Tag Archive - eating

The Weight Of The Nation: A Documentary

April 26, 2012 in Children, Diet, Exercise, Lifestyle Tips with 1 Comment

I recently had the pleasure of attending the screening of an HBO documentary entitled, The Weight Of The Nation.  It’s about the obesity epidemic that our nation is facing today.  It is a realistic representation of a multifaceted problem.

More than two-thirds of U.S. adults age 20 and over are overweight or obese, while nearly one-third of the nation’s children and adolescents age 2 to 19 are overweight or obese.  Obesity contributes to five of the ten leading causes of death in America, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and kidney disease.  We are clearly in crisis.

Made in partnership with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, this series is comprised of 4 films that will debut on HBO on May 14th and May 15th beginning at 7:00 pm Central.  The portion presented at the screening was Children In Crisis.  We are facing, for the first time in our nation’s history, a shorter life expectancy for our next generation of children.  That, by itself, should be enough to motivate us to action.

Obesity is a preventable disease; it’s not a condition that we have to accept like a natural disaster.  We must begin to make the necessary changes in our culture to ensure a healthy life for ourselves and our children.  After all, our lives depend on it.

For more information about weight management and weight loss surgery, please give us a call at St. David’s Bariatric Center, 512-544-LIFE (5433) or visit us online at www.stdavidsweightloss.com.

‘Tis the Season: 3 Steps to Control Holiday Eating

December 12, 2011 in Diet, Exercise, Holiday, Lifestyle Tips, Weight Loss with 0 Comments

The holiday season is a time for merry making, which is usually associated with delicious food and drink.  Maintaining healthy eating and exercise habits during this time of year is a challenge for even the most dedicated!  Follow these simple steps to help control holiday eating:

1.  Plan what you will eat.  When you arrive at a party, scope out all the food choices and make a deliberate decision about what you put on your plate.  Following a plan that includes some healhy choices of fruit, lean protein, and vegtables will help you sample foods you enjoy without abandoning healthy habits.

2.  Tastes, pinches, and bites DO count!  Make your food selection and then walk away from the table and enjoy your meal.  Close proximity to those tempting morsels can lead to continued eating, even if you are no longer hungry.

3.  Avoid alcohol and save your calories for the main meal.  Alcohol provides many calories and essentially no nutrients.  Do your waist line and your friends a favor this year and be the designated driver.

Remember that the holiday season is a time for friends and family.  Make sure the time you spend with your loved ones is your priority.  Happy Holidays from all of us here at St. David’s Bariatric Center!

 

Holiday Tips for Expecting Moms!

December 7, 2011 in Baby/Infant, Children, Community, Holiday, Lifestyle Tips, Pregnancy, Women, Women: Ages & Stages with 0 Comments

Here are some helpful holiday tips for expecting Mom’s!

During the holidays we are all participating in many activities that generally bring happiness, but may also cause stress.

If you are pregnant, be sure to listen to your body this holiday season! Here are some tips to take care of yourself and your unwrapped present during this time of year:

  • Make sure you are getting plenty of sleep – you are growing an entire human being, congrats! That is hard work. Make sure to take time out for yourself and rest when you body tells you to.
  • Stay hydrated! During the winter months people generally don’t drink enough water since the temperatures outside are dropping. Water is key to a healthy pregnancy and feeling well. Being dehydrated can lead to fatigue and even uncomfortable contractions. Make sure to keep a water bottle with you throughout the day and take small, frequent sips!
  • Eat smaller meals, but eat often- This is especially important for women who are farther along in pregnancy. As the baby grows, he or she will push on your stomach causing you to feel discomfort if you are eating a large meal. Small snacks throughout the day may help you avoid tummy discomfort and heartburn. We often see women in labor & delivery reporting abdominal pain after eating a Christmas feast! Eating smaller meals can most certainly help avoid this discomfort.

What tips have you received for surviving the holidays while pregnant? Share with us, we would love to hear them!

Happy Holidays-

Meg