but fail at dropping pounds. This is because the benefit of eating fiber foods can be overcome be overeating, or by eating too much of fiber foods that also are high fat. I’ve heard stories about people eating a meal that had over 40 grams of fiber – a giant burrito, for example. But the real issue is whether or not they needed to eat that much food at one meal because they were still hungry, or if they did so just because they thought stuffing themselves with that much fiber would in and of itself cause weight loss.
Your goal should be to lose weight. Eating more fiber is just a tool you use to achieve the goal. Fiber satisfies those hunger pangs and helps stop the need for snacking between meals. Eating more fiber is the roadmap that helps you get there. So don’t lose your direction. Eat more fiber foods as a means to an end – but don’t let it be the only tool you use.
To reach your weight loss goal you also need to stop eating when you aren’t hungry. You may only need to eat half of that 40-gram burrito to feel satisfied, for example. Just because it is lunchtime, you don’t have to eat lunch if you aren’t hungry. Try to skip a meal or put it off for hours, and wait until you are truly hungry – just remember to stop eating as soon as the hunger pangs disappear, and to eat slowly. Also, keep in mind that feeling hunger is not a state of emergency. Look forward to the feeling—it means you are reaching your goal by burning body fat.
Getting thinner is your destination. Put fiber foods to work, and then the pounds will melt away.
16February2010
Posted by admin under: Dr Seale Weighs In.
by Stuart A. Seale, M.D.
Do small things that will have a big impact with your weight loss over the next year. Here are some examples that you can start putting to use today:
- Lose 18 pounds in a year: replace soft drinks with water. The average American drinks 450 cans of soda pop per year. That’s equivalent to about 65,000 calories, or a little over 18 pounds of fat. Drop the soda, drop the weight. By the way, switching to diet soda doesn’t help. Studies have shown that the more diet sodas you drink, the more weight you will gain.
- Lose 20 to 30 pounds in a year: just move more. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, shovel snow instead of using the snow blower, wash dishes by hand, use a walk-behind and not a riding mower, change TV channels without the remote – all of these help you burn more calories, without going to a gym. Any increase in how you move during the day will make a difference, so look for ways to move more. Burn calories, lose weight.
- Lose 35 pounds in a year: skip dessert. If you have one 350-calorie dessert per day, you’re eating the equivalent of 35 pounds of body fat every year. Maybe you don’t do typical desserts, but you drink one of those gourmet coffees every day. They’re really the same as a dessert. Start skipping them and you’ll start getting skinny.
- Lose 50 to 90 pounds in a year: make supper the lightest meal of the day. You can have a huge plate of steamed, above-ground veggies; a giant green salad loaded with veggies and dressed with lemon juice; or a piece of fruit for supper. Any of these options will only have 100 to 150 calories. You won’t feel starved at night, you’ll sleep better, and will wake up looking forward to breakfast. A typical supper will have 600 to 1,000 calories, or more, especially if you dine out. The choice is yours. Eat smart, look smart. Drop pounds while you sleep.
18January2010
Posted by admin under: Dr Seale Weighs In.
Are you already losing weight on The Full Plate Diet? Are you worried you will gain the pounds back? Here are some practical tips that will help turn your diet into a way of living. Start with the first tip and add a new one each day – at the end of a week you’ll be looking like a slim person and eating like one too.
- Think differently about hunger. Consider the feeling of mild hunger as a desirable condition (rather than an emergency). This is when your body is burning fat and you are accomplishing your goal!
- Fill your plate with half the food you think you may need. If you are really still hungry after eating your first plate, wait 10 minutes to give your body time to begin digestion and let your brain know you are full before getting seconds.
- Chew slowly and stop eating when the hungry feeling stops. The time to stop is well before you feel “full” or “stuffed.” The goal of eating isn’t to feel miserable afterwards. Take time to savor your dining experience.
- Try not to eat like it is your last meal. Even if you don’t know when you will eat again, overeating at a meal means your body will store up fat.
- Leave that “one last bite” on your plate. It is better to let the food go to waste outside your body rather than stored on the inside. Any food eaten beyond what you body needs will become fat.
- Focus on eating. Multi-tasking leads to overeating. Try not to eat while driving, reading, talking on the phone, working, watching TV or while at the movies. You’ll not only enjoy your food more, but you will eat less of it.
- Don’t eat within 4 hours of bedtime. Food gives us the energy we need to be active during the day. You don’t need energy intake right before you go to sleep. If you take in energy that you don’t need or use, it will be stored as fat.
The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.
Posted by Stuart A. Seale, M.D. at 12:06 PM 
18January2010
Posted by admin under: Dr Seale Weighs In.
In 2005, Time Magazine attempted to answer that question, and the conclusion was “Yes, you can.” This was based on the observation that many who are overweight or obese have normal blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar values – therefore their health did not appear to be in jeopardy. For sure, there is much debate, even among experts, over this issue. But the overwhelming majority of medical research indicates that being above your ideal body weight is bad for your health.
A study published by Circulation on-line, December 28, 2009, concluded that overweight individuals with no abnormalities of blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar (all indicators of “being healthy”), have a 50 percent increased risk of developing heart disease compared to those of normal weight. For those who are obese with numbers otherwise normally associated with good health, the risk is increased by 95 percent.
Beyond being bad for your heart, overweight also increases your risk of cancer, the second leading cause of American deaths. That’s right – cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research estimates that over 100,000 cancers of various types are caused each year by overweight and obesity. And half of Americans don’t know this relationship exists.
Added to these disorders is an up to 40 times increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you are overweight or obese. Type 2 diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure, blindness, and non-traumatic lower limb amputations in America.
It really doesn’t matter if your motivation to get slimmer is so you can look good in your bathing suit this summer, or if you want to avoid a heart attack, cancer, or type 2 diabetes. Regardless of why you lose, you will still gain better health. What’s the easiest, and also healthiest, way to lose those pounds? Eat more fiber foods, drink more water, and stop eating when you’re no longer hungry.
So, can you be overweight and healthy? Possibly, but I wouldn’t want you to bet on it – certainly not with your life.
The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.
Posted by Stuart A. Seale, M.D. at 11:12 AM
