A fantastic afternoon spent with Dr. Eva M. Selhub at Medical Weight Loss Centers!

medweightlosscenters — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:16:23 +0000

We want to thank everyone for coming out this past weekend to our talk with Dr. Eva M. Selhub! There was a fantastic turnout, the room was packed and we had a great time. We encourage you to pick up a copy of her book, The Love Response, available on amazon.com.

Dr. Eva M. Selhub and full room of interested listeners at Medical Weight Loss Centers

Missed Saturday’s session and want to hear a little bit about Dr. Selhub’s story? Check out this clip from her YouTube channel.

We hope that Dr. Selhub will come back to Medical Weight Loss Centers again soon! In the meantime, we’re talking about putting together a discussion group that will focus on her ideas and “The Love Response.” Does this interest you? What did you think about Saturday’s talk?

Help identify and treat stress this Saturday with Dr. Eva M. Selhub!

medweightlosscenters — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:14:07 +0000

What if we told you there was a way to feel the way you’ve always wanted to feel? To feel happy and content, at peace with your body and your emotions. According to Eva M. Selhub M.D., there is a way – and that is through loving yourself.

Dr. Selhub is a senior staff physician at Benson Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. An integrative health specialist and the founder of Alight Medicine for Learning and Healing in Newton, Massachusetts, she is also a clinical instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Selhub has lectured throughout the United States and Europe and has trained healthcare professionals across the globe.

After experiencing her own emotional suffering and frustration – Dr. Selhub knew that she had to do something more, and search for understanding in her life. Through her family and friends, she was able to rally and rejuvenate her spirit. Now, Dr. Selhub reveals her story and methodology in her book The Love Response.

“The book is my search for meaning, my discovery for meaning and my transformation to becoming the person that I wanted to be come – put down for other people to help themselves. This is a journey encouraging everyone to really start paying attention to how their body and thoughts are speaking. Finding relative meaning within themselves and who they really are and their full potential they don’t need to suffer.”

According to Dr. Selhub, there are ways to combat obesity through channeling your emotions.

“Overeating and obesity syndrome – underneath that is shame and a cover up: food comforts. If you are an emotional eater – the question is, what is it that you need to pay attention to that is leading you to the eating?”

If you’re looking to:

· Learn how to deal with the effects of stress eating

· Turn off anger, fear, and anxiety

· Restore balance and well-being

Then come to our seminar with Dr. Selhub in our clinic at 836 Foxon Road in East Haven on September 11, free of charge, and learn about her remarkable and practical approach to help identify and treat stress, anxiety and self-destructive behaviors that sabotage so many of us.

“I’m really teaching people how to figure it out what it is they want and how to get beyond the rigidity and the boundaries that we create for ourselves. Get beyond those fears and stress to really discover who you really are, what’s your true potential and how can you access it.”

Space is limited. Call (203) 468-9200 today to reserve your place!

“Iʼm living the dream” [Gretel Marazzi]

medweightlosscenters — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:03:24 +0000

After, down more than 125 pounds.

Meet Gretel Marazzi from West Haven, Conn. Owner of a mobile dog grooming service, Marazzi has been in business for 43 years and genuinely loves going to work every day. In just over eight months, Marazzi has lost 125 pounds and has a new appreciation for her life and complete faith in the program and staff at Medical Weight Loss Centers. Recently, we interviewed Marazzi about her experience with MWLC. See what she has to say about how losing weight, revolutionizing her life and bettering her future.

Tell us about your experience with Medical Weight Loss Centers.

“This program saved my life. The doctor told me if I didnʼt do something I was going to
die. I had given up all hope. I am 59-years-old, pushing 60, and currently this is the lowest Iʼve weighed since puberty at 14-years-old.

The biggest gift of this program for me – is my self-esteem. It’s more then the pretty clothes. Every day thereʼs a little discovery and its very subtle. Something comes up in my life and now I say to myself, ‘When I was fat I never used to question that.’ I realize, I have my self-esteem back, but in actuality – I donʼt think I ever had it. A lot of that was due to childhood upbringing, and I have that now – and I hold my head high. I draw boundaries for myself where I used to let people use me – because I wanted them to like me – because I didnʼt view myself as likable because I was fat.

