F.M.U. - How to Grow Wings or Get a Wide Back

I wrote a blog post on Israel's Fat Man Unleashed Blog.

The post is about how to not get a cold this winter. Check out the post here.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

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**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

F.M.U. - Running is Overrated

I wrote a blog post on Israel's Fat Man Unleashed Blog.

The post is about how to not get a cold this winter. Check out the post here.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Strategies for Overweight Children - Put Their Parents in Jail

The obesity epidemic is now spreading to our children, as I discussed in this post.

Growing up I was an overweight child and an obese teen. I know the adverse effects this has had on my life. So, I am passionate about helping reverse this deadly trend. I wrote this article discussing strategies for overweight children.

In this article, I suggest that the parents of overweight children should be imprisoned. I argue that allowing your child to become overweight/obese is child abuse. Parent's actions may not be malicious and they may be the cause of ignorance, but they are still abusing their children.

Check out the article and tell me what you think.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

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**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Overweight Children

Looking out over the yard during recess, Mrs. Nyeberg saw Adam standing apart from a group of the other children who were playing. She knew that once again Adam had been left out of their games. He was endlessly taunted about his weight by the other children and had very few friends at school. At 8 years old Adam was already 40 pounds heavier than the other children.

The Epidemic

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over 9 million children ages 6 to 19 years old are overweight or obese. In a frightening trend, this number has tripled since 1980. In this same time period, childhood obesity has doubled for preschoolers (2-5 years old) and adolescents (12-19 years).

This problem is not limited to the United States but is a growing epidemic in many countries. In a country that is seemingly obsessed with weight issues we should be declaring this issue a national emergency.

Ignoring the Issue

Believing that children may merely have “baby fat” or grow out of their weight problems is a fallacy. Overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. This number increases to 80 percent if one or more parent is overweight or obese.

UCSF researcher Robert Lustig, MD, professor of clinical pediatrics at UCSF Children’s Hospital notes in a review of obesity research that the Western diet is the key reason for childhood obesity.

Lustig offers that our high calorie, low fiber diets promote hormonal imbalances that encourage children to overeat. Other factors commonly attributed to the rise in obesity include frequent fast food dining, too little physical activity at school and home , larger portion sizes, and lack of sleep. Another key factor cited in numerous studies, and perhaps the most important – parents.

Parents

Parents play an important role in the growth, development, and socialization of children (Darling and Steinberg 1993). Additionally, overweight parents may pass on a combination of genetic predisposition to becoming overweight and unhealthy eating habits to their children. An Australian study showed that fathers who were permissive or disengaged were more likely to have children with a higher body mass index (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/70064.php).
Obesity in children is far more than a vanity issue. Along with the rise in childhood obesity is a dramatic increase in diseases and conditions that were previously more prevalent in adults.

Health Problems

A new study revealed that obesity in adolescents is related with reduced heart functions and excessive cardiac mass. Combined with the tendency to become hypertensive this is a life threatening issue.

Being overweight puts a greater strain on the still developing bodies of children. Childhood obesity puts children at greater risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, joint problems, sleep disorders and more. One in three obese children has excess fat in their liver. This excess fat could lead to hepatitis, cirrhosis or liver failure. Not to mention the emotional toll on children who are subjected to teasing and/or isolation by their peers.

Seek Medical Help

Your physician can determine if your child’s weight is healthy. The doctor will use a growth chart to compare your child’s BMI to other children of the same age and sex.
Cutoff points on these growth charts, established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), help identify overweight children:

• BMI-for-age between 85th and 95th percentiles — at risk of overweight
• BMI-for-age over 95th percentile — overweight

Your doctor will also evaluate your family history, your child’s calorie intake and eating habits, other health conditions, and activity level.

Dr. Kal

I was an overweight child and an obese teen. I understand the physical, emotional, and mental pain it can cause. On my blog, I will provide weight loss strategies for children and their parents. Stay tuned.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

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**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Transforming Americans' Approach to Health

I read this article about the American College of Preventive Medicine and the Partnership for Prevention joining forces. The two organizations want to change our health system's focus from disease treatment to disease prevention. I think that's a beautiful thing.

The two organizations want to attack heart disease first. Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans. Heart Disease will also cost Americans 450 billion dollars.

The two organizations have a numerous initiatives planned. However, their early focus appears to be increasing the use of low-dose aspirin. They estimate that the increased use of low-dose aspirin could save 45,000 lives a year.

I applaud these organization for seeing the light and looking for easy and cost-effective ways to prevent disease and death.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

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**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Don't Go Broke Recipes: Cheese & Crackers

Healthy Cheese & Crackers

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 4 Kashi TLC Stone-Ground 7 Grain Party Crackers
• 2 slices of 2% Fat American Cheese

Instructions:

• Cut each cheese slice into 4 square mini-slices
• Place two mini-slices of cheese on each cracker

Facts:

To understand COPS, CAPS, and PROPS click here.

• COPS: $1.01
• CAPS: 190 calories
• PROPS: 11 grams
• Carbs: 21 grams
• Fats: 5 grams
• Sugar: 4 grams
• "Bad" Fats: 0.5 grams

Commentary:

I know you are probably thinking that you do not have the culinary skills to prepare this meal. However, I believe you can do it. This cheese and cracker recipe is cheap and healthy and is made with:

• Kashi TLC Stone-ground 7 Grain Party Crackers - the "stone ground" part is very important. It ensures you are getting all of the health benefits associated with whole grains. These crackers would be better if they were made with 100% stone-ground grains, but at least they are made with healthy extra-virgin olive oil.

