According to the CDC, in 2015-2016, 93.3 million US adults (that’s roughly 40% of the US population) was considered obese (BMI of 30 or more). Because of the tremendous health issues and costs associated with obesity, the field of bariatrics has grown immensely. The American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) is the main … Continue reading How to Achieve Long Term Success with Weight Loss Surgery

Any patient undergoing bariatric surgery will discuss the need for vitamin and protein supplementation after surgery. In fact, I have a lot of patients who have misconceptions as to why they need it and what happens if they don’t take it. If patients know why protein is so important and can find ways to incorporate … Continue reading The Power of Protein

Americans today are more stressed than ever. We face stress at work, home, in our relationships and even from lack of sleep. Unfortunately, we are finding that chronic stress is causing a serious impact on our lives and our health. We now know that chronic stress can lead to: High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and … Continue reading The Connection of Cortisol, Depression, Weight Gain and Anxiety

Collins Hodges, PsyD, LP As both a clinical psychologist and a bariatric patient, I am intimately familiar with the struggle to lose weight. We have spent hundreds of dollars on diets, only to end up right where we started. Unfortunately, we likely will wallow in the pit of self-doubt and self-criticism as we try to … Continue reading Why Do Patients Struggle With Maintaining Weight Loss Following Weight Loss Surgery

By: Collins Hodges, PsyD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist Managing problems Fortunately, obese patients are able to work through daily decision-making processes with very little or not subjective distress. Most situations requiring a solution demand a fairly straightforward and common-sense approach to problem solving. When not overly stressed, finding ways to deal with issues unfolds in a … Continue reading Managing Problems And Thoughts

By: Collins Hodges, Psy.D. – Licensed Clinical Psychologist Raise your hand if you struggle with food cravings late at night? I imagine there are a lot of raised hands out there. Night-time snacking is one of the most common difficulties bariatric patients have in managing caloric intake. There are a variety of reasons why people … Continue reading How to Manage Night-Time Snacking

In November 2018, the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery held its annual meeting at Obesity Week in Nashville. There were so many great presentations, and I want to share what I learned.   As a bariatric surgeon, I get these questions A LOT. It was a great opportunity to hear what the research and … Continue reading True or False? Bariatric Nutrition Myths

By Dr. Charlotte Hodges At the beginning of every year, thousands of Americans (myself included) make a list of resolutions. Eating right and exercise are usually in the top five. However, after the glow of New Year’s has worn off, the Christmas tree is put up and the kids are back in school, we always … Continue reading Exercise 101 – Part 1

I wanted to follow up on my article “Exercise 101.” In that article, I discussed the benefits of exercise and starting a walking program. However, research shows that conditioning and resistance training are the keys to greater weight loss and improvements in your metabolism. In Part 2 of my Exercise 101 series, I plan to … Continue reading Exercise 101 – Part 2