Category: Weight Loss

It is unfortunate that many people have learned to fear carbohydrates (aka “carbs”). Carbohydrate is just a fancy word for starches and sugars. It is absolutely true that many Americans get too many refined carbs and added sugars in their diets from processed foods; manufacturers add them to thousands of packaged foods, from ketchup to … Read More

Did you read it? I’m referring to the May 2nd New York Times article on obesity, which was focused around the weight regain experience of some contestants from The Biggest Loser. If you are interested in the biological aspects of weight gain and loss it is worth the lengthy read. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/02/health/biggest-loser-weight-loss.html?_r=0). As a health psychologist specializing in weight management, … Read More

Do you ever feel like you’re at war with your body? Do you spend hours looking in the mirror, performing “mental cosmetic surgery” on the parts you don’t like? Are you so ashamed of your body that you avoid social interactions? Do you ever wonder if there is a way out of this suffering? Many … Read More

Since arriving last month, I have talked with many participants who call Structure House their ”safe haven” due to the guidance and support they receive when the going gets tough for them at home. I have also talked with others who simply choose to come back to get a ”booster shot” by immersing themselves in our healthy environment. This … Read More

We all know the feeling of having arrived at a frequently visited destination and having little to no recollection of the drive there. Does this ever happen to you with food? How many times have you looked down at your empty dinner plate and wondered where your mind was when you were eating your meal? … Read More

Have you ever heard this parable? I. I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost…I am hopeless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a new way out. II. I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the … Read More

My experience working at an obesity treatment center suggests that recovery is a dynamic, integrated, lifelong process. There are five core stages for success that can function as a map, providing steps and strategies in the healing journey. Stage 1: Starters Often a crisis moves people to change, as though they are driving in a … Read More

February is the American Heart Association’s Heart Health Month. What better way to keep your heart healthy than to fuel your body with foods that will help achieve this goal. Three foods that are especially helpful in keeping your heart healthy are white beans, salmon and tea. White Beans are high in potassium, a mineral that … Read More

Meal Planning Many weight loss and obesity experts have concluded that this culture has become a “toxic food environment.” It is a food jungle out there and the best way to get through it safely is to have a written plan for meals for each day before the day starts. Overeaters simply cannot afford to … Read More

Part 1 – Snacking, Mindless Food Consumption By: Marlene Lesson, MS, RD, LDN, CDE Former Nutrition Director, Structure House Research shows that all of us tend to significantly underestimate how much we eat. We are much more likely to be unaware of how much we eat in between meals. Snacking is Impossible to Regulate Regulating … Read More