• 2% fat cheese - You can use any low fast cheese for this recipe. I just happen to like American cheese. Low fat cheese is high in protein and calcium. Both can improve your health and help you lose weight

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

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**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

F.M.U. - 8 Highly Effective Cold Prevention Strategies

I wrote a blog post on Israel's Fat Man Unleashed Blog.

The post is about how to not get a cold this winter. Check out the post here.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

F.M.U. - Viagra - The Legal Performance Enhancing Drug

I wrote a blog post on Israel's Fat Man Unleashed Blog.

The post is about erectile dysfunction and how to prevent it. Check out the post here.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

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**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Doctor Prescribed Laughs: Potato Chip Police

Doctor Prescribed Laughs is explained here.

Potato Chip Police

I saw this while watching the Super Bowl. After watching it, I wondered how many pounds American would lose if this actually happened when we tried to eat potato chips. Hmmmmmmmm.

This clip was hilarious. I really hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

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**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Biggest Loser Couples - Week Six

The Biggest Loser is one of my guilty pleasures. Read what I think about the show here.

The Biggest Loser Couples Week Six

Another entertaining episode of the Biggest Loser Couples.

Temptation

This episode started off with a temptation. All 11 contestants were placed in a booth individually. In the booth were (100) 26 calorie chocolates. Whoever ate the most chocolates had the right to replace on of their team members with one from the other group. A member on the blue team ate over 30 chocolates and won the temptation. He elected to keep the blue team the same.

I personally would not have eaten over 800 calories just to play the "game". That's over an hour of cardio and I really don't like chocolates that much.

Stress Fracture

One of the members of the blue team was diagnosed with a stress fracture. They didn't mention it in the episode, but I think this stress fracture could be the result of the hours of working out these contestants participate in.

Biggest Loser Prize

The biggest loser from last week won a visit from his brother. His brother was very surprised to see how much weight he had lost. He tried on his brother's size 36 jeans and fit them. The first time he had worn size 36 jeans since high school.

Milk

Jillian recomends that her team drink more milk. Many of them had been under-eating. Milk has the best types of proteins (whey and casein) and calcium. Drinking skim milk can help you get healthy and lose weight.

Challenge

The two teams battled in a cook off. The cook off was judged by a renowned chef. He was graded their multi-course meal based on taste and calorie count. The black team won because their total calorie count was over 400 calories less than the blue team's.

Cooking Tips

The chef had two great recomendations:

• Use crushed red peppers to help season your foods instead of salt
• Use pink lentils instead of beans because of their high protein percentage

Weigh In

The black team won the weigh in. Their members lost between 7 and 13 pounds that week. The blue team members lost between 5 and 9 pounds. Then in a "back-stabbing" move, the blue team voted off Jackie.

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Oprah Spotlights Childhood Obesity

I am so upset that I forgot to Tivo today's episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show. It was about childhood obesity. I was an overweight child and an obese teen. I am also a huge Oprah fan, so I really wanted to see this episode.

I didn't see the episode, but I read this article from CalorieLab. Based on this article, I have some strong feelings about today's guests.

• Allowing your child to undergo weight loss surgery is insane. Why can't parents simply take away their child's money and only keep healthy foods in the house.
• The thirteen year old and her parent(s) did not seem to learn anything. I'm all for eating anything you want in moderation. However, the fact that she refers to how much hamburger and the number of french fries her stomach can hold is disheartening.
• I agree with Dr. Farmer. It is rare that obesity is the cause of any significant morbidity or mortality in children. Weight loss surgery should be a last resort. At only 13 years old, I'm sure her parents have not tried every weight loss method available.

I hope that these surgeries do not become first line therapy for parents who don't want fat children because there are better and safer weight loss strategies. Overweight children should lose weight like Whitney. She lost 100 pounds in 1 year, which is less than 2 pounds a week. She did it by simply eating healthier foods and exercising. She also motivated her parents to improve their food selection, when they should have been motivating her.

This episode seemed interesting. I can't wait to catch it on reruns.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Weight Loss Strategies - Use Your Camera

Taking pictures of yourself is an excellent strategy to help you lose and keep off unwanted pounds. The key to using this strategy effectively is knowing:

• Why you should take pictures of yourself,
• What type of pictures to take, and
• Where to put your pictures

Why you should take pictures of yourself

• To compare yourself now to your "best" self - It is much easier to compare a current picture of yourself to your high school graduation picture, than it is to compare the way you currently look in the mirror to your high school graduation picture. Most people do not realize how much bigger they are, until they see visual proof.


• To chronicle your weight loss journey - Looking in the mirror, you will not realize the changes in your body because you are losing fractional pounds every day. However, if you take a picture every two weeks or every month, you will see the visual changes in your body. Looking at these pictures will keep you motivated when you are feeling discouraged.


• To remind yourself of where you are and where you want to go - Looking at pictures of your current self will help you keep your focus when you forget that you are overweight. Look at your pictures before you eat something you are not supposed to, or before you decide to skip a planned workout.

What type of picture should you take

In your picture:

• You should wear clothing that is as revealing as you feel comfortable
• You should be in a well lit environment
• You should write down the date
• You should write down your weight and/or your body measurements

You should consider having someone else take your pictures because this will make your pictures will look better.

Where to place your picture

Do not take these pictures and keep them stored in your camera. Get them developed. Put them in strategic locations such as:

• On your refrigerator
• In your wallet
• In your cell phone
• On your desk at your home or job
• In your day planner
• Your computer's screensaver
• Anywhere you will see them often

Remember that these are the pictures of the current you. So, do not be ashamed of them. The future you will be healthier and thinner.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**