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African American Women Staying Fit

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This group is for African American women who want to stay fit and offer tips to other women trying to stay fit.

Website: http://www.blackdoctor.org
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Latest Activity: Dec 7

Why Some Doctors Are Paying Patients To Lose Weight

BlackDoctor.org) -- If your doctor is like most internists, he spends part of each day gently reminding patients they need to eat less and exercise more.
Think of his day and you get the whole, frustrating picture. No matter how many times he repeats these messages, statistics grimly remind him that he has his work cut out for him. After all, 30 percent of Americans age 20 and older are obese, and only 45 percent of adults are as physically active as they should be, according to federal statistics.

Yet a small but growing number of doctors are coming up with novel -- and successful -- ways to remind you that proper weight and exercise are key components of a healthy lifestyle.

For instance, Dr. Joseph Chemplavil, a cardiovascular endocrinologist in Hampton, Va., pays patients to lose weight -- $1 a pound.

And Dr. Charles Brackett, a physician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., and his colleagues actually write prescriptions to exercise. Right on the prescription pad, he tells patients to get moving, tailoring the prescription to their condition, their health status and their capabilities.

"We're trying to get everyone to exercise," said Brackett, a fitness enthusiast whose passions include cross-country skiing and hiking. A poster in his office touts the value of exercise, and Brackett asks each patient if he or she is physically active.

If they are not, out comes the prescription pad.

"The idea of putting it in writing might make it more tangible to people," Brackett said. So does tailoring the prescription to the person's condition. For instance, he said, he might suggest that a patient who has had a heart attack walk a half hour a day, and share the news that studies have found that doing so could reduce the risk of another heart attack.

But before he writes the prescription, Brackett asks a series of questions that he hopes will motivate the patient to say, "I should exercise." If he can get them to acknowledge that out loud, he said, they are more likely to follow his Rx.

Brackett also has guidebooks available of nearby hiking trails and pedometers that patients can buy -- for $4 -- to track their progress. He conducts the program with help from the Upper Valley Trails Alliance, a project to promote physical activity supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Chemplavil asks his overweight patients to enroll in his "Dollar for Pound" program. They pay a $10 annual membership fee, and then get busy losing weight. At each visit, there's a weigh-in -- and maybe a pay-off.

The financial reward is small, he admits, but the health benefits aren't. He tracked a group of 150 patients who started the program in 2002, and 80 percent of them lost an average of nearly 9 pounds during the year.

What's the program's secret? "Any kind of new system (to motivate individuals) works in human behavior," Chemplavil said.

Perhaps many doctors don't realize the power the written words can convey.

Numerous studies have found that a simple suggestion from a physician to lose weight or exercise can have a big impact. In one recent study done in New Zealand, researchers assigned half of nearly 200 patients, ages 65 and above, to an activity program written in prescription form; the other half did not get the instructions. Those assigned to the prescription group also got follow-up telephone support for three months. After a year, members of the prescription group had increased their activity levels by about a half hour per week, compared to the control group. And, they said they felt better, too.

Brackett and Chemplavil are big believers in their programs. And the real payoff, Brackett said, is encountering patients who have taken his advice and reaped the health benefits.

"I get excited when I see patients who have lost 20 or 30 pounds and they are able to come off medications" for blood pressure, cholesterol or other conditions, he said.

By Nicole Smith, Contributing Writer

Discussion Forum

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Comment by Nicholle on November 15, 2008 at 12:39pm: Hi Maria,

A great way to stay toned is resistance exercise and stretching. Any weight bearing exercise is good too.

If you're at home you can do resistance exercise like push ups and leg lifts, squats and lunges or you can do a yoga program off of the tv or a dvd.

If you have access to a gym, then the circuit weights are an excellent option.

Hope this helps,
Nicholle

Comment by Nicholle on November 7, 2008 at 3:47pm: Monthly workout update:

I have dropped seven pounds in the last month! Now I only have 22 pounds to go.

The workout now consists of:

3 days a week
30 minutes on the elliptical Random program at Level 5

3 sets of 15 reps on weights
pec flys, bicep curls, triceps, chest press
adduction/abduction, hamstring curls, leg press,

stretching

15 minutes at 3 mph on the treadmill

45 minute bike ride on Saturday mornings

I am hoping to reach my goal by February 2009

Comment by Debbi on October 23, 2008 at 5:27pm

There are some great healthy things going on with Soul Purpose.

Hello community! If fitness, healthy fitness is what you truly want, visit my blog or my page to see some organic alternatives.
Debbi Patrick
www.debsoulpurpose.moonfruit.com
314-369-5751

Comment by Nicholle on October 2, 2008 at 11:42pm: Welcome Kimberly!!!

Glad to have you here.

My current routine is Tu/Th/Fr 30 minutes of cardio on the elliptical, circuit weights, stretching and Sat. Family bike ride for 40 minutes.

I have to lose 30 more pounds, and my goal is to have them off by February. that's roughly 1-1.5 pounds a week.

I'd like to suggest a tool that helped me through the end of a long term relationship. Maybe it will help deal with your divorce. The Grief Recovery Handbook.

Keep us posted on how every thing goes.

Nicholle

Comment by Kimberly on September 30, 2008 at 6:03pm: I Look forward to getting ideas from you all

Comment by Kimberly on September 30, 2008 at 6:02pm: Hello, I am new here. My name is Kimberly and I am a single mommy and the gym has been an escape for me. My routine has been Mondays, 40 min cardio(2 different machines for my boredom) and 10 min abs, stretch. On Tuesdays, I have been doing 20 min cardio, cuircuit weights 20 mins, walk and then stretch, Wendesday is my lap swim day. I am still trying to figure out what to do with Thursday until the weekend, I think I want to rest Thursday and maybe take a fitness class Friday and then do what ever on Saturday and Sunday. So my break days would be Thursday and most likely Sunday. Anyway, I feel good and I am doing it for that reason. My divorce took a toll on me emotionally, I felt very unpretty and unwanted. Working out makes me feel good.

Comment by Nicholle on August 3, 2008 at 11:43pm: Hi TwinsMommy

Welcome to the group!
I suggest you start small. Maybe a morning walk with the twins in their stroller, or a 30 minute exercise show on TV or DVD. Try that for a month, then add other changes. (It takes 21 days to start a new habit )

Next try looking at your eating habits- adding more water to your diet, eating more veggies and fruits, cutting out processed and fried foods. Again, one change at at time.

Third- which you've already done, is to join a community to support you in your goals. Feel free to check in with me or comment on my page and let me know how things are going

Good Luck!

Comment by TWINSMOMMY on July 29, 2008 at 9:01pm: Hi Ladies-

Im a new member. I saw your group and said to self" wow this is what i really need right now". Im severly overweight and although im 29 my body feels like a 70 year old. My knees,back and you name it hurts constantly. I need to do something about it now. Of course my major obstacle is lack of will power. But i know im stronger than this but its where believing and doing something about it is a huge issue. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to start this the right way and not feel overwhelmed and frustrated?

Comment by sabrina on July 24, 2008 at 12:51pm: I think that its crazy to pay outrageous money to lose weight especially to some docter. There are other ways to lose weight and to keep in shape without having to get surgery, or paying lots of money.

Comment by Nicholle on June 25, 2008 at 4:55pm: Workout for Today
10 minute treadmill warmup
Circuit: leg press, pec flys, abductors, chest press, hamstrings, triceps, biceps
30 minutes elliptical
stretches