I said to Andy, this program saved my life. The day I wrote the check and made the commitment I cried like a bastard. Here I go again, another freakinʼ diet, except this time Iʼm paying big bucks for it. The simplicity of this program is what works so well for me. Spending my day on the road being able to choose what I want to eat – Iʼve never been hungry since day one. If I do get hungry itʼs because Iʼve gotten so involved in my work that I forgot to eat, and then my stomach reminds me.”

What is your favorite thing about the program?

“How easy it is. The ﬁrst day I walked out of the place I was totally overwhelmed. I sat down in a quiet place and started to write it down so it would make sense for me. The whole thing about being accountable, itʼs about showing up. The fact that itʼs medically supervised – thereʼs a lot of weight loss programs out there and because they arenʼt medically supervised – they donʼt get you the results as quickly. This program, because of the way itʼs designed, I think thatʼs what triggers people on. My ﬁrst four weeks, I lost 24 pounds.

Anyone can go out and buy a scale – but the fact that this has medical supervision. This program is designed to the accordance of your needs, thatʼs huge. Once every six weeks you have blood drawn, you can see your progress on a heart and you can see you getting healthier. I was off the BMI range, now I am on the overweight/normal line. I always said I had 150 pounds to lose, and people laughed. When I was a real young kid, I weighed approximately 10 pound more then I did now, the difference between 15 and 59 is huge.”

What’s been the most rewarding experience for you so far in your journey?

“My husband and I love cruising. For eight years, I couldnʼt do any of the excursions I wanted to because there were weight restrictions. One year I talked my husband into parasailing – and he went and asked me ‘Arenʼt you going to go up with me?’ And I said to him, ‘You know I donʼt like heights.’

He was put in the harness, up they went … I photographed the whole thing – and I captured the exhilaration in his eyes – the look of a child on Christmas morning, it was just incredible. Then I looked at the woman beside him, and thought ‘That should of been you.’

Before her weight loss.

Every time I looked at the pictures, I would cry – secretly. I chose to eat a hamburger or whatever I was eating at the time – instead of going with my husband.

This year I decided to go para-sailing. I went up to the man, I was so scared. My friend, said ‘remember the picture.’ The man took us out to the parasailing boat, got me all
strapped in. When we got up there – I looked at Billy, and he looked at me – and the tears we were streaming down both our faces. He said ‘At last’ and I said ‘Yes.’

That was a Kodak moment if there ever was one. All I could tell the guy driving the boat – ‘Take me higher’.”

Cardio or Strength Training for Fat Loss?

medweightlosscenters — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:38:56 +0000

Check out founder Andy Rodican‘s newest article on obesity in America, cardio and strength training for weight loss!

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Obesity in the United States

Seventy-percent of Americans are overweight or obese. Obesity is now the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S. Between 1998 and 2006 obesity rates increased by 37% and the cost of obesity increased by 89%. We spend 40% more on the obese patient than normal weight persons on health care ($1429/yr.)

Physiological Aspects of Fat Gain

Many of our patients have insulin resistance as a result of eating too many simple sugars in their diet. Insulin resistance leads to fat gain, diabetes, and a whole host of metabolic issues. However, fat gain is a three-pronged problem consisting of:

1. Too little muscle mass
2. Too low of a metabolic rate
3. Too much fat

Muscle Dictates Metabolism

Consider the fact that the average American loses approximately 6 pounds of muscle mass per decade. Additionally, American adults experience a gradual decrease in resting metabolism; approximately 3-percent reduction per decade. Therefore, weight gain may underestimate fat gain by up to 50% due to unrecognized muscle loss. Since muscle dictates metabolism, we can see how loss of lean tissue (muscle mass) perpetuates this cycle:

1. Less muscle tissue
2. Lower resting metabolism
3. Fewer calories used
4. More calories stored in fat cells

Reversing Fat Gain through Diet

Utilizing a protein-sparing modified fast or Very Low Calorie Diet protocol it is possible to lose 3.5-4.5 pounds per week and maintain muscle mass. At our clinic we utilize body composition analysis to measure muscle, water and fat before and after our twelve week program. We also use metabolic testing to evaluate resting energy expenditure (REE.) The vast majority of our patients will increase their percentage of lean muscle mass and increase their metabolic rate after completing the diet. The reason is that we utilize optimal protein (pharmaceutical grade), given 6 times per day, to avoid the leaching of muscle for the amino acids our body needs to perform a variety of functions. The result is rapid fat loss.

