Obesity Expert The HealthGal shares Obesity management news and commentary at ObesityHelpConnection.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238 http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238 http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/94675/misery-versus Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:48:00 -0500 The HealthGal   Do you think if Charla Nash was offered a new destiny of "obesity" instead of "faceless" she'd grab it?  I do.  Do you think she would then do something about it, proactively, to reclaim her happiness and her self esteem and her pre-obese body?  I think she would.    Our suffering is very much a relative state, and though we sometimes need to be allowed to wallow a bit in pity, we then need to empower... http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/94675/misery-versus http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/94667/face Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:29:00 -0500 The HealthGal Within the last 24 hours most people connected to news by TV, online, in print, have seen the headlines that showcase a woman mauled by an out-of-control viscous chimpanzee, lucky enough to survive, with horrendous lingering physical trauma.  She is missing fingers and has slowly recovered with scars on certain parts of her body. She has no sight, having lost both eyes.   She also has no discernible face.  There is just a... http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/94667/face http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/94227/precious Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:37:00 -0500 The HealthGal Are you precious?   If I had asked you that question about 6 months ago, you'd think I meant, "Am I special, unique, something to cherish?"  Now, that question has a second possible meaning, "Am I like that girl in the movie who is obese...invisible.... trapped in a horrible existence?"  Or maybe, just maybe, both interpretations of the question are one and the same....for you.  How can someone obese be invisible? ... http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/94227/precious http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/93683/obesity-headlines Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:21:00 -0500 The HealthGal We can call it a disease, a condition, a state of weight, even a state of mind.  We can offer all kinds of explanations as to why we have an ongoing battle with our weight.  We can justify the pounds and are inability to sustain weight loss; we can complain about it, we can choose to live with it.  But if we remain obese, we cannot deny the new studies that are linking obesity to dangerous health risks and health... http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/93683/obesity-headlines http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/93333/4-assignment-means Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:18:00 -0500 The HealthGal If you've been following the Diet Challenge assignments, you have so far created a timeline associated with your weight losses/gains and diet milestones, a food associations and memories diary, and a family health tree.    The final assignment is to make 2 lists.  One list should include all the foods you love and feel you can't live without.  It should include foods you can't control, in terms of portion sizes or foods... http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/93333/4-assignment-means http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/92419/challenge-3-health Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:29:00 -0400 The HealthGal   When it comes to serious or ongoing weight issues, it's important to know the facts.  Clearly there is no end to the books and programs and experts that offer differing perspectives on weight loss.  In order to be factual and scientific, it's important to take note of some solid information that is available.  The National Weight Registry keeps track of individuals who lose significant amount of weight and maintain that... http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/92419/challenge-3-health http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/92323/diet-challenge-eat Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:14:00 -0400 The HealthGal Hopefully you've taken some time to work on the first assignment from this 4 part series.  The idea is to take an in-depth look at just how often you start a new diet, why your weight goes up and down moderately or drastically, how you interact with food and why losing weight permanently is so difficult and unattainable.   So let's take a look at what food means to you, before I assign the next task.  It's important to... http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/92323/diet-challenge-eat http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/91930/diet-failing Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:12:00 -0400 The HealthGal You know that when enough experts point out the fact that the word "diet" has the core word "die" in it - that maybe, just maybe, you are going about weight loss in the wrong way.  Of course, some people are able to embark on a unique diet that offers them long term and sustainable weight loss, but according to current statistics, that group is quite small.  Instead, most of us try the newest diet trend or the latest diet that a friend... http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/91930/diet-failing http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/91270/fruits-vegetables Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:13:00 -0400 The HealthGal OK, no groaning. I know you think that simply agreeing to incorporate fruits and vegetables in your diet is just too boring ...and too easy....and it cannot possibly have a big impact on weight loss. Well let's take each of those comments, one at a time.   Let's first look at why fruits and vegetables are so important. Clearly produce is bursting with vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables are also bursting with fiber. That... http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/91270/fruits-vegetables http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/90335/focus-goals Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:03:56 -0400 The HealthGal I've never like the word obesity - it has a terrible connotation and frankly labels make me uncomfortable.  So let's agree that now that I am back on board writing for this site, that we'll assume that most people who come to read the information and to blogs here - want to lose weight.  With that in mind, let's look at why you want to lose weight.  First let's see how much weight you want to lose.  Is this a case of suddenly... http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/59238/90335/focus-goals