You need to learn to just say no to your old coping strategies. If someone makes inappropriate or rude comments about your weight or if a salesperson doesn’t help you, then speak up and say that you expect to be treated the same as any other person would, and that you don’t appreciate what is going on. Do not become aggressive and say disparaging things about the other person, but don’t let them walk all over you either. Other important steps to take toward becoming more assertive include using more hand gestures and looking people in the eye.

It is also important to start acting like a thinner person, as this can help you get in the right mental state. Sometimes people still have a picture of themselves in their head as an overweight person, even when they are no longer heavy. Make an effort to act like thin people do, which includes not letting your weight be the main topic of conversation. Steer the conversation away from this topic if it comes up, without being rude about it. Instead talk about your plans and what you have been doing lately.

“Seeing Is Believing!”

At the age of 23 and a few months after the birth of my second child, I unexpectedly had to have a total hysterectomy. This is when I began to gain the largest part of my weight. I was weighing approximately 200 pounds and I began having headaches. So I decided to get my eyes examined. That is when my world turned upside down.

I was diagnosed with Intracranial Hypertension & Psuedotumor Cerebri, (high fluid buildup in the brain and a false tumor in the optic nerves of my eyes). I was sent directly from there to have the first of many spinal taps, to relieve the pressure in my brain. The headache subsided, for a little while. At that time, my Neurologist said that “most” (not all) cases were from being overweight! That moment began my “unsuccessful” journey of dieting. After I turned 40, I began having more issues with my vision, thinking that it was just simply age related; I again went to have my eyes examined again, only to find out that I had lost approximately 75% of the vision in my Left eye. I had another spinal tap, with no relief or visual improvements what so ever! Something HAD to be done!

At this point I had been taking several medications to help control my blood pressure and the “brain-pain” which were supposed to make me lose weight… (NOT!) The next option was to have a Shunt inserted in my brain… this was NOT something that I was ready to have done. I started doing research about weight loss surgeries and signed up for one of the seminars with Dr. Cywes. I weighed out my options, did my research, and ultimately found the BEST doctor that I could have hoped for. Thus, My “Journey” to Success began! During one of my evaluations, I was asked why I wanted to have surgery, and my answer was not because I wanted to be smaller or look “sexy”… I simply WANTED to be Healthy and to literally “SEE” my grandchildren grow up! Dr. Cywes and his Team have helped me to Achieve Success and allow me to SEE how successful this program truly is!

I had the Vertical Sleeve surgery done in October 2010. When I started the program, I weighed in at 222 pounds wearing a size 20/22. I am now maintaining my weight at 140 pounds and now wear an average size 5, since April 2011. I no longer take ANY of my medications and I am 95% Symptom Free from my IH/PTC.

To Dr. Cywes and The Entire Team, I owe My Deepest and Greatest Appreciation for the opportunity to “See” and Share My Success!

A recent study evaluated two groups of people and evaluated the health of their gums. One group had weight loss surgery, and the other group did not have any weight loss treatment. The group that had weight loss surgery had a bigger improvement in the health of their gums as compared to the group with no weight loss. The researchers think that the possible reason for the healthier gums might be due to the fact that weight loss tends to reduce a person’s insulin dependence, and inflammation throughout the body melts away with the fat. Since gum disease is a condition of inflammation, it makes sense that inflammation of the gums could be reduced with weight loss.

Lap Band surgery is a safe and effective method that can help those who have struggled to lose weight finally begin living a healthier lifestyle. In addition to gum disease, weight loss and bariatric surgery can treat or reduce your risk for developing type-2 diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and cardiovascular disease.

Don’t let your goals for 2012 fall by the wayside. Follow these simple steps to make your New Year’s Resolution last all year round.

• Write your goals down. It is very nice to think about things that you want to accomplish, but too often simple thoughts will leave our heads. By writing down your goal you can hold yourself accountable for attaining them, instead of forgetting them long before Valentine’s Day.
• Split up your goal. Instead of making one huge goal, such as losing 150 pounds, think instead about the steps that are necessary to get you there. Try breaking your goal into twelve simple steps. If you are hoping to lose a lot of weight, then think about different habits that you can focus on, and dedicate one goal to every month of the year. This is a great way to renew your resolution every month as we refresh our calendar pages.
• Find support and advertise your goals. It is easy to let our New Year’s goals become forgotten when we are the only one who knew about them. Talk with your friends about your goals, you may find that they share similar hopes and you can even work towards attaining them together!