Endurance Training vs. Strength Training for Fat Loss

Many people are under the impression that endurance training (cardio) is a good option for weight loss. The fact is strength training is much better for fat loss. Endurance training may improve cardiovascular fitness and burn some fat, but it does not replace muscle mass and does not increase metabolism (resting energy expenditure.) Strength training, on the other hand, replaces muscle, recharges your metabolism, reduces fat and improves musculoskeletal fitness.

Strength Training Benefits

1. Fat loss through muscle gain. The average person adds 3 pounds of muscle after 10 to 12 weeks of strength exercise.
2. Avoid metabolic rate reduction. Average adult increases resting metabolic rate 7 percent with regular strength exercise.
3. Reduced body fat. The average adult loses 4 pounds of fat after 10-12 weeks of strength exercise. About 10 pounds with 1600 calorie/day nutrition plan.
4. Improved musculoskeletal fitness. As we age our body can go into a catabolic state (leech minerals from our bones.) Strength training can keep our bones strong and prevent this destructive process.

Recommendations for Beginners

1. Keep it simple
2. Be time-efficient
3. Be practical
4. Be effective
5. Exercise all muscle groups from larger to smaller
6. Train 2-3 days per week
7. One training set per exercise and advance (resistance and/or sets) to tolerance

ABC Family adds “Huge” to their Monday lineup

medweightlosscenters — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:04:15 +0000

Take some time tonight and unwind with ABC Family’s newest show, “Huge.” Making quite a media splash, the show follows seven teenagers and staff at a weight-loss camp, looking to find themselves and better their lives.

Check out the trailer, here!

Will you tune in tonight?

Getting your mind out of the weight-loss gutter

medweightlosscenters — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:43:30 +0000

Have you ever heard of “Stinking Thinking?” Hear what Andy Rodican has to say about the concept – and how you can get out of any rut using your IDQs: Identifying, Questioning and Replacing!

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“Stinking Thinking”

Do you suffer from stinking thinking? Many of us have beliefs about ourselves that in reality aren’t true, but we take as gospel. For instance, perhaps a teacher once told you in 3rd grade that “you’ll never amount to anything!” Maybe you were mercilessly teased as a kid because you were overweight and you lost all self-esteem and still believe you’re defined by your weight. There are a million beliefs that we inherit over a lifetime that can trigger our fears and anxiety without us ever knowing it. Until we can logically examine these fears and anxieties we will continue to self-medicate our anxiety with overeating.

Types of “Stinking Thinking”

1. Certain things I do are terrible.

2. It’s much easier to avoid something that is difficult for me.

3. I must always be perfect.

4. I must control everything that happens.

5. I have no control over my emotions/feelings.

6. I am not worthy of praise

7. Happiness comes from external forces that I have no control over.

The I-Q-R technique

There is a three step process to replace “stinking thinking” with rationale thinking, the IQR technique:

IDENTIFY-QUESTION-REPLACE

IDENTIFY: By knowing the categories of “stinking thinking”, you can detect these thoughts when they occur. This is the first step in admitting you have a false belief system.

QUESTION: When you identify a negative thought, take 10 deep breaths (in and out) and examine the thought to see if it is appropriate or exaggerated. Are you getting ready to “act out” (eat) based on a false belief? Once you identify the false belief you can now make a plan for how to replace that belief with realistic information.

REPLACE: Replacing negative thoughts and beliefs will not happen overnight. However, if you’ve worked the first two steps, you can now begin to reprogram your mind to see yourself as you truly are and as you really want to be. Since we bring about what we think about, you need to change our thinking if you are to make any progress. Your past does not equal your future! You have the chance to rewrite the script for your life, but you must practice daily seeing yourself living out your vision, whatever that may mean for you.

