Archives: August 2008
Fri Aug 22, 2008
Daily Monitoring by E-mail
Most patients do fine with my first-visit speech adjusted for the age, gender and ethnicity of the patient, the phen-pro meds, the Manual and the book Life Between Meals. But for patients who persistently don't "get it", I am developing alternate methods. I mentioned the group lessons in a previous MOW. Another new idea is Daily Monitoring by E-Mail. The patient e-mails me every day to tell me their weight & what they are doing and eating. I have been doing this, as a trial, with two male patients, and I am very pleased with the results. Compliance has not been an issue; the patients enjoy talking to me on-line. More...
[0] comments (314 views) | [0] Trackbacks [0] Pingbacks
Mon Aug 11, 2008
Alcohol
I haven't discussed alcohol in these messages before. Unlike other doctors and writers, I don't find alcohol to be a major contributor to obesity in women. For them, alcohol and food abuse seem to be alternative tracks. Alcohol is a major factor in some men.
More...
[0] comments (536 views) | [0] Trackbacks [0] Pingbacks
Sat Aug 02, 2008
Setting Goals
Several self-described experts have criticized me for not setting goal weights for my patients. I do set goals--I set goal attitudes. Goal weights are counterproductive. Patients who don't reach goal weight feel bad and may give up, even though they had lost an important amount of weight. On the other hand if the patient reaches goal weight, they tend to stop trying and either gain weight back or plateau. The latter is not necessarily bad, but if they could have lost more, why not? Moreover, goal weights have a corrupting influence on the clinician. Eager to avoid disappointment--theirs or the patient's--clinicians make weight goals too easy.
More...
[0] comments (322 views) | [0] Trackbacks [0] Pingbacks