The Best Way to Lose Weight

Whether or not to pursue weight-loss as part of a group is a judgment call based mostly on your own personality. Some people would be motivated by a competition on reality television while others would be horrified at the thought of that kind of public exposure in skimpy exercise clothes. A middle ground would be a smaller, semi-public group that would offer a combination of accountability and encouragement. Still another option would be a weight-loss clinic where the encouragement and accountability where come from your doctor and his staff.

While any of those settings could promote successful weight loss, one strategy that is certain to fail is any gimmicky program that claims to offer easy weight loss without any real and lasting change. Weight loss is not easy, and it always includes one or both of these vital elements – more exercise and less calorie intake.

One “easy” weight loss technique that has been around for decades is the drink that is so full of nutrients that it can replace one or more of your meals each day. This idea seems sadistic (or masochistic, depending on whose idea it is). Overeaters are emotionally involved with their food. As such it seems particularly cruel to reduce the experience of a meal to just a drink, no matter how easy it is to prepare. Few people with a history of overeating would consider a drink to be satisfying enough to get them through to the next meal.

A healthier, more sustainable choice would be to eat a light meal with real food that takes some time to eat. Take your time and chew it thoroughly. Remind yourself not to rush through your meal. Engage in conversation or do something else that you enjoy in order to prolong the meal experience, but also focus on every bite. If you can retrain yourself to be satisfied with smaller portions, that change will promote and sustain long-term weight loss.

Attempting to lose weight can be challenging and emotional. If you have tried and failed repeatedly, perhaps it is time for you to consider professional help. If you would like to determine whether you are a candidate for robotic bariatric surgery, contact us at Advanced Surgical and Weight Loss Institute, 375 Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island, FL. Dr. Velarde has over ten years of experience in bariatric surgery, and he is fluent in both Spanish and English.