Behavior & Lifestyle

PERSONALIZED BEHAVIORAL & LIFESTYLE PLANS

Behavior and lifestyle change is the critical key to a long-term healthy weight and good health.
It takes education and practice to successfully adopt healthy behaviors.

Is there a specific behavioral change you’re working on? Find your inspiration here!

Nutrition  • General Health  • Activity & Health  • Stress Management • Sleep Hygiene

NUTRITION

Is sugar an ingredient in your food and drinks? Find out how impacts your brain, heart, and the rest of your body.

Learn what sarcopenia is, how it relates to obesity, and what you can do to minimize the harmful effects of both. 

Cheese can be a healthy addition to your weight loss plan. Learn the best cheeses for weight loss and which you should avoid.

Want to lose weight without hunger and keep it off? Protein makes it possible.

GENERAL HEALTH

A report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a grim prediction for America’s future. It says that by the year 2050, 1 in 3 adults will have type 2 diabetes — two to three times more than today’s already increasing rates.

For many people who have suffered from lifelong weight loss challenges, GLP-1 medications might feel like a genuine miracle. These medications, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, have helped millions bust through stubborn weight loss barriers and achieve goals never thought possible. However, many people tend to minimize what happens after they reach their healthy weight goal. This phase is called maintenance, and it needs to last for a lifetime. In other words, every day for the rest of their lives. For those who achieved their weight loss goal with the help of GLP-1 medication, they have to decide what role, if any, the medication will play in the maintenance phase. Of course, this requires understanding what happens after discontinuing use of a GLP-1. Patients Regain Weight It may not come as a surprise that the research shows most people regain weight when they stop GLP-1 medications. When you remove GLP-1 medication from the body, you lose the chemical mechanisms that served to control appetite and slow digestion. Your body returns to its previous hunger and metabolism patterns. One of the largest studies on this topic followed people for one year after they stopped taking semaglutide. The results showed that participants regained two-thirds of their prior weight loss within 12 months of stopping the medication. In addition to weight regain, many health benefits related to GLP-1 medication use also reversed. Chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and blood sugar control returned to pre-treatment levels. The Best Way to Stop GLP-1 Medications If you explore your weight maintenance options and decide to stop taking GLP-1 medications as part of that plan, don’t do it on your own. Here’s the safest approach: Work with Your Healthcare ProviderNever stop GLP-1 medications without consulting your doctor first. They need to monitor your...

Metabolism. We hear it used all the time when people talk about their weight, “I can’t lose weight because my metabolism is too slow.” But what exactly does that mean? And is that really the case? With so much information floating around on this subject, it’s easy to get the facts mixed up. Let’s clear up how metabolism, or your metabolic system, works to help you manage your weight.

Learn what sarcopenia is, how it relates to obesity, and what you can do to minimize the harmful effects of both. 

When you start a new diet, it seems like you're given a laundry list off foods that are off limits no ice cream, potato chips, cookies, French fries, etc. You're told they will give you diabetes or a heart attack, to think of these foods as a splurge at best.

ACTIVITY & HEALTH

A recent study found that one's fitness level at midlife was a good predictor if one would go on to develop heart disease, or not.

When it comes to exercise options I recommend for weight loss and maintenance, walking is at the top of the list.

You’re a regular exerciser. You find yourself at the gym, day in and day out, working up a sweat, thinking about building a healthier, more toned body. You’re expecting results, and by all means, you should. But for some reason, you just aren’t seeing them, on the scale and in the mirror.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

American industry icon Henry Ford once famously said, Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right. Said another way, you may be the only one standing in the way of your dreams, which includes achieving weight loss goals.

Everyone has moments where they feel sad or upset. These feelings usually go away in a few days and life returns to normal. For many others, these feelings last for much longer periods of time because they suffer from clinical depression.

You're knee-deep in work and can feel tension building in your shoulders. One word sums up how you feel: stressed! Next time your nerves are on edge and you feel like reaching for food to soothe your ruffled feathers, try calming down with one of these stress busters:

SLEEP HYGIENE

You already know that cutting calories and being more active is the path to weight loss. But did you realize getting better sleep is, too?

Waking up in the morning can be a struggle, but if fatigue persists for more than an hour, it may be a symptom of an underlying issue or medical condition. Your body deserves to wake up each day feeling refreshed, and by doing so, you’re setting yourself up for weight loss success. If you can’t seem to shake that drowsy morning feeling, making some changes to your diet or everyday routine can give you a boost of energy.

Many factors are at work when it comes to weight loss, and the proper amount of quality sleep is a crucial one. Just like weight, sleep is a core function that impacts your overall health and wellbeing. So it should come as little surprise that the better you sleep, the higher your chances of achieving your weight loss goals.