Tip of the Day - Healthy Weight Management

Summary

Dr. Mike advises taking a gradual approach to weight loss by focusing on small, manageable changes like cutting 100 calories a day, rather than getting overwhelmed by the goal of losing large amounts of weight quickly. This approach emphasizes the importance of starting small and being patient with yourself to achieve lasting results.

Full Transcript

Hey there, everybody, it's Dr. Mike, sponsored by Denny Direct Care and Referral Class Network. I'm here to give you your tip of the day for your healthcare needs. It's good to be with you today, and I want to talk about one of the common issues I routinely find with my patients, which has a lot to do with the weight they carry and the struggles they have with weight loss. I'm joined today by a model of five pounds of fat, which might not look like much—it's just some version of latex—but I want to discuss a few important concepts.

One thing to know is that in five pounds of fat, roughly a pound of fat contains anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 calories. For simplicity, let's use the number 3,000 calories per pound of fat. That's a lot of energy. So, if you think about five pounds of fat, we're talking about 15,000 calories. Many people think they need to lose 30 or 40 pounds, but I suggest starting smaller. Here's why: if 100 calories is equivalent to one mile of running, then losing one pound of fat, which is 3,000 calories, would require 30 miles of running. That’s 150 miles of running to burn off five pounds of fat!

The point I want to make is that you should take it easy on yourself as you work toward being healthy. Too many people focus on losing 40 or 50 pounds, but I applaud my patients who can lose just one pound of fat a month because it takes a lot of effort. So, today's tip from Dr. Mike is to take it easy on yourself if you're trying to lose weight. I'm asking you to drop just 100 calories a day, which is as simple as cutting out half to a full cup of milk or a can of soda, which can be anywhere from 200 to 300 calories. If you're going to drop weight, do it slowly. Dropping 100 calories a day is one way to start.

So, that’s Dr. Mike’s tip of the day: don’t get too consumed with losing large amounts of weight. Focus on the basics, and when you do, you'll find yourself moving in the right direction. Thanks for listening today; I'm Dr. Mike.