One mistake which people who are considering bariatric surgery make is that they do not realize the importance of exercise.  The reasons why exercising after bariatric surgery is necessary can make all the difference in the world regarding your success.

First, you will not shed all of the excess pounds which you wish to lose from the surgery alone.  While your surgery is the first step toward a healthier and more attractive body, it is far from being the last.  When you implement a good exercise routine, and follow it faithfully, this is the correct way to lose all of the unwanted weight.

Second, obesity usually includes a weakened body.  No matter how many extra pounds you may have accumulated, your body is more focused on fat than on muscle.  Exercise will give you a dual-benefit for this problem.  In addition to helping you to lose the fat, it will also help your muscles to become stronger and well toned.  Good muscle strength and tone is an essential part of overall good health.  Good muscle strength and tone has a positive effect on everything from your limbs to your digestive system.  You will be able to feel the difference. 

Another benefit of developing a good exercise routine is that it will make you feel better.  As obesity is usually includes less and less activity, it is likely that your body has become sluggish from lack of use.  When you begin an exercise routine, and make it a part of your regular lifestyle, you will feel more energetic, stronger, and healthier in general. 

Whether you enjoyed various types of exercise in the past and have neglected it due to your weight, or whether you have always believed exercise must be boring and difficult, there is an exercise plan that is right for you.  Not only will you be getting your body in its best possible shape, you can thoroughly enjoy the exercises that you do.  Instead of looking at it as a necessary part of gastric bypass surgery, you will find that this special attention to your body can be a fun part of your everyday routine for a lifetime. 

Lisa Avellino

Focus28 Fitness Expert

www.focus28diet.com

You know you need to do it but you just have not been able to find the motivation. Every year many of us say this is the year I am going to get rid of those extra pounds and get back into shape. The start of the New Year is the time when all the diet books hit the stores and the health clubs step up their advertising to try and attract all of the people who have made weight loss their New Year’s resolution.

If you have struggled with your weight you know by now there is no magic diet that is going to make the pounds melt away. Any of the so called fad diets will work if you stick to them and by the same token none of the weight loss plans will be successful if you do not. Finding the motivation to give you the discipline to reach that goal is the key.

For many people the motivation is simply “I want to feel better.” Maybe your doctor has recommended you drop some pounds so your heart doesn’t have to work as hard. People who are overweight can feel the strain it is placing on their body any time they have to walk up steps. Motivation can also come from other sources; perhaps you want to drop 20 pounds before a wedding or vacation so you look better in the pictures. Find what motivates you and use that goal to keep going through the rough stretches.

To be successful in your weight loss program there are two key components which you must follow. Number one, you will have to limit the amount of food you consume and you must increase your amount of daily physical activity. Doctors recommend that you try to lose weight slowly and say a pound a week is an excellent goal; to achieve this you must cut 3500 calories a week. The best way to do this is by cutting 250 calories each day from your diet and performing enough cardio exercise to burn 250 calories each day. If you can the calories by 500 each day, you can lose 50 pounds within a year.

Our Blog is filled with a ton of motivational tools and ideas.  We offer you the most information on weight loss and give you the tools you need to succeed.  We are with you every step of the way.

Mitch Suss

Focus 28 President

www.focus28diet.com

If you are obese, you may already know that this is a risk factor to your health.  In fact, you may already be experiencing a disease or condition which is often associated with obesity.  Either way, you are probably wondering whether having bariatric surgery can cure or effectively treat obesity-related medical problems.

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most commonly developed diseases associated with obesity.  While many people are not aware of this, bariatric surgery can indeed help the person who suffers from type 2 diabetes.  When bariatric surgery, coupled with a sensible nutrition plan, assists the person in losing a large amount of unwanted weight, it can cause the blood glucose level to return to normal. 

However, there is one very important factor in this instance.  In order to keep the blood glucose level stable, and the patient free of returning problems, the unwanted weight must stay off.  If you are suffering from Type 2 diabetes, you may be helped by bariatric surgery.  If you do your part to keep the weight off, and stay physically fit, you can enjoy good health.

Non-alcoholic liver disease can also be treatable by bariatric surgery.  Research studies have shown that even the most serious forms of this disease have been reduced and cured by this surgery. 

