by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

The AARP has teamed up with Carole Carson, author of From Fat to Fit, for a collective 2 month weight loss challenge.  It’s easy to sign up and become a part of this group effort.   Carole gives some great tips.  (note why do I keep writing it “from fit to fat”, must be freudian)

The combined incentives of a group goal, support forums (kind of like a virtual weight watchers), and  Carole’s coaching advice should help you shed that winter insulation.  Two months will give you time to see enough progress in the mirror to continue onward.

A study, earlier this year,  concluded the average person gains weight in the winter, especially during the holidays.  It’s only a few pounds and they lose some the rest of the year.  The problem is they never lose it all.  The cumulative gain of a pound or two adds up.

This challenge is for all ages.  Check it out.

Did you put on a few pounds this winter like me, or were you all good boys and girls?

by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

A few days ago I started hearing a lot about the fat virus–not a new concept.  But all of a sudden, the news was on the radio, television, newspapers and Internet that a scientist had discovered that the adenovirus AD-36, which causes the common cold, might make you fat.  The hypothesis is the virus infects fats cells and makes them duplicate so, even without eating more, you gain fat.

I don’t think there was a new study or revelation, so why the big deal?

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by Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E.

Wait too long to eat and your belly speaks louder than your good intentions. So says a report from the Economic Research Service of the USDA.

Americans know more about healthful diets and lifestyles, but waistlines keep growing and fruits and vegetables are rotting in the refrigerator anyway. So what gives? According to the report, long lapses between meals, eating out and long work hours overpower our health desires and lead us to temptation for some instant gratification.

By waiting five hours between meals instead of just four, the average person consumes an extra 52 calories. (more…)

by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

Have you ever reached a plateau in your weight-loss quest?  You start off well, lose a few pounds (probably some of it water weight), think you’re doing so well … and then the scales just won’t move anymore.  It’s frustrating. I’ve heard so many say, “I’ve tried, and I just can’t lose weight.”  They just quit trying.

Don’t give up.  Here are a few suggestions to help you beat that weight-loss plateau and go on to success.

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Will this be Dr. H by year's end?

Let’s go over my reasoning.

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by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

Yes, you can lose weight, at least for a price.

A study in this week’s JAMA proves, if you show them the money, they show you the weight loss.

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by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

A while back there was news on a couple of pharmaceutical companies working on a new drug type that decreased appetite by blocking the same receptors in the brain that stimulate hunger after smoking marijuana.  Early trials showed promise, but later studies proved that, to take an dose of taranabant strong enough to decrease appetite effectively, the side-effects increased also.  The risk of increased anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts was too much so Merck has cancelled further testing and pulled the drug from FDA consideration.

I am disappointed in the failure, but commend Merck for doing the right thing.  It is an example of the time, expense and risk involved in trying to bring a new drug to market.  It is also a good example of a medical news story, highly touted and broadcast initially, with little follow-up.  Get the headlines from big media. Get the real scoop from JHMFD.

Can you think of other examples?

by Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E.

I had a wonderful new patient come to me for weight loss guidance yesterday. Like many new patients, this is not her first dieting attempt and her idea of trimming down included deprivation. That is not my idea at all. I’m not giving up chocolate, and I don’t expect you to banish your favorite treat either.

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by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

I must admit that I have a bias against the low-carb Atkins diet. It just doesn’t make sense to me and I don’t want to try it. I have written off past studies that conclude these diets do, in fact, lower cholesterol and weight by reasoning that the study is too short, or some other flaw. However, I am being worn down with facts.

Still, the devil is in the details.

The latest is a two-year study in the July 17 New England Journal of Medicine pitting the low-carbohydrate, non-restricted-calorie diet against the Mediterranean-style and low-fat diets, both restricted-calorie. Who won? It depends on how you look at it–and there are lots of numbers.

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by Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E.

I always ask my weight-loss patients to keep a food diary. It’s not for me. It’s their tool. Sure, it helps me guide my patients’ choices, but it’s for their own accountability and education.

Earlier this month, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research announced that in their weight loss study, the most successful losers kept the most food diaries and spent the most time exercising. Of course, this didn’t surprise me at all. I’ve read studies like this before, and I see it every week in my office. In the Kaiser Permanente study, those who recorded their intake daily lost twice as much weight as those who never kept records.
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