It is not unusual for people to feel anxious or depressed during this time of year. There are so many of us that are bombarded with different events such as holiday dinners and parties, family or friend gatherings, and the stress of traveling. The feelings could be worse for those who have lost a loved one, live far away from family or have been through a divorce.

Here are a few tips to help you get through the holidays:

1. Keep your regular routine

Stick to your daily activities, changing your routine could add to additional stress. If you have been walking a mile every day, stick to that. Don’t let situations prevent you from doing your regular routine.

2. Think Moderation

Do not indulge in the treats (carbohydrates) and alcohol. Indulging in these is only a temporary fix to any stress or anxiety you are feeling. Remember, stick to your regular routine and try to incorporate some physical activity. Going for a walk to relieve stress and anxiety is much more satisfying than the cookies and candy.

3. Be realistic, try not to expect the “ideal” holiday

Remember to be realistic about the holidays. Try not to have too high of expectations for when family gathers together. We often get disappointed when situations don’t live up to our high expectations.

4. Stay Connected

Spend time with friends and family who appreciate you. If you need support during this time of year, ask them.

5. Throw guilt out the window

Don’t put an unreasonable amount of pressure on yourself to be happy, to rejoice or even enjoy the holidays. If you can’t make an event, say no and don’t feel guilty. Give yourself a break.

6. Don’t be alone, if you don’t want to

If you find yourself alone this holiday season, try to volunteer somewhere, like in a soup kitchen, or with children who are in group homes or the elderly in various facilities. Helping others often makes us feel better about ourselves. You will appreciate their company and they will appreciate yours.

7. Focus on today, not yesterday

Sometimes being around family and friends brings us back to our old habits and how we used to be. Remember who you are today and how far you have come in your journey. Walk away if you need to and give yourself a pep-talk. Don’t let others influence you to become who you were in the past.

8. Just say no

It is ok to say no if you are asked to do something that is more than what you are capable of. Remember that this is your holiday too, and that you can decline an invitation or say no to a favor.

9. Ask for help

During the holidays we often try and take on too much and do too much on our own. It’s ok to ask family and friends for help. Whether it be for decorating, shopping, cooking or for support, just ask.

10. Start a new tradition

Instead of having a cookie exchange this year, try doing an ornament exchange with friends, family and co-workers. After dinner, go for a walk and enjoy the people you are with. Starting new traditions is a great way to spend the holidays.

11. Be good to yourself

If you are feeling stressed or anxious, then go and pamper yourself. Do you what YOU want to do and take care of yourself.

Remember, the holidays only come once a year and only last a few weeks. Remember to take care of yourself and you will be able to get through it.

Start by integrating regular exercise routines into your day. The holidays are very busy but there is always time for a few minutes of exercise. Take a break from cooking, visiting, wrapping and other holiday chores and sit down on an exercise bike or walk on a treadmill. Exercise slowly for about 60 seconds and then increase your intensity for about 30 seconds. Repeat this process three times and then go back to holiday preparation. Repeat this exercise throughout the day at least four times. High intensity exercise increases your metabolism for up to two days.

Make sure you choose exercises you enjoy performing. Don’t go for high calorie burn exercises if you can’t stand them. Instead, focus on the simpler exercises you may enjoy, such as walking, yoga or other lighter exercises. Don’t strain your body during this stressful time. Just take a moment to enjoy a few minutes of exercise.

Performing a few complex resistance and weight training exercises throughout the day can also be beneficial. Stop for a moment, grab a few weights and perform bicep, triceps and chest curls. Perform ten to fifteen of these at a time and repeat these exercises throughout the day. Integrate more complex movements into these simple exercises.

If you are still struggling to lose weight, it may be worth considering gastric weight loss surgery in Jacksonville. This surgery can help you overcome your obesity for good.

