Thursday, October 11, 2012

More High Protein Drinks

Check out some more high protein drinks recipes. They are healthy, yummy and easy to make. Also, check out our Fast Track Food options! Want more updates? Follow us on Facebook!

Monday, October 1, 2012

High Protein Recipes

We just put together some High Protein Recipes. Just go to our website and visit the fast track page and download the recipes. 

Sunday, August 12, 2012

What would happen if someone PAID you to lose weight?

 Dr. Sharma discusses a recent study published in JAMA. Bottom line: people who are paid to lose weight, DO lose more, at least in the short term, but bariatricians have serious misgivings about this approach.

Have you heard that the FDA recently approved two new medications for appetite suppression?

Have you heard that the FDA recently approved two new medications for appetite suppression? They are not yet available, but here is the "word" on them, from the FDA blog: "In clinical testing prior to approval, compared with lifestyle mod
ification alone, patients treated with Belviq plus lifestyle modification had an average weight loss of about 3.5% and patients treated with Qsymia plus lifestyle modification averaged weight loss of approximately 6% to 9%. Although these results are a step in the right direction, there are a few important things to keep in mind about these products.First, if you’re looking to lose a few pounds before going to the beach or after over- indulging on vacation, these drugs are not for you…one aspect of their use not highlighted by the media is that these drugs are intended for chronic use as part of a comprehensive weight loss program that includes modifications to diet and increased exercise. Obesity is a chronic disease, similar to diabetes or high blood pressure, and requires long-term treatment… among other adverse effects, Qsymia can cause birth defects and Belviq can cause a dangerous chemical imbalance called “serotonin syndrome.” Doctors and patients who are considering the use of these drugs as part of an individualized weight management program must carefully consider the potential benefits and the potential risks…”

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Stay COOL during exercise for best results - new study


It seems that my preference to exercise in cool/cold rooms (often with a fan on) has a scientific basis - and we should be advising our patients that they will get better results from exercise, if they do what they can to keep their core body temperatures from heating up too quickly. I always tell our patients that our fat layer acts a little bit like a down jacket - so it's best to try to keep the room cool when exercising.

This study used special 'hand cooling devices' designed to keep venous blood cool, by having participants keep their hands on a surface that kept a steady 61 degrees. The author admits that holding a frozen water bottle during exercise is not really an ideal substitute, but could be tried; I think that it is not optimal to expose hands to ice during exercise, and think it is safer, healthier, and more practical to just advise patients to keep the room cool. They may also cool their core temperatures by drinking cold water ahead of time, and sipping throughout exercise.