One pound of fat is equal to roughly 3,500 calories. That means that cutting 500 calories from your typical diet every day and maintaining your current level of activity would help you to lose about one pound a week. However, if you incorporate walking into your daily routine as well, you can increase that weight loss. Just 30 minutes of brisk walking would burn about 150 calories, which would be the equivalent to 1/3 of a pound per week. If you walk more quickly, you’ll burn more calories, especially since you get the most weight loss benefit from activity that’s of a moderately intense level. Ideally, you should try to build up gradually to a walking speed of 3 to 4 miles per hour.

Once you’ve reached your ideal weight, exercise is even more significant for weight maintenance. Even more than calorie restriction, consistent exercise will keep your weight off. As long as you burn more calories than you consume and walk or perform other consistent physical activity, you’ll be able to get and stay healthy!

Surgery date:  March 13, 2009
Before Surgery: 249lbs BMI - 43
Current Weight: 174lbs  BMI – 30
Total Weight Lost: 75lbs

Since high school, my weight has been like a yo-yo. Eventually, I stopped losing weight altogether and just kept getting bigger and bigger. Before I came to Dr. Bagnato, I was taking medication for high blood pressure and depression and had just been diagnosed as pre-diabetic and having high cholesterol. I was also told that I was morbidly obese. That word, “morbidly,” was a wake-up call for me.

Before the surgery, I always knew what I was supposed to eat and how much I was supposed to exercise, but I couldn’t stick with any of the plans I made. After the surgery I wasn’t thinking about food all of the time and I wasn’t hungry, so I was able to make better food decisions. I no longer need to take any medication. I also started an exercise routine and I’m still enjoying it.  Friends and family noticed immediately that my whole outlook had improved and I was laughing and smiling more. I felt hopeful, energized, and ready for change.

I use to be horrified by what I saw in the mirrors, but now I actually stop to check out how my body has changed and I like what I see. The surgery isn’t magic it is a tool to combine with some hard work and sacrifices to get where I want to be. Now I’m ready for anything!

Dr. Valerie Taylor, a psychiatrist at McMaster University and co-author of the commentary, admits that “the concept of addiction is complex, and the delineation of its defining characteristics has fostered considerable debate.”

Taylor points out that overeating and the resulting weight gain involves a “compulsive pattern of use, even in the face of negative health and social consequences.” In this way, food addiction can be compared to other addictive behaviors. Also, food, like drugs or alcohol, can cause a type of tolerance where an increased amount becomes necessary to achieve satisfaction. In addition, people who try to stop overeating or switch to low-sugar or low-fat diets can find themselves suffering from withdrawal symptoms.

Taylor and co-authors go on to say that “the concept of addiction does not negate the role of free will and personal choice. It may, however, provide insight into why a some individuals with obesity continue to struggle.”

Taylor and her associates suggest that therapies which have been traditionally applied to the area of substance addiction may be helpful for people who are trying to lose weight.

Are the benefits of walking really worth your time?

Absolutely. Regular walking can help you manage your weight, strengthen your heart and bones, and increase your mood and cognitive function. A brisk walk can actually provide almost as challenging of a workout as jogging!

One study performed at the University of Pittsburgh showed that overweight people who walked briskly for 30 to 60 minutes per day lost weight, even if they didn’t change any other lifestyle habits. Another study found that people who walked for at least four hours per week gained less weight than non-walkers as they aged.

Exactly how many calories you burn when walking will depend on how quickly you walk and how much you weigh. The more you weigh and the faster you walk, the more calories you’ll burn. Walking up hill and pumping your arms while you walk will also help you burn more calories. You can use these formulas to get an estimate of how many calories you can burn by walking.

• 3.0 miles/hour (20-minute mile): Burns .027 calories/pound/minute.
• 3.5 miles/hour (17-minute mile): Burns .033 calories/pound/minute.
• 4.0 miles/hour (15-minute mile): Burns .042 calories/pound/minute.
• 4.5 miles/hour (13-minute mile): Burns .047 calories/pound/minute.

In other words, if you weigh 150 pounds and you walk at a speed of 3 mph for 60 minutes, you can multiply .027 by 150 by 60 and find that you burned 243 calories.

Surgery date: 05 07 09
Weight: Before Surgery – 226.4lbs Now – 164lbs
BMI: Before Surgery – 35  Now – 26
Total weight loss to date: 62.4 lbs
It is with heartfelt gratitude that I write this letter. After a lifetime of low self esteem and the shame of being obese my husband encouraged me to see Dr. Bagnato. Dr. Bagnato looked at me straight in the eye and said if you lose the weight I can help you with the tool to keep it off.
I took Dr. Bagnato at his word and had my lap band surgery on May 7, 2009. Dr. Bagnato and his staff and every person at Palmyra Hospital that was involved in any way whatsoever made it the most stress free surgery I have ever had. I wasn’t just a patient. I was a name and they used it every time they had any contact with me.
And the girls at the Bariatric Institute, they’re the greatest. From day one they have been encouraging and as proud as a new mother with every visit and every pound that was lost. They give me what I need each time to keep on going.
I’ve lost 66 pounds to date and have gone from a size 20 to a size 8 in pants.
Is this a success story? I think so!
This was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life!
A grateful patient.

