Category Archives: Support

The Final Touch

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Skin reduction surgery helps weight-loss patients achieve their ultimate goals.

Each year, well over 100,000 people undergo bariatric surgery in the United States in the battle against an obesity epidemic that affects nearly nine million Americans.  In their first year after weight-loss surgery, those who comply with their physician’s diet and exercise advice typically lose a significant amount of weight.

While this weight reduction is a great victory for their physical and psychological health, many of these people are dismayed by the large amount of excess skin that remains on their arms, abdomen, waist, thighs, breasts and other areas.

Fortunately, plastic surgery offers an excellent solution to alleviate this problem.  However, for a variety of reasons, post-bariatric surgery patients present special challenges for additional surgery and should, therefore, seek out a plastic surgeon who understands their special needs and has experience in this rapidly developing sub-specialty.

Safety First

Safety is the most critical consideration for all surgery patients, but even more so for those who have had bariatric surgery.  Because of the nature of stomach-reduction procedures, these patients often have altered hemodynamics (blood flow throught the body) and may have ionic imbalances, which can lead to such conditions as iron deficiency anemia and deficiency of vitamin B12 and/or folate.  Therefore, thorough blood work to detect these and other possible complications is an absolute necessity prior to skin reduction surgery.

In addition, these considerations also place a limit on the length of time this patient should be in surgery.  Because of this and the often great amount of skin to be removed, patients are normally counseled to expect a series of surgeries to accomplish all of the skin reduction they desire.

Special Considerations

A plastic surgeon who is skilled in skin reduction for post-bariatric patients will know how to modify common plastic surgery techniques to accommodate the especially large amount of skin to be managed.  For instance, the tummy tuck incision is started lower and modified to eliminate skin folds.  Other incision changes are used to make adjacent body features look attractive and natural.

Surgeons familiar with the special needs of post-bariatric patients are careful to minimize the risk of pressure sores by padding key areas of the body during surgery.  These patients are also at risk for hypothermia, so they are provided a warm room and intravenous fluids to keep their internal body temperature at an appropriate level.

Both during and after surgery, there is special attention given to minimizing the risk of blood clot formation.  Surgeons give patients IV medication and place special compression garments on them while operating.  As soon as possible after surgery, patients are encouraged to walk in order to deter the development of clots that can move through the body and damage vital organs or even threaten a heart attach or stroke.

Also following surgery, skin reduction patients are closely monitored to avoid variety of complications from diabetes, sleep apnea, a body mass index (BMI) greater that 35 and other conditions they may have developed while they were obese.

Overall, post-bariatric patients are to be commended for their diligence and perseverance in losing their excess weight.  Skin reduction surgery goes the extra step beyond that achievement to finally give them the desired result of all their efforts.

Article by Arian Mowlavi, MD


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Protein and Muscular Fitness

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Exercise trainers often recommend amino acid supplements to their clients stating that they increase their energy, increase stamina, and build muscle mass or burn calories.  The truth is that you can get more amino acids (an important component of dietary protein) if you simply spend your money on protein rich foods like fish, meat and dairy products.  In theory, if you want to gain 1 pound of muscle per week, you will need 14 extra grams of protein per day, the amount of protein contained in 2 ounces of red meat.  The fact is, there is no scientific evidence that individual amino acids have any bodybuilding effect. When it comes to developing well-toned muscles, exercise, and natural whole-