Weight Loss Strategies

Recently Answered

• QHow important are diet and exercise when it comes to losing weight?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Int'l Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) answered

  While studies confirm that diet is the prime factor in controlling body weight (and essential for fat loss), emphasizing eating habits may inadvertently convince people that exercise isn’t essential. That would be a huge mistake, say experts. Exercise is the best thing you can do for your for many health reasons, including disease prevention, cardiovascular health, soft-tissue integrity and cognitive health.
  
  Is diet or exercise more important than the other? The answer is that they're both important.
• QWhat kind of results can I expect from Vanquish fat reduction treatments?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Howard D. Sobel, MD , Dermatology, answered on behalf of Castle Connolly Top Doctors

  

  After having Vanquish treatments, most people lose 1-4 inches of body fat in treated areas; it's non-invasive and includes body contouring. Watch dermatologist Howard Sobel, MD, describe the results you can expect from this fat-melting treatment.

  

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  What Kind of Results Can I Expect from Vanquish Fat Reduction Treatments?
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• QCan the practice of ear stapling help me lose weight?

  1 Answer

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  A Dr. Daniel Hsu, DAOM , Alternative & Complementary Medicine, answered

  

  Accredited acupuncture colleges don't teach ear stapling, due to risk of infections, and since there's no proof it works for weight loss. Watch oriental medicine expert Daniel Hsu, DAOM, explain why ear acupuncture or ear seeds are better options.

  

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  Can the Practice of Ear Stapling Help Me Lose Weight?
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• QHow can I make California tacos healthier?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered on behalf of Transformation Nation: Million Dollar YOU

  

  These tacos have a healthy new twist. Watch as Dr. Oz and Weight Watchers leader Liz Josefsberg demonstrate how to transform classic California tacos into healthy treats.
  

  California Taco Makeover
  
  Ingredients
  4 tilapia filets
  2 tbsp chili powder
  1 tbsp ground cumin
  Freshly ground pepper
  1/4 tsp salt
  2 tbsp olive oil
  8 small (6 inch) corn tortillas
  2 cups pico de gallo sauce (onions, tomatoes, jalapenos)
  1/4 cup cilantro
  2 limes
  4 tbsp low-fat sour cream 

  Directions
  Rub the fish with chili and cumin powder, sprinkle with pepper and salt.

  In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil and cook the fish for 5 minutes, then flip it and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

  Remove the fish from the pan and cut into strips. Divide the strips among the 8 tortillas, top with the pico de gallo sauce, sprinkle with some cilantro, and give each a squeeze of lime and a dollop of low-fat sour cream, if desired.

  

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  How Can I Make California Tacos Healthier?
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• QHow can I make New York pizza healthier?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered on behalf of Transformation Nation: Million Dollar YOU

  

  One of New York’s favorite foods gets a makeover. Watch as Dr. Oz and Weight Watchers leader Liz Josefsberg demonstrate how to make a healthier New York pizza. 
  

  
  New York Pizza Makeover
  
  Ingredients
  1/2 lb refrigerated whole wheat pizza dough
  Canned crushed tomatoes
  1/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
  2 tbsp pecorino romano or parmigiano reggiano cheese
  1 red or green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  2 cups baby spinach leaves
  1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
  Fresh basil for garnish
  Kosher salt
  Freshly ground black pepper
  Cornmeal for sprinkling
  Flour for dusting
  Olive oil for coating pan

  Directions
  Makes two servings
  
  Pre-heat oven to 450°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle, keeping the edges thicker to form a rim. Place the dough on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes, just until starting to lightly brown. Remove crust from oven and flip over.

  Spoon crushed tomatoes evenly over crust and season with salt and pepper. Add your desired veggies, including peppers, onion, spinach and mushrooms. Top with mozzarella and pecorino romano cheeses. Bake until cheese is melted and veggies are tender to crisp, about 10-15 minutes.

  Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.

  

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  How Can I Make New York Pizza Healthier?
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• QWhy should I write down my motivations to lose weight?