In addition to increasing the chances of curing such diseases through bariatric surgery, it can also help in reducing the risks of developing other obesity-related diseases and conditions.  Many forms of cancer, for example, are closely associated with obesity.  While bariatric surgery does not cure cancer, it can lower your risk of developing it.  Heart conditions and strokes are also associated with obesity.  Bariatric surgery can lower your risk of these potentially-deadly conditions.

The key to bariatric surgery curing serious medical conditions or reducing your risk of developing obesity-related conditions is in keeping the excess weight off after you have had the surgery.  If you do not take sensible eating and exercise seriously, and allow the unwanted weight to accumulate again, you can see a resurgence in your condition or your risk level.  Bariatric surgery can be a new lease on good health, if you keep the weight off. 

Mitch Suss

Focus28 President

www.focus28diet.com

It has been around for 60 years but the grapefruit diet is still at the top of almost any list of fad diets that you will see. It promises to help you lose ten pounds in less than two weeks if you stick strictly to it. The theory is that something in the grapefruit when combined with protein creates a powerful fat burner that will speed up your weight loss.

This is not a diet for someone who has a significant amount of weight to lose; it is a crash diet that can shed pounds quickly and wants to look better at the beach in a few weeks in her bikini. There are a number of variations of the diet which is also known as the Hollywood diet or mayo diet. The basic plan calls for three small meals a day and a snack before bedtime, it also allows for plenty of black coffee and water in between meals.

It is called the grapefruit diet because you must eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice with each of the three meals. A sample breakfast might include a half of grapefruit plus two eggs and bacon. The lunch menu would be a half of grapefruit or 8 ounce glass of juice plus a chefs salad with plenty of meat on top. Dinner allows an unlimited amount of meat, vegetables or a salad and of course a half of grapefruit. Your bedtime snack is an 8 ounce cup of low fat milk.

The experts who have studied the grapefruit diet say you will probably lose weight whether you eat the grapefruit or not because the plan strictly limits the intake of calories. There is no scientific research which can confirm the fat burning effects of grapefruit but there are those who swear by the program and it has been talked about enough to still be around 60 years later. Doctors do seem to agree that grapefruit is good for you but they say it is not any more or less than healthy than other fruits or vegetables which should be a part of any healthy diet.

Please be aware that a very strict, very low caloric diet is very dangerous and should only be done under the supervision of your doctor.  This is a very hard diet to stick to, because of the low calories, mostly resulting in failure to complete.  So, again, just another Fad Diet.

Mitch Suss

Focus 28 President

www.focus28diet.com

Most people who elect to have bariatric surgery have psychological issues both before and after their surgery.  Finding support for these issues will make your surgery a better experience for you.

The main issues related to bariatric surgery include not knowing what to expect, expecting too much, and the worries connected to going through the surgery itself.  The good news is that there are a number of options open to help you. 

Counseling is one very positive option.  When you seek advice about your bariatric surgery from a counselor, he or she can help you to put it into perspective.  Your counselor will help you to understand that gastric bypass surgery is not an instant “cure” for your life’s problems.  He or she will assist you in gaining perspective on what your surgery can and cannot do for you.  You will be better motivated for success when you have reasonable expectations about your surgery.

A lifestyle coach can also offer excellent advice.  Your lifestyle coach can help you to better understand your own role in your gastric bypass surgery.  You will learn what you yourself need to do in order to make a successful transition from obesity to a healthier body image and a healthier, happier lifestyle.

Support groups and online forums are excellent resources for the person who is approaching bariatric surgery.  When you participate in both in-person and online forums, you will learn about the surgery from people who have already had it.  These resources will also give you the opportunity to voice your own concerns and ask questions of people who understand what you are going through.  In addition, support groups and online forums will help you to understand that you are not alone.  Many others have gone through gastric bypass surgery, and are willing to share the details of their experiences.  They can let you know what worked for them.

When you know what you can reasonably expect from bariatric surgery, approaching the surgery and your life afterward will be so much easier.  All of these support resources are available to help make your gastric bypass surgery a positive experience. 

