Nutrition labels first began appearing in the 1980s for the purpose of raising awareness about heart disease. Over the years, the labels have expanded to include all sorts of useful information, such as calorie content and the presence of certain vitamins and minerals. Although the labels have been improved, they aren’t perfect. So, for people on a medical weight loss program, it’s particularly helpful to know the secrets of interpreting them.

Know the serving size.

Some food products seem to be low in calories, but this can be deceptive because calories are expressed as the amount per serving, which is not necessarily the amount per container. Always check the serving size and number of servings per container. This information is located above the number of calories. For example, your label might look something like this:

• Serving Size 1 cup
• Servings Per Container 2
• Calories 350

If you just glance at the number of calories, you might think there are only 350 in the entire container, when in fact the total calorie count is 700.

Understand what daily values mean.

Look for the Percent Daily Value on the label. This indicates how much of your daily requirement of a nutrient is present in one serving size. These values can be misleading, as everyone’s nutritional needs are unique. These percentages were determined based on an average diet of 2,000 calories per day.

Look for new additions to the label.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced upcoming changes to the nutrition label. Although it’s subject to potential extensions, the new labels are expected to hit store shelves between July 2018 and July 2019. There is one major change that has nutritionists particularly excited—added sugars. Many foods naturally contain sugar, such as milk, but currently it isn’t possible to tell how many grams of sugar have been added during the manufacturing process. When the new labels arrive, people who are mindful of their weight maintenance will be able to more easily avoid foods with lots of added sugars.

It can be challenging to know what to eat while trying to lose weight, but the experts at Texas Medical Weight Loss Clinic are here to help. With our personalized nutrition counseling and appetite suppressant program available in Frisco, you can achieve the body you want. Call us at (972) 762-3403 to get started.

Obesity can contribute to dozens of health problems—from infertility to certain cancers. High blood pressure and heart disease are strongly associated with obesity, and are some of the common reasons why people join medical weight loss programs. Obesity contributes to hypertension because of the expanded blood volume. When a person gains weight, the extra fat tissue demands oxygen and nutrients. These can only reach the new tissues via new blood vessels, which the body builds.

The extra blood vessels and increased volume of blood places more stress on the heart, which is forced to pump harder to keep all that extra blood moving. And since there is more blood in circulation, there is greater pressure against the artery walls—which increases blood pressure.

Losing weight is challenging, but when you become a patient at Texas Medical Weight Loss Clinic, you’ll have all the tools and support you need to succeed. Call our weight loss clinic in Frisco at (972) 762-3403 and get started today.

Diet food has a bad reputation, but losing weight doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor. A medical weight loss specialist can provide guidance on healthy meal planning and low-calorie recipes that will get you to your goal without feeling deprived of your favorite foods. Sometimes, a few simple swaps can make all the difference in your daily calorie intake.

Instead of Beef

Ground beef is versatile. In addition to hamburgers, it’s often used in casseroles, pasta dishes, chili, and tacos. All of those dishes can be just as tasty with other main ingredients. Try ground turkey chili, or ground chicken tacos or meatballs. Or, serve grilled chicken breasts on a whole wheat bun instead of cheeseburgers. Instead of steak, consider grilling salmon or tuna steaks. Portobello mushrooms are a hearty vegetarian alternative to beef that work well in many dishes.

Instead of Butter

Substitutions for butter depend on the dish. Instead of putting butter on sautéed vegetables, use olive oil. Try avocado, hummus, apple butter, or cottage cheese on toast. If you’re baking, you can substitute half of the butter the recipe calls for with unsweetened applesauce. Prune puree is another good option that adds flavor, or you can try plain, low-fat Greek yogurt.

Don’t let a sweet tooth sabotage your weight loss efforts. Use stevia instead. It’s a natural sugar substitute that is extracted from the leaves of the stevia plant. It’s much sweeter than sugar, so you’ll use less of it, and best of all, it doesn’t have any calories.

Instead of Maple Syrup

Fruit is always a good substitute for maple syrup. Add fresh or frozen fruit to a food processor and puree it to make a thick sauce.

When patients start working with Texas Medical Weight Loss Clinic, they’re often surprised by how easy it is to stick with our doctor-designed weight loss program. We’ve made it our life’s work to help individuals in the Frisco area lose weight and enjoy quality of life. Call us at (972) 762-3403 for a friendly chat about your goals.

One of the many benefits of losing weight is the increased energy levels you’ll enjoy. However, until you do see results with your medical weight loss program, keeping your energy up can be problematic, given the reduction in calories. The solution is vitamin B12 lipotropic injections, which are administered by a doctor.

Get some fast facts about B12 injections by watching this interview with a doctor who recommends them. She explains why B12 injections are different from B12 vitamin pills. She also discusses what you can expect after you get an injection.

Looking for vitamin B12 lipotropic injections available near Frisco? Call Texas Medical Weight Loss Clinic at (972) 762-3403 and ask about our weight loss program.

Doctors define obesity as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. This diagnosis is significant because it places an individual at a higher risk of life-threatening diseases, including certain cancers. It’s tough to conquer obesity by yourself, but you don’t have to. A medical weight loss doctor can give you the personalized, structured program you need to reclaim your health and quality of life.

Obesity and Cancer

Exactly why obesity contributes to an increased risk of cancer is still under investigation. However, it’s likely that several factors are involved. Fat tissue increases the production of estrogen. High levels of estrogen increases the risk of breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancers. Another factor is the chronic, systemic inflammation that often affects patients with obesity. Eventually, systemic inflammation can inflict damage on the DNA in the body’s cells. When a cell’s DNA is damaged, the cell is supposed to kill itself. But sometimes, this fails to happen and the cell creates other cells with the mutated DNA. This is how cancerous tumors form.

Cancer Types

Many types of cancer have been linked to obesity. Of course, having obesity doesn’t automatically mean that a person will develop one or more of these cancers. But it does raise the risk of life-threatening cancers, such as the following:

• Endometrial
• Liver
• Kidney
• Gastric cardia
• Multiple myeloma
• Pancreatic
• Colorectal
• Breast
• Gallbladder
• Ovarian
• Thyroid
• Esophageal adenocarcinoma

Cancer Survivorship

Cancer has ripple effects that extend well beyond the treatment period. Even when patients are in remission, they can suffer from late effects that interfere with their quality of life. Research indicates that obese cancer survivors have several disadvantages at this stage of life, including increased risks of cancer recurrence, poor prognosis, and late effects like lymphedema and incontinence.

At Texas Medical Weight Loss Clinic, we’re in the business of changing lives for the better. Patients in our weight loss program in Frisco receive sensitive support, personalized dietary and exercise guidance, and medical tools like lipo-B injections. Don’t let obesity compromise your health—call us today at (972) 762-3403.