1.  Know Your Weight Loss Personality

Our personalities play a role in how we look at food and dieting. Your personality can also give you some insight into what obstacles you might encounter along the way and how you can prepare to overcome them.

• Impulsive. If you’re an impulsive person, you might be more likely to see a pint of ice cream in the freezer and dive in. Having tempting foods around will make dieting more difficult for you. Take the time to clear your kitchen cupboards and refrigerator of unhealthy food choices.
• Oblivious. You may not describe yourself as “oblivious” in the rest of your life, but do you notice that you tend to be unaware of how much you’ve eaten until long after you’ve overfilled yourself? Do you often find yourself snacking mindlessly in front of the TV? Avoid situations where you can eat without watching your portions. Sit down to eat your meals and snacks and try keeping a food journal.
• Uptight. People who are anxious, nervous, or depressed will sometimes eat to feel better. If you think of yourself as an anxious person, be on the lookout for emotional eating.

2.  Know Why You Want to Lose Weight

Successfully losing weight and keeping it off requires making a serious commitment to yourself. Before you decide to drastically change your eating and exercise habits, take a moment to examine why you’ve decided to lose weight.

Ask yourself:

• Am I ready to do this?
• Am I doing this for me, or someone else?
• Am I prepared for occasional setbacks or lack of progress?
• Can I focus on weight loss fully?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, you have a pretty good chance of succeeding. If you answered no or aren’t sure of your answer to any of these questions, it might be worth it to invest some time and thought into figuring out what’s holding you back.

Lap Band Surgery: March, 2009
Weight Loss: 104 lbs.

I have had an issue with my weight ever since I could remember. I am a young guy and certain problems started to happen, that were beyond me. Things like high blood pressure, diabetes and sleep apnea were things I thought only older people had, that is until it began to happen to me.

I was 21 years old at the time I was going to school to be an Emergency Medical Technician. This is when I started to learn a little about myself and my problems. About a year before I joined the class I was diagnosed pre-hypertensive. I gained 40 pounds year, added on to my already over-weight status. I was with some of my EMS friends one night at the station and one of them said “Charlie what is your face doing so red?” I told him I didn’t know, I had a headache all day, and didn’t really notice anything else. Well my friend said let’s check your blood pressure I got in the ambulance and was hooked up to the monitor. I could not see the monitor but I could see my friends face and he gave me a pretty ominous look .I ask him what it was and he said it was 190/116. I was advised to see a doctor the very next day because it was so high and did so with confirmation that I have high blood pressure.

That coupled with blood sugar problems and not being able to walk for very long without having to sit and rest and waking up in the middle of the night feeling like I was choking was scaring me. Not to mention all of the fat jokes and taunts that I received on a daily basis for about 6 years that really pulled my self esteem down enough where I just felt hopeless. I tried to exercise, tried diet pills, and it even got to the point where I was trying not to eat at all, then I would get so hungry I would pig put. Nothing worked and I felt like this was just the way it was going to be for the rest of my life, however long it lasted. I felt at this point my future looked pretty grim.

I saw a commercial one day on TV about this guy in Albany, GA that had this procedure called lap-band. I said what the heck I’ve tried everything else, why not go talk to him. That man was Dr. John Bagnato and from the minute I met him and talked to him about the lap band I was HOOKED. He was a super nice guy and knew his stuff. His staff was also absolutely wonderful, they were sympathetic and caring to a degree I had never been shown. I had my lap band placed March 2009, and so far it has been the best decision I have made in my life thus far. Dr. B’s staff have been there with me the whole way on my journey. The ladies at the treatment center are absolutely awesome also. They are the ones you get to go see for your checkups and fills. It was just an all around great experience and continues to be because of the amount of support and kindness you get from these wonderful people.

If you are contemplating lap band surgery, and you meet the criteria, I strongly encourage it. It will be the best decision you will ever make. I have no regrets at all! You won’t either. These people work miracles I have no other word for it!

While low-carb diets can cause a quick drop in weight, most of the weight you’ll lose is water weight that comes from water in your muscles. It’s better to focus on building lean muscle and losing fat if you want to look and feel better long term.

If you want to lose weight and have energy, the key is to focus on eating a balanced diet that includes the right kind of carbohydrates. Focus on eating carbohydrates that come with valuable fiber. Complex carbohydrates will help regulate your blood sugar levels and give you valuable nutrients with very few calories. Examples of complex carbohydrates include: whole fruits, vegetables, beans, whole-grain breads, cereals made from whole grains, and brown rice.

Eating a diet that is made of up lean proteins, fiber, and good carbohydrates while also being low in calories and fat is the healthiest way to lose weight. You may lose weight more slowly, but it will be easier to keep the weight off in the long run. A balanced diet with moderate exercise will also help you feel better while you’re working to lose weight.