Tired of being Overweight?

Weight loss tips for a new you!

Article written and contributed by:
Dr. Jan Seibert

In the January 2009 issue of O Magazine, Oprah Winfrey described her personal lifelong struggle with her weight. After celebrating her 53rd birthday, Oprah began having health problems. She shared with millions of fans that she couldn't sleep at night and began having heart palpitations and some leg swelling. Her personal doctor advised her to reduce her intake of salt. She knew that it wasn't salt. She was prescribed blood pressure and heart palpitation medications.

Doctors didn't recognize that Oprah had a thyroid problem, but many of her viewers did. She stated that, "nobody showed me the fan e-mails until I started talking about this, but I had e-mails from viewers saying, 'Tell Oprah to check her thyroid because I think she has a thyroid problem’.

The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland located at the base of the neck, just below the Adam’s apple. The thyroid gland weighs less than an ounce but has an enormous impact on a person’s health. Every aspect of metabolism from heart rate to how quickly calories are burned is regulated by thyroid hormones.

Finally diagnosed with hypothyroidism, Oprah was placed on thyroid medication to address her problem. Once she received this diagnosis, that her metabolism wasn't working right, she fell into the mindset that everything she ate was going to make her fat anyway, so she decided to eat whatever she wanted. Then came the reality, she gained a total of 40 pounds, with her weight climbing as high as 200 pounds.

Oprah’s story is not unique. Many men and women are finding pounds slowly creeping onto their bodies – an average of 2 to 5 pounds a year. Others find themselves gaining 10 or 20+ pounds in a year. After a decade, you will have gained 20 to 50 pounds! With this amount of weight gain, many health consequences like heart disease, Type II diabetes, high cholesterol, acid reflux, arthritis, and even cancers can develop.

Imagine how your body must feel as you carry that extra twenty-pounds - like a giant sack of potatoes - all day long. This extra weight prevents you from doing the things you once did with ease, even making routine exercise more difficult. A lack of movement can lead to fatigue and feelings of depression. It’s no wonder that many turn to antidepressants, alcohol and caffeinated stimulants.

The real issue is balancing your life by making a commitment to address the core issues behind your weight gain. If you are an emotional eater, identify issues needing to be addressed that cause you to eat without self-control. For stress eaters, look at areas that trigger your stress and work on coping strategies other than using food.

Begin each day with a nutritious breakfast – consisting of high quality proteins – egg white omelets, lentils, beans, or low calorie smoothies to name a few. Avoid those sweet rolls, soft drinks, and 500 calories caffeinated specialty coffees. Make gradual changes to your diet and watch your portion sizes.

Read food labels when shopping. If the first four ingredients on the label have high fructose corn syrup, processed sugars or refined grains – leave these foods on the grocery shelves. Use whole grains instead of white bread, white rice. Increase fiber gradually.

Start planning a menu for each day of the week and try to stay around 1,900-2,200 calories per day – depending on your level of exercise. Try to eliminate 100-200 calories per day by cutting out high fat dairy, processed fats, and fried foods. Watch your alcohol intake including artificial sweeteners and soft drinks –the “empty calories” culprits. These items rob your body of important nutrients – minerals, vitamins, and fiber - needed to satisfy your body’s hunger.

Finally, go to your doctor and get a blood test to check your thyroid gland. If your lab results are in the “normal range” and you are suffering symptoms, you still may need to be treated. Find a doctor who will listen and work with you. Be your own smart health consumer and make a daily commitment to shedding those extra pounds in 2009!

Dr. Jan Seibert
Hormone Rejuvenation Center
2187 SW Main Street #103
Portland, OR 97205
503-477-9340

Dr. Seibert also sees patients at the Pacific Compounds Pharmacy wellness office every Wednesday. Please call 503-477-9340 to schedule an appointment.