Last week we began this series of posts to dispel the myths of dieting. We discussed willpower as it relates to successfully dieting. Today we’re discussing the connection with weight to overall health. These sections will be quoted directly from the best-selling book by Yoni Freedhoff, MD, The Diet Fix. I couldn’t recommend this book enough for those who want to take control of their weight.
Another example of a mistaken belief that permeates weight loss lore is that of the unhealthy nature of weight: that a person simply cannot be considered healthy unless their weight or body mass index reaches some specific number.
Being at either extreme, whether overweight or underweight, comes with its own set of risks, however, both society and medicine have overblown the amount of risk or danger associated with various body types and sizes.
Some studies have even suggested that beyond the age of 65, the healthiest body weights are statistically in the medically overweight range: a body mass index between 25 and 30, and a mild degree of medical obesity are in fact no riskier than possessing a normal body weight. We all need to remember, patients and doctors alike, that weight doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and that health has a great number of variables. There are studies that demonstrate that even with moderate obesity, eating a healthful diet and exercising regularly mitigates the vast majority of risk that has been attributable to weight.
What I’m trying to impress on you is that the notion that you can be healthy only if your weight is “ideal” or if your body mass index ranges between 22 and 25 is flawed, and that health is far too complex to be boiled down to a number on a scale. How do you think the mistaken belief that a person can’t possibly be healthy at a BMI of let’s say 35 affects the person who has bought himself down from a BMI of 45? Well, I’ll tell you: it leads them to feel like a failure and it might even lead them to give up entirely and regain the weight they have lost.
So how does a person lose weight in this day and age, when it would certainly seem that the default is to gain, the environment is toxic, and the deck is conclusively stacked against us? According to the founding director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center, Dr. David Katz, it’s not about developing willpower; it’s about developing “skill power.” The good news is that the skills required aren’t the classic triad of suffering, sacrifice and struggle. The skills required are organization, planning, and thoughtfulness. With those skills, it is possible not only to experience permanency with weight loss, but perhaps more importantly, it’s possible to enjoy a normal, healthy, and friendly relationship with food. Skill power, while it does take time to master, gets easier with time as the more practice a person has with a particular skill, the better that person will get at it, and the more natural it will become.
We believe in making healthy, lifelong changes to your daily eating and exercise patterns. Physician’s Weight Control & Wellness’s programs are different from other weight loss programs in that they are specifically constructed by bariatric specialists to meet each patient’s individual needs based on their body chemistry, lifestyle, and weight loss goals. Our individualized programs focus on providing positive alternatives to unhealthy habits and targeting foods which provide your body with the specific nutrients it needs for optimal energy and fat metabolism. Practical exercise and hydration are also implemented into our overall program.
We encourage you to become a part of our successful weight loss program. We offer 50 years of safety, experience, knowledge and expertise found nowhere else!
Contact us with any questions about Physician’s Weight Control & Wellness Center and how we can help you in your journey to better health.
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