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Health & Fitness

Free Weight Loss Programs and Tips

Today we live in a world in which over a third of Americans are obese.  It's a sad, but undeniable fact.  In fact, there are three behaviors that account for four major chronic diseases, which cause over 50% of deaths worldwide and in San Diego county.  It's most widely known as the 3-4-50 principle.  By addressing the three main behaviors, which are tobacco use, lack of physical activity, and poor diet, we can help save this generation and future generations from the harm of these four chronic illnesses.  Thankfully by achieving a healthy weight through increasing your physical activity and eating better foods, you can address two of the three behaviors.  But that begs the question.  How does one lose weight?

Weight loss is a big issue with people nowadays, but there is hope.  There are programs all over the county, along with free information seminars.  We have apps on our phones that can help us lose weight and monitor how much we take in, and how much energy we expend through physical activity.  Actively monitoring your diet and physical activity, without lying to oneself, can do a WORLD of help.  Getting support from you peers and family can go farther than you realize.  And realizing that you need help is sometimes something we all need to admit.

There are options available for people out there, but one may have to do some digging.  Thankfully I've done some digging and research myself, and found some academic institutions, hospitals, and weight loss clinics that either offer free treatments, information and/or consultations that will help you on the start of your journey to a healthier lifestyle!

One place I found is located in La Jolla at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) that offers no-cost treatment studies for overweight adults, adolescents, and children.  It's called the Center for Healthy Eating and Activity Research (CHEAR), and they've been in the Wall Street Journal, as well as Time and Nature magazine, and most recently The Examiner.  The following Facebook link has healthy tips for the whole family, and I can't seem to get enough of their posts: https://www.facebook.com/CHEAR.UCSD.  Visit their website for more information on programs they're actively recruiting for: http://www.obesitytreatment.ucsd.edu/.  You can also call them at 855-UCSD-4-W8 or contact them via email at kidsweight@ucsd.edu.

Sometimes no matter what we do, we can't lose weight.  It could be due to a medical condition or some other factor that keeps one from ever being able to lose weight, even with all the help in the world.  The following link is for for free informational seminars about bariatric surgery.  It should be a last resort for most people.
http://www.sharp.com/health-classes/bariatric-surgery-informational-seminar-51

Medarts Weight Loss Specialist offer a free consultation, so it can't hurt to check them out if you get the chance.  I haven't gotten a chance to do much digging on them, so let me know if you get a chance to check them out!
http://www.medartsweightloss.com/

Another place that seems to have good reviews on yelp is Inspire Wellness and Medical Weight Loss.  I unfortunately didn't see anything free on their website, but the good reviews at least convince you to check out their website and see what they have to offer: http://inspiresd.com/.

Overall, there are a lot of programs and people willing to help you lose weight, you just need to be a bit proactive and contact them.  Do some research yourself on what any place has to offer before you go all in, but do something!  Remember Lao Tzu, when he said the famous words most of us have memorized already, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  Take that first step, and know that there people out there to help you!  Feel free to contact me with any additional questions or concerns: mrdoherty108@gmail.com.  

Look out for the next blog post, in which we'll focus on some scientific articles that will help you on your way to losing weight!

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