For example, many of my patients believe that “The last ten pounds are the hardest.” I tell them if you believe that, you’re right! I also tell them that if you believe “The last ten pounds come off easiest” you’re also right. We bring about what we think about. It’s your choice to Identify, Question and Replace or continue with mindless eating.

For more information on stress eating, check out our website!

- By Andy Rodican, PA-C, Founder/Associate Medical Director

What would you do to be in the Guinness Book of World Records?

medweightlosscenters — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:26:18 +0000

Is sacrificing your health worth an honorable mention? For Donna Simpson, 42, from Old Bridge, N.J., it definitely is. Simpson aims to reach 1,000 pounds. The mother of two models on a website, supersizedbombshells.com, where she can be seen walking to her car and eating greasy foods.

In a recent article on the Today Show website, Simpson claims ”I’m very healthy. I go to the doctor every three months,” she said. Check out this video from The Young Turks on the woman’s story.

Andy’s verdict is out, he says:

When I developed type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and suffered a heart attack at age 45, being a single dad, my first thoughts were of my children. Who would take care of them? How would this affect their lives? My illness affected my entire family, not just me.

This article is also full of contradictions. This woman has type 2 diabetes (really?) and “struggles with basic tasks such as cooking and taking a shower…”, yet she states, “I’m very healthy. I go to my doctor every three months…” If she is so healthy, I wonder why she needs to see her doctor every three months?

In my professional opinion, the one sentence, “Simpson has battled weight issues all her life and was mercilessly teased” says it all. She defines herself by her weight because she was told she was obese her whole life. Our past does not equal our future! I hope she realizes that “we become what we think about most” and if she chooses, she can lose weight, get healthy, and be around to see her children grow up.

What do you think?

Breakfast: the most important meal of the day?

medweightlosscenters — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:16:06 +0000

According to a recent article in USA Today, running on an empty stomach may not be so bad after all. When seven patients in a University of Birmingham study were asked to cycle three days a week, those that skipped the morning munchies burned a higher proportion of fat to carbohydrates than the group that ate.

According to Andy Rodican, Associate Medical Director and founder of Medical Weight Loss Centers, LLC., you may wanna re-think skipping your morning meals. See what he has to say below:

Adding various proteins to your morning diet can be both delicious and beneficial

“Skipping breakfast before exercising in the morning is a very controversial topic amongst weight loss specialists. Although this technique may be beneficial for “athletes” who are looking to get that “six-pack”, I do not believe it is practical for the overweight or obese patient who is trying to learn new habits and eating styles. These patients typically do not exercise regularly and are trying to lose weight for health reasons and not for a specific “look.”

At Medical Weight Loss Centers we have our patients visualize their metabolism as a fireplace. If you get up in the morning and add a log (protein) to that fireplace and continue to do so every 2-3 hours, the fire (your metabolism) will burn all day long. However, if you get up in the morning and don’t eat until noon, you don’t even start the fire. Or, if you eat breakfast and don’t eat again until dinner, the fire will burn out. Our recommendation is to fuel your body with high quality protein (high octane fuel) every 2-3 hours throughout the day for maximum fat burning potential.”

Now that Andy’s weighed in, let us know what you think and leave a comment on our page!

Bringing weight loss to life on the web

medweightlosscenters — Mon, 24 May 2010 18:22:13 +0000

Welcome to Thinspiration, a blog affiliate of Medical Weight Loss Centers located in East Haven, Conn. Our mission at Medical Weight Loss Centers is to help our patients lose weight and maintain a healthy weight range for life.

Branford resident and founder PA-C Andy Rodican has successfully treated over 3,000 patients in the past two years. With a graduate degree from the Yale University School of Medicine and over six years of medical experience in cardiothoracic surgery and cardiology, Rodican suffered a heart attack at age 46.

“I was a single dad, obese with a 42” waist, I had high blood pressure, Type II diabetes, acid reflux disease and sleep apnea. It was the obesity that caused all of these problems, including the heart attack. I am living proof that you can lose weight and regain a healthy lifestyle. I did it, I’ve helped thousands do it, and I can help you do it too.”

Check back to the blog frequently for the latest MWLC success stories, medical findings and health news. For now – take a look at some of the before and after pictures of our clients for some initial thinspiration.

Click to view slideshow.