A good starting place when trying to figure out an attainable weight loss goal is to consider your body mass index, or BMI. If your BMI is over 25, then you are considered overweight. Experts usually recommend that you lose approximately ten percent of your weight as a starting point. Once you have figured out how much you have to lose you can set an end date for your goal. Aim to lose one to two pounds each week, so if you want to lose ten pounds you should give yourself between five and ten weeks to reach your goal.

When setting your goal, you should list the specific steps that you plan to take to reach your goal. For someone who is obese, the first step may be weight loss surgery in Valdosta, and then the next steps would be adding 30 to 60 minutes of exercise into their routine most days of the week and making sustainable changes to their diet. Speak with your weight loss surgeon to find out how long after your operation you will be able to start exercising, and plan to start small and increase from that point. Your weight loss specialists can also provide you with insight as to any dietary changes that you will be advised to make following your operation. By pursuing bariatric surgery, you will likely find yourself at an advantage and will be able to work towards your ultimate weight loss goal at a much steadier and even faster pace than you would be able to do through traditional weight loss methods.

• Set goals. What are you hoping to achieve this season? Do you want to lose weight? Will you be happy to just not gain any extra weight? Do you want to fit into a cute dress at that special party?
• Plan ahead. Thinking about your goals will help you plan ahead. Decide now which events you hope to attend, and create a plan of attack for those events.
• Keep activity in your plans. Many people find themselves lazing about during the holiday season. The weather is often uncooperative, and we are exhausted, but many holiday workout events are available. Sign up for a 5K benefiting a charity, or head to a local holiday lights event.
• Eat mindfully. It’s so easy to load up our empty plate at a holiday event. Choose ahead of time what you want to eat and stick with that.
• Avoid the buffet table, or limit yourself to one trip through.
• Slow down and enjoy your food. Your host probably went through a lot of trouble to prepare those special treats. Really taste them!
• Limit alcohol. Alcohol can be a major diet breaker. Not only do the drinks themselves have calories, they can lower your inhibitions and cause you to make poor food choices that you would normally avoid. Drink with caution, if at all.
• Pass along treats. You may receive a number of goodies from friends and family as gifts. Re-gift them! Bring them to the next party with you or distribute them at the office.

In addition to increased social interaction, stress was found to be a positive factor for increasing weight loss. We often think of stress as inhibiting an individual’s ability to lose weight, but in this case it has the opposite effect. For Jacksonville residents who have undergone weight loss surgery, a healthy amount of stress is actually a crucial component to maintaining weight loss. In addition to the physical benefits of healthy fat storage, your new social environment will also be a psychological benefit by helping you to find the motivation to lose weight through the support of your peers.

In a world where social media is the preferred form of interaction, Jacksonville patients who have undergone weight loss surgery must find time to engage in physical social interaction to lose weight consistently and store fat in a healthier manner. One positive way to maximize the effects of social support is to include friends in your exercise routine. Jog in the park with an old friend or meet new friends at a weekly yoga class. These kinds of social situations will not only help you lose weight and increase the results of your weight loss surgery, but also gain the social support you need to transition to healthier methods of fat storage.

The study, conducted out of Sweden at the University of Linkoping, examined 46,000 obese pregnant women’s medical records during the period of 1993 through 2008. These women were separated into three categories: BMI‘s between 30 and 35, BMI’s 35 and 40, and BMI’s 40 and higher. Typically, pregnant women are expected to gain between 11 and 20 pounds during pregnancy. This new study finds that obese women that do not gain any weight, or even lose weight while pregnant were less likely to need a Cesarean section (C-section) or deliver a large baby than those who gained the recommended amount of weight.

Only 17 percent of the obese pregnant women who had BMI’s between 35 and 40 had a C-section compared to 24 percent of those who gained the suggested amount of weight. Further, babies born to very obese women who lost weight during pregnancy fared just as well as those who gained the recommended amount of weight. The study also found that babies born to women with severe obesity who lost weight during pregnancy were less likely to have fetal distress or have a low Apgar score, which is a measure of the baby’s heart rate, breathing, and other birth health indicators.

In conclusion, the study indicates that some weight loss in severely obese women may be reasonably safe. However, the focus should be eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting regular exercise during pregnancy. Women should speak with their St. Augustine physician before starting any diet for obesity while pregnant.