Focus 28 Team

www.focus28diet.com

At a time when people are spending millions of dollars on diet books and workout tapes, one of the best weight loss plans is available from our government absolutely free. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has had their top researchers working on a diet that will lower high blood pressure and help people shed pounds. It has been shown to have irrefutable results.

The DASH plan stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, it was originally designed for people who were suffering from high blood pressure but further research shows the fundamentals of a low sodium diet can help anyone who is overweight. The diet is one that is based on multiple servings each day of fruits and vegetables along with low fat milk. It is based on the food pyramid developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

NIH researchers found that Americans have eating too much red meat as well as food and beverages with added sugar. This diet cuts most of those things out and encourages consumption of fish, poultry and whole grains. For a person consuming 2000 calories per day, the DASH diet calls for 27% of the calories to come from fat and 18% from protein. It also limits sodium intake to 2300mg and fiber to 30mg each day.

A typical day on this diet might include a breakfast of 3/4 cup of bran flakes cereal, a medium banana, 1 cup low fat milk, 1 slice of whole wheat toast with a teaspoon of margarine and 1 cup of orange juice. For lunch the NIH recommends; 3/4 cut chicken salad with two pieces of whole wheat bread plus a salad of cucumber slices and tomato wedges. Dinner would include 3 ounces of beef, 1 cup of green beans, a small baked potato, whole wheat roll and 1 cup of low fat milk. Snacks during the day of nuts and yogurt can be added to hit the 2000 calorie target.

More meals are suggested at the National Institutes of Health website. The NIH also recommends starting an exercise program to go along with the DASH diet to improve your overall health and speed up the weight loss.

We offer free meal plans, recipes, calorie counters, and an exercise program.  Just log into our Etools, sign up and get started.

Focus 28 Team

www.focus28diet.com

The body mass index, more commonly known as BMI, is the generally-accepted method of calculating weight categories today.  The World Health Organization, better known as the WHO, sets a body mass index of between 25 and 30 as overweight, whereas a body mass index of over 30 is classified as obese, with morbid obesity being a body mass index of over 40. 

While these calculations are considered accurate by today’s standards, there are a number of other factors which are also relevant.  For example, the distribution of body fat is an important factor in health considerations.  If body fat is primarily in the abdominal area, it is a higher risk factor than when it is distributed evenly or in other areas.  A person’s age, gender, and overall general health are also factors in determining the potential danger in excessive weight.

In extreme cases of excess weight, there is no one, easy solution.  For persons who are obese or morbidly obese, achieving a state of good health and reducing the risks associated with excess weight consists of a threefold process.  Gastric bypass surgery is a positive first step for those who need to lose a large amount of weight and begin on the journey to good health.

However, gastric bypass surgery alone is not enough.  For individuals who are obese or morbidly obese, it is only the beginning.  In order to attain good health and maintain it, it is necessary to implement lifestyle changes.  The person must be willing to make positive changes to his or her eating patterns.  This includes learning how to choose nutritious foods, make proper use of vitamin and mineral supplements, and avoid foods which are unhealthy or contain “empty” calories.  In addition, he must be willing to begin and maintain a sensible exercise routine, and continue it on a regular basis. 

Being overweight, obese, or morbidly obese is about much more than one’s physical appearance.  It can lead to serious medical problems, worsen conditions which one already has, and even shorten a person’s life expectancy.  Taking it seriously is necessary to preserve life and health.  Gastric bypass surgery is a positive way to begin. 

Lisa Avellino

Focus 28 Fitness Expert

www.focus28.cm

lavellino@focus28diet.com

There is no shortage of fad diets which promise amazing results if you follow their plan. The ads always feature someone who claims to have dropped pounds and shed inches in a short period of time but you know what they say about things that sound too good to be true; they usually are. The reality of any weight loss plan is that it will work if you cut back on your daily consumption of calories, the question is how best to do that.

The government has done extensive research into eating healthy and has determined that the key is following the USDA Food Pyramid. Through the pyramid the USDA recommends what types of foods to eat and what quantity. The definition of a healthy diet at http://www.mypyramid.gov is the following; “emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.” The plan aims at helping you get the most nutrition out of the minimum amount of calories.  You can find healthy meal plans to follow in the Etools section of our website. 

