TIPS FOR WEIGHT LOSS
• Stick to a plan. Creating specific goals will make them easier to track and achieve – like walking for 30 minutes three times a week or adding a vegetable to each meal.
• Get moving. Simple changes – like taking the stairs or getting up from the office desk to walk for a few minutes each hour – add up to more activity.
• Eat breakfast. About 78 percent of individuals who are successful with weight loss eat breakfast each day, according to the National Weight Control Registry. A healthy breakfast – like fruits, protein, whole wheat grains and low-fat dairy – will boost metabolism, control cravings and help prevent overeating later in the day.
• Reach for the water bottle. Sometimes feeling hungry is really an indication of thirst. Drinking this calorie-free, sugar-free beverage before reaching for a snack helps maximize metabolism and control appetite.
• Fill up on low energy-density foods. “Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and water to help fill you up, give you an abundance of vitamins and minerals, and they are low in calories,” Dahlberg said. “Keep your house stocked with healthy choices; if you have good things surrounding you, it’s easier to make good choices.”
• Create a food journal. “There are many food and activity-tracking apps or websites to try or just a note pad works, too. Writing down everything you eat and counting calories keeps you accountable and makes you think each time you are about to grab a bite,” Dahlberg said.
• Don’t multi-task during meals. While it might be tempting to check email or status updates, distractions during meals can lead to overeating.
• Monitor progress. “Weigh yourself daily, or at least weekly, at the same time to monitor changes in weight, so you can make corrections to your diet before it gets out of hand,” Dahlberg said. “Changing the way you eat can be life-changing, but also requires a lot of effort. Find support from family, friends or health professionals and community groups.”
As more than a third of all Americans fight the battle of the bulge, Springfield Regional Weight Management Solutions offers practical help to area clients in reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.
“Obesity rates continue to climb nationally and especially in Ohio and Clark County in particular. Residents here can benefit greatly from services to help manage their weight, and we provide a range of options to help anyone get started toward improving their health,” said Jackie Dahlberg, a licensed and registered dietician for Springfield Regional Weight Management Solutions of the Springfield Regional Medical Group.
According to “The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America” report released in 2014 – a collaborative project of the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, approximately 35 percent of adults, 17 percent of children (ages 2 to 19) and more than 8 percent of young children (ages 2 to 5) are obese. Ohio has the eighth highest obesity rate in the country. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher.
Local obesity rates are even higher than national and state averages – with 67.5 percent of adults either overweight or obese, according to the Clark County Combined Health District’s 2015 Community Health Assessment.
The percent of students who are overweight or obese is significantly higher in the county (42.3 percent) than the state (28.9 percent) and nation (30.3 percent) – up from 33 percent in 2009. Obesity among students has climbed from 17 percent in 2009 to 24 percent in 2015 – above the state average of 13 percent and the national average of 13.7 percent.
Additionally, 35.4 percent of Clark County adults reported they were actively trying to lose weight.
Obesity is one of the biggest drivers of preventable chronic diseases and healthcare costs in the United States. Currently, estimates for these costs range from $147 billion to nearly $210 billion per year.Figures likes these cause concern for health care professionals.
“Obesity can contribute to many chronic diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, fatty liver, polycystic ovarian syndrome, reflux and can increase risk of several types of cancers,” Dahlberg explained. “Our environment is not very supportive of weight loss. There seem to be many more opportunities to eat high sugar, high fat foods and move less than there are to choose healthier options. It does require a lot of effort and support to attempt to lose weight, and, ultimately to be successful, it does require a commitment to lifestyle change.”
That’s where Springfield Regional Weight Management Solutions can help by designing a custom plan for each patient. Surgical services include sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding, robotic bariatric surgery and revision surgery. The practice also offers counseling, support group programs, meal planning and fitness programs to guide patients to become healthier individuals.
“We offer both a surgical and a non-surgical approach to weight loss, and each patient is given individual assistance to get started on the right path,” Dahlberg said. “We also offer continued support through follow up care, support groups and continuing education. We offer expert care from medical professionals with years of experience in the field of weight management and obesity care.”
The Weight Management Solutions team also includes Dr. Magued Khouzam, whose particular areas of expertise include robotic and advanced laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery, and Dr. Tedros Andom with special interests in robotic and laparoscopic bariatric surgery, foregut and gastrointestinal surgery, hernia repair and endoscopic procedures.
Deb Marr, nurse practitioner, said her passion for being a part of the weight loss experience comes from a desire to help patients “overcome health challenges and learn the best way to take care of themselves.”
“Unfortunately, there are no pills, powders or five-minute fixes for obesity,” Dahlberg said. “The journey toward achieving a healthy body weight is a marathon, not a sprint, and the majority of that effort should be focused on improving your nutrition habits.”
For patients needing to lose a significant amount of weight, surgical weight loss may be an option and can reduce the risk of weight-related health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and severe sleep apnea.
To qualify for surgical weight loss, a patient must have an unsuccessful history of trying to lose weight through diet and exercise and a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher or a BMI of 35 to 39.9 accompanied by a serious weight-related health problem.
Dr. Khouzam offers free seminars twice a month for those considering the surgical program. He discusses the health risks of obesity, as well as reviewing the types of bariatric surgery offered and the associated risks and benefits.
“Always remember it’s not just about the number on the scale, obesity is a disease that effects every aspect of your well-being,” Dehlberg said. “Even a five-percent reduction in weight can markedly reduce overall health risks.”
About the Author