Advancing Your Health

When it comes to drinking alcohol and your health, thousands of experts have weighed in. One thing that they can all agree on is that when it comes to drinking alcohol and your weight, moderation is key. A recent article on CNN.com shed some light on the fact that alcohol not only adds hundreds of calories to your diet – a regular beer can add up to more than 150 calories while a glass of wine can cost you 100 calories – but it also temporarily halts your body’s ability to burn fat. So, while the beer you had with pizza and wings might not be a major caloric offender, your body insists on breaking down the calories from the alcohol first, leaving the calories from what you ate to get stored as fat. So, does this mean that you must resign yourself to teetotaling? No, says Meagan Moyer, registered dietician for the Emory Bariatric Center. But you do need to follow a [...]

When it comes to losing weight, exercising and eating healthy, myths and misconceptions abound. And, with an overabundance of conflicting diet and weight loss information available, it’s hard to know if your breakfast routine is keeping you on target for your weight loss goals or if you’re  unknowingly derailing your path to healthy living.  Is it best to work out in the morning or at night? Can a doughnut really be better for breakfast than a muffin? Fortunately, Meagan Moyer, a registered dietician with the Emory Bariatric Center, can help distinguish diet and exercise myths from the truth to help you get your day off to a great start. Check out Meagan playing a friendly game of nutrition fact or fiction with 11Alive’s morning news team.

Related Resources:

• No-Bake Breakfast Bars (Video Recipe)
• Greek Yogurt Fruit Smoothie Recipe

The new year is an exciting time. As 2012 comes to the end, it is the perfect time to renew your commitment to the goals you want to achieve.  Set yourself up for success by following these tips for setting achievable goals. Tip 1: Set SMART goals SMART goals are: Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Time-bound Tip 2: Set a Lifetime Goal The best goal you can set would be a lifetime goal. Why? Because it is a goal that you can always improve on, and it shapes the way all your other goals are attained. Set a goal that you want to achieve, not what others feel you should accomplish. Tip 3: Set small goals Setting smaller, achievable goals will help you reach your main goal by achieving  smaller milestones along the way. By setting smaller goals, you allow yourself to specialize and focus in one area at a time. It is easier to stay motivated when you are [...]

On Tuesday, I held a live chat on the topic of New Year’s weight loss and how you can take steps now to make sure you achieve your New Year’s weight loss goals and turn those resolutions to reality! The questions I received on in my first live chat on Tuesday were fantastic! It was great to see so much enthusiasm from our community around setting realistic and healthy weight loss goals and taking steps to achieve them. There were a few questions from the chat that we didn’t have time to answer on Tuesday, and as promised, I’ve answered them below in this post. Thanks again for joining me on Tuesday and I look forward to seeing you all at our next bariatric web chat! Toni: Dr. Singh, what are some foods I can eat to help boost metabolism? Dr. Singh: Great question, Toni. The best way to boost your metabolism via your diet is by starting your day with a high protein [...]

Now that the holidays are finally behind us, it’s time to get serious about your New Year’s resolutions. With more than a third of the adult population in the United States obese, it’s no surprise that one of the top resolutions every year is to lose weight. If you’re one of the millions of Americans resolving to lose weight in 2013, it’s important to understand that losing weight isn’t just about looking good. It’s more about getting and staying healthy – and even improving health issues that are associated with being overweight, such as high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and joint pain. Because losing weight truly is a journey, Arvinpal Singh, MD, Medical Director of the Emory Bariatric Center and an American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) Certified medical bariatrician, is hosting an online chat on Tuesday, January 8 at noon EST to share tips on [...]

As the year comes to an end, so often do the thoughts of healthy eating habits.   the thought of keeping the pounds off during the holidays.  With multiple holiday parties throughout December, it may seem hard to keep the weight off, but preparation is the key to success. 1) Have a Plan Plan to succeed or plan to fail. Plan accordingly if you know you are going to be limited on the foods you can eat at holiday parties. Bring some healthy snacks to eat at the party or eat a light meal before going to curb your appetite. Sample the foods at the party, rather than eat a plateful of each dish. If it is a party where you bring a dish, bring something that you know you can eat and enjoy. Vegetables and low fat dip are always a good option to add color to the table. 2) Everything in Moderation There is no need to avoid your favorite holiday foods if you eat them in [...]

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and with the Thanksgiving holiday right around the corner, Meagan Mohammadione, RD/LD of the Emory Bariatric Center has put together some tasty diabetic-friendly Thanksgiving recipes and menu items. After you check out her cranberry sauce and casserole recipes, make sure you take a look at the diabetic-friendly Crustless Pumpkin Pie recipe we shared earlier this week!

Diabetic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Casserole Ingredients

- 4 medium sweet potatoes (approximately 2.5 pounds) - 2 large eggs, slightly beaten - ½ cup skim milk - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil - 1 tablespoon agave nectar - 2 tablespoons orange zest - 2 teaspoon vanilla extract - ½ teaspoon salt

Topping Ingredients

- ½ cup whole-wheat flour - ½ cup Splenda®, granulated - ¼ cup orange juice (100% juice) - 2 tablespoons butter, melted -

With Halloween only a few weeks away, we are likely to start seeing chocolate-coated candies and other sugary treats flood the shelves of our supermarkets.  Similar to other holidays, Halloween tempts us with high calorie goodies.  However, this number-one candy holiday doesn’t have to be a nutritional nightmare.  Below are tips for having a fun and healthy Halloween. When at Halloween parties or celebrations:

• Prior to arriving at the party eat a healthy snack or dinner.  This will cause you to be less hungry and therefore not as tempted to eat sugary sweets and candy offered at the party.
• Be the last in line for buffet foods or appetizers.  Foods generally appear less appetizing once many people have picked through them.
• Be mindful of what you are eating.  The average individual eats about 44% more calories than normal in a group setting.   Keep a mental checklist of

Losing weight is hard and can be very frustrating at times.  Here are some common pitfalls that people make and suggestions on how to get over them.

1. You think fat-free also means calorie-free – When a food claims to be fat-free, sugar-free, or light, it doesn’t mean the food is low in calories or even healthy.  Eating these foods often lead people to think they can eat more!  How many times have you thought, “These cookies are low-fat, which means I can eat more.”?  Always check to see how many calories there are in one serving before you begin eating to avoid any unwanted surprises.
2. You're not being truthful to yourself – No one saw you eat that handful of potato chips, so it doesn’t count, right?  Accountability is a big part of weight loss, and it’s a lot harder to be accountable to ourselves than to other people.  Many people find using food diary

Did you know that consuming small snacks in between meals instead of simply eating three big meals per day can increase your metabolism and your curb hunger? Over the years, many Americans have adapted this eating style, but unfortunately, many of these snacks are often high in calories, high in fat, and high in sodium. Between 1977-78, the average daily caloric intake of Americans was 1,803 kcals. This figure rose to 2,374 kcals between 2003-06 due to several factors, one being poor snack choices. So what are some healthy snacks that taste great and will keep me satisfied? Glad you asked. The following are 3 smart and simple snack ideas that everyone in your family will enjoy. Ah Nuts! Nuts are a part of a group of foods often referred to as “healthy fats” due to their high monounsaturated fat content, which includes heart healthy omege-3. Nuts are also a good source of [...]