To lose one pound of fat you must reduce your caloric intake by 3500, so cutting 500 calories per day will lead to a weight loss of one pound in a week. The USDA recommends that you eat 5 servings of vegetables a day, 4 servings of fruit, 6 ounces of grains and 5.5 ounces of meat, poultry, fish or beans. Following the pyramid will give your body the nutrition it needs and by eating several small meals instead of three big ones you can control the hunger. 

The secret to success in sticking to this plan is to avoid saturated and trans fats, foods with added sugar and alcohol. One other recommendation to speed up your weight loss is to start on some type of exercise program. Even moderate physical activity can boost your metabolism and burn calories; just one hour of walking at a moderate pace will burn 300 calories. A healthy diet plus exercise can put you on the road to better health in a short period of time; your results may not be as dramatic as the fad diet commercials claim but you will be much more likely to sustain your weight loss over a long period of time.

Focus 28 Team

www.focus28diet.com

Gastric bypass surgery can be a new lease on life.  In order to have the very best effects, however, a bariatric surgery patient needs to learn how to live with his new self.  If he is adequately prepared for the changes which will occur, as well as the changes which he himself must put into action, he can look forward to a new, happier, healthier life.

Shedding one’s old negative self image is an essential part of learning to live with one’s new self.  While you may think this only involves being rid of unwanted weight, there is much more to it.  As most people who are obese dislike and even hate their bodies, learning a new image means learning to let go of the shame, embarrassment, and distaste you have had for your overweight body and your overweight self.

Learning to live with your new self will mean developing a positive self-image.  While this does include your body, it also means all of you.  There is much more to you than your body, and this is true both when you are obese and when you are not.

Living with your new self means appreciating who you are as a person.  It means valuing, respecting, and loving the person you are.  Most people who are obese have forgotten how to do this, as their entire self-image was connected to how badly they felt about their weight.  You can learn to take pride in your appearance, and pride in yourself as an individual human being.

Although self-acceptance and self-love are essential, learning how to take proper care of your new self is also essential.  If you are like most obese individuals, you may have neglected basic self-care.  This kind of neglect usually increases the longer a person is severely overweight.  Self-care ranges from learning how important it is to stick to a healthy diet, have a routine of sensible exercise, and ensuring that you give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs on a daily basis, to basic grooming and cleanliness. 

All of these factors in how you treat your body influence how you feel about yourself.  Not only can you learn to live with your new self, you can learn how to love and appreciate yourself for the rest of your life. 

Focus 28 Team

www.focus28diet.com

All it took was one mention on the Oprah show and the Acai Berry Diet quickly turned into one of the hottest crazes in weight loss. Once the talk show host said she was using it as a supplement, millions of people tried it to see if it would work for them. This fad diet is a little different from most in that there is no specific diet to follow other than eating the berry which is said to be richer in antioxidants that blueberries or red wine.

The acai berry comes from a palm tree that grows in the Amazon and has been used as a herbal healer in Brazil for years. It is sold in the U-S in juice, powder or puree form as well as in capsules. Use of the supplements could cost as much as $80 per month depending on the dosage that you take.

There is no scientific proof of the health benefits of the acai berry but those who use it say it provides an energy boost and reduces hunger pains associated with dieting. There are also claims that it can boost mental clarity, help with sleeping and slow down the aging process.

Dr. Nicholas Perricone was the first one to tout the benefits of the acai berry on the Oprah show but she has been quick to distance herself from any of the health claims that have been made. On her website, Oprah has posted a message to anyone who has been caught up in the acai berry craze letting them she know doesn’t endorse its’ use despite many internet claims. The message also includes a statement from her expert physician, Dr. Mehmet Oz: “The companies that are using my name to hawk these products are duping the public. I do not endorse any of these products. By falsely presenting products as ‘scientifically proven’ and endorsed by well-known figures, these companies do a gross disservice to the public health and could even pose a danger to those who believe their false and unproven claims. I feel compelled to stand up against these companies and their deceitful practices.”

So in conclusion, it is just another Fad Diet.  The only way to truly lose weight is with a little effort on your part.  There is no miracle drug, just you.

Focus 28 Team

www.focus28diet.com