If you are like most Americans you've struggled with your weight, and tried countless diets with little success. In fact, you might even weigh more than you did when you first started dieting. The numbers don't lie. Americans are getting heavier each year- almost two thirds of us are now considered overweight by government standards. Just why is it so hard to lose weight?
Just ask obesity expert, Louis J. Aronne, MD, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Program at New York's Presbyterian Hospital. "The human body has evolved to save calories at all costs, so cutting calories by dieting makes it very difficult to lose weight." Regardless, there are ways to trick your body into losing weight, which will not only improve your waist line, but also your health. According to Dr. Aronne, "Losing weight is probably the single most important thing you can do for your health. Extra body fat is linked to many diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and even cancer."
So what can you do in order to lose weight? Start out by making small changes, like taking the stairs instead of the escalator, or getting off the train or bus one stop earlier. Have water with lemon instead of soda, or fresh fruit for dessert instead of that brownie. Most importantly, try to have protein with each meal, especially at breakfast. At the Comprehensive Weight Control Program, "We recommend patients start the day with a low-fat protein rich breakfastlike egg whites, cottage cheese, or an Atkins shake. . Eating high carbohydrate foods, like a plain bagel, may cause blood sugar to rise very quickly, only to crash later on, causing extreme hunger. Start with vegetables first, then add protein to meals and have smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day to help prevent these Herculean hunger cravings and the overeating that often goes along with them."
But what if you've tried many of these suggestions, but only manage to lose a few pounds? Dr. Aronne says it's important "not to be discouraged if you lose only a small amount of weight. Research shows that losing just 5% of your body weight results in significant health improvements." That means that if you weigh 200 pounds, you only need to lose about 10 pounds in order to experience a significant improvement in your health.
If you are still unable to lose weight in spite of making dietary and lifestyle changes, you may consider treatment with a prescription medication for weight loss. There are only a few FDA approved medications for weight loss, but many more are in the testing stages. Among them is a new combined therapy of two naturally occurring hormones that work together by reducing appetite and stimulating metabolism. Another study uses a liquid diet in conjunction with a new weight loss medication that works in the brain to reduce food cravings. "Adding medication to diet and lifestyle changes jumpstarts the mechanisms required for weight loss by interfering with the things that make dieting so hard, like hunger and cravings", says Dr. Aronne. Recent studies have shown an average weight loss of 23 lbs. with similar medications.
Dr. Aronne and his staff at the Comprehensive Weight Control Program have performed more than 20 studies of new weight loss medications, and are now offering several different research studies to overweight patients who qualify to participate. The ideal candidate is at least 18 years of age and at least 30 pounds overweight. Enrollment is free, but limited. If you would like to participate in a research study with medication for weight loss, please contact the Comprehensive Weight Control Program at 212-583-1000. You may also visit their website at www.weightresearch.net.