Just Another Meatless Monday

Where's the beef? Have you been thinking about losing weight by reducing or eliminating meat from your diet? You're not alone. A growing trend in this country is something called "Meatless Monday". This current culinary movement advocates going without meat just one day out the week. Good idea? It can be as long as you get the proper nutrition. You can also save a little on your grocery bill. Too much meat in your diet raises your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and some types of cancers. Adding more plant based foods to your diet adds more fiber, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to be healthy and productive. You can do this too while on a weight loss program; just keep a few things in mind.

Protein, Protein, Protein. Protein is necessary for building muscle. Metabolic offers protein supplements, each containing 15g of protein, 7 g of carbohydrate, 0 fat and between 70-100 calories; these are a much better protein source than beans or grains. The carbohydrates in beans and grains are too high too lose weight, but the black bean is the best of the beans for its nutritional value. Other good protein sources are eggs, tofu, fish, and non-fat, plain Greek Yogurt.

Pumping Iron. Iron is necessary for healthy blood. Meat has the highest amount of absorbable iron, so when that's taken away the next best sources for iron are leafy greens. The darker the better and eat as much as you can. Kale, spinach, broccoli, okra, watercress- yummy.

B Energized. Vitamin B12 is needed for cell growth and repair and overall general health. It is only found naturally in animal products including dairy products and eggs. Look for healthy foods that have been fortified with vitamin B12. B12 shots are also available from your local Metabolic office.

Milk Will Do Your Body Good. Calcium is essential for healthy bones, nails, and teeth. But, milk is high in carbohydrates and if you're trying to get your calcium, stick with fat-free or reduced fat dairy products. Calcium supplements are available from all Metabolic Medical Centers.

If you feel this "Semi-Vegetarian" diet is something you would like to incorporate into your life, come in and talk with us. Maintaining a healthy, vegetarian diet takes a little planning but can be well worth it. It is possible for you to lose weight and still get all of your nutritional needs from a plant based diet, but the secret is knowing exactly what your nutritional needs are.

Let's find out together if eliminating meat one or two days a week would be right for you.

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Weight Loss Plateau | Metabolic Medical Center

Weight Loss Plateau

You keep your appointment, follow your program, drink water, watch what you eat, so why did the weight loss stop? You have just hit a plateau. It’s normal and happens to virtually everyone at some

point(s) while losing weight.





What is a weight loss plateau?
A weight loss plateau is a period of time (at least 2 weeks)when your weight loss stops despite healthy diet and exercise. When this happens, losing more weight becomes very difficult. Frustrating as it is, if you’re prepared, you can fight it.

Why does this happen?

A rapid drop in weight is normal in the first few weeks, it is very exciting and extremely motivating. This happens because when calories are reduced, your body gets its energy from glycogen (type of carbohydrate stored in the muscles and liver) and glycogen holds water, ther
fore when glycogen is burned for energy, it releases water, resulting in weight loss that is mostly water. Losing water weight is the first step to permanent weight loss. You want your body to use water and eliminate it, not store it. Next, a shift occurs in the body with your metabolism. When you lose weight, you lose both fat and muscle, we work with this shift so that you lose fat and protect muscle.

What can you do about it?

• Keep your next appointment.

Tell your med tech and your physician if you have reached a plateau. They will help you figure out what is going on depending on your program, lifestyle, where you are in your weight loss journey or if there are any medical issues. This is a delicate issue and very personal to each patient.

• Add calories, specifically protein.

Depending on your program and health needs, you may need to add

more protein to your diet. Just 100 calories in either direction can make a difference.

• Subtract calories, specifically carbohydrates.

Vegetables have complex carbohydrates, some have

more than others. Eat less yellow and white vegetables and more green for a few days.

• Start an exercise program.

This may be your body’s way of telling you it’s time to start exercising.

• Vary your current exercise program.

Try increasing the amount of weight you use or reps you do. Increase your cardio time by 3 minute increments.

• Drink more water.

Make sure you are drinking all your water for the day.

Most importantly, don’t get frustrated and beat yourself up. A little adjustment here and there and you will be seeing those scale numbers drop. Remember it is normal and Metabolic can get you through it!

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The Truth about Fad Diets from Metabolic Medical Center

Many Metabolic patients come to us after having tried at least one fad diet. They feel discouraged and wonder what they've done wrong. Most likely they experienced some success but realized very quickly their results weren't realistic, sustainable or healthy.
Spreading the word about a fad diet is easy, identifying a fad diet can be difficult.
A diet to lose weight, feel better and be healthier must have proper balanced nutrition, be sustainable over time, and safe. Learn about Metabolic Medical Center Programs and choose a diet that you won't regret.

Top 10 Ways to Identify a Fad Diet

1) Eating only one kind of food.
This is not only boring, but your body isn’t getting the proper nutrition from just one food.

2) No exercise, ever again.

Exercise is not required to lose weight, however, exercise is necessary for weight maintenance and over all body health.

3)Food timing and food combining.

This is the idea that if you eat the same food in the same combination at the same time everyday you will lose weight. While eating every few hours is important to maintain blood sugar and prevent peaks and valleys but that effects how you feel, not your weight.

4) The magic pill.

There is no magic pill. There are appetite suppressants but you are responsible for the food that goes into your mouth.

5) Any diet that does not modify as you lose weight.

As your body loses weight, it becomes healthy and your needs change.

6) Unsupervised low-calorie diet.

Being left on your own to figure out a low calorie diet is very dangerous.

7) Too low in vegetables, fruits, carbohydrates and/or protein.

Some fad diets will cut out good for you foods and not provide guildlines for adding these back into your diet.

8) All the focus is on the weight loss.

There’s is more to health than just losing weight. You must know how to maintain you weight and overall health of your body.

9) Companies that claim you can only lose weight using their products.

Weight loss aides such as shakes, meal replacements, medicines etc. are just aides to make weight loss easier, they are not required to lose weight.

10) No credible scientific medical research.

Metabolic Medical Center is not a fad diet. We have been helping thousands of people lose weight for more than 15 years.
Fad diets do not last 15 years. Come to the medical specialist and lose the weight.

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Metabolic now open new location in Columbia SC

Metabolic Medical Centers are proud to announce the opening of our 2nd weight loss office in Columbia SC. We will be opening March 3rd and will be located off of Harbison Blvd.
Please call our office to schedule appointments.

Metabolic Medical Center of Columbia, SC