BRIEF ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Devoting much of his life to studying all aspects of the eating experience, Brian Wansink’s book “Mindless Eating” is a real eye opener from casual snacking to fine dining. Food and calories are responsible for weight problems, and weight regain is the number one fear of weight loss surgery patients. “Mindless Eating” entertains, informs and challenges you to make better food choices.

BRIEF ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Fast food is a fact of life in the United States. Swedish scientist Fredrik Nystrom, studies U.S. 2004 fast food documentary. Preliminary results are still pending, but point to certain maladies that can arise due to this type of food consumption. Nystrom’s study makes an interesting research observation about the so called “Naturally Thin” versus the Morbidly Obese. He hopes this may shed light on why some humans are so much more susceptible to becoming obese than others.

BRIEF ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Flexing your assertive muscles commands respect. The old adage, treat others as you want to be treated, still holds true. Developing coping mechanisms is how some pre-op weight loss surgery patients deal with demeaning treatment. Accelerate the assertiveness learning process by seeking out opportunities to practice and experiment with these newly acquired skills. And, even if you don’t know how to be assertive, “act” like you do.

BRIEF ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Carol Ann Story reviews two books bearing the same title “Do I Look Fat In This?” shedding light on the quintessential question women have been asking themselves for ages. A third release “Your Wearing That?” candidly looks at the mother/daughter relationship and its impact on self image.

BRIEF ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Insisting on excellence, requiring stricter standards and sharing research information is the role of the Surgical Review Corp (SRC). The cornerstone of SRC is to be an efficient, and user-friendly database to some of the top clinical research databases in the country. Each SRC initiative is strategically developed to serve one vital purpose: patient advocacy and safety.

BRIEF ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Larger than life in everyway imaginable, Jude Milner exudes confidents and radiates strength. These characteristics become very evident in her book, Fat Free: Amazing All-True Adventures of Supersize Woman. She winds down fascinating paths to overcome obstacles and struggles that are common denominators everyone can relate to.

BRIEF ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Thousands of potential weight loss surgery patients have been denied insurance coverage. Self pay is usually not a possibility and there seems no where for patients to turn. Raise your voice, share your success and help others change their lives. Education plays a key role in patient advocacy and the Obesity Action Coalition can be a great resource.

BRIEF ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Discrimination against the obese has been well documented, especially in healthcare. It is incumbent upon hospitals to ensure that all patients are receiving the best possible care. Hospitals without proper facilities, trained staff or are biased against the obese are risking patient safety. The obese are as deserving of good treatment as anyone else.

BRIEF ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Exercise is vital in maintaining muscle mass and aids in reducing weight. Forget past good intentions that failed and start anew by making physical activity a priority and scheduling it into your day. Prepare for a long-term commitment to exercise, finding the right plan or program that allows for immediate gratification until a habit or rhythm of exercising has developed.

BRIEF ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Trying to control weight, control implies that the degree to which something can be manipulated or maintained is directly related to one’s efforts or abilities. Inability to control something suggests failure. Don’t try to control weight but instead try to influence it. Reaching goal weight is not an endpoint but must be a lifelong process. Short-term weight loss gives one a false sense of security. You cannot control your weight, you can only control your behavior. The development of good dietary and exercise habits are critical to lifelong success.