  2 Answers

  A

  

  A Marisa Moore , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

  To achieve your wellness goals, you have to have a vision of where you want to be in the short term and long term. Once that vision is set, take action. Staying on course requires motivation. Writing those motivations down in the beginning of a weight loss journey can serve as a reminder for WHY you’re doing it and help keep you focused.

  Post your goals and your motivation to achieve those goals in a place where you’ll see it daily. Feel free to change the motivation or tweak your tactics along the way. Keep your eyes on the prize and you’ll be sure to get to reach your ultimate weight loss goal.

   

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• QIs there an easy way to lose weight?

  2 Answers

  A

  

  A Kristy Lee Wilson - Sharecare Fitness Expert , Fitness, answered

  Unfortunately there is no quick and easy way to lose weight, take off excess body fat, and keep it off for good. Weight loss and weight management are successfully achieved by making a lifetime commitment to physical activity and healthy food choices. Achieving weight loss requires people to create a daily caloric deficit by decrease their caloric intake, becoming physically active on a regular basis, and implementing strategies to modify unhealthy lifestyle and eating behaviors.

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• QHow should I approach grocery shopping if I want to lose weight?

  4 Answers

  A

  

  A Frances Largeman-Roth, RD , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered

  

  Wandering aimlessly through the aisles can be a recipe for weight gain. Watch this video featuring registered dietitian Frances Largeman-Roth to learn how to make a plan to help drop the pounds.

  

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  How Should I Approach Grocery Shopping If I Want to Lose Weight?
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• QWhy should I plan my meals ahead of time if I'm trying to lose weight?

  3 Answers

  A

  

  A Mrs. Marjorie Nolan Cohn , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

  Planning meals ahead will greatly help your dieting efforts. There are several reasons why. First, planning ahead keeps you conscious of your eating habits, and keeps you motivated towards your goal. Second, it makes it easier to follow through when you are not faced with the need to make a choice in the moment. Often we make unhealthy choices when hungry. If you plan ahead you are better equipped to make the right choice. Third, planning ahead ensures that your diet stays within the weight loss calorie range you need to be in order to lose weight.

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• QHow can I lose weight if I am a baby boomer?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Kate Geagan , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered

  By focusing on a few key habits, baby boomers (actually, all of us) can reap significant health benefits and weight loss, starting right now.
  

  • Exercise. While most boomers say they get some exercise, it often falls short of the 2.5 hours of moderate weekly exercise that's recommended to maintain health and fitness levels. How do you stack up? If walking briskly for 30 minutes every day is beyond your comfort zone or available time, try walking 10 minutes, two or three times a day. Add in some strength training every week if you can to help preserve lean muscle tissue as you reach your senior years. This one change will pay off handsomely, both today and as you age, in terms of improved strength, balance and coordination (check with your physician first before starting any new physical activity program).

  • Make half your meals and snacks fruits and vegetables. Packing half (yes, half!) of your plate with an array of colorful fruits and vegetables is an easy but powerful way to be sure you're getting nature's most potent building blocks for optimal health while keeping calories down. The bonus? This strategy will also help you fight against the number-one concern for boomers: cancer. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is strongly linked to a reduced risk for a variety of cancers.

  • Skip the soda. Numerous studies have found an association between soda consumption and higher weights, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, vice-chair and professor of Surgery at Columbia University and director of the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at New York Presbyterian Hospital and I have done segments together where we focus on curbing liquid calories. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine provides further evidence that sidestepping soda is one of the most powerful changes you can make for your waistline. Soda was one of four culprits (along with potato chips, processed meats and unprocessed red meats) cited as specific dietary factors associated with long-term weight gain. To enjoy the bubbles without the downside, swap for sparkling water instead; add a squirt of freshly squeezed lemon or lime for added taste and vitamin C.

  Sail into your boomer years at the healthiest weight you can be. It will not only enable you to live out your vision for this phase of your life to its maximum potential, it will also set a stellar example of self care for your children and grandchildren that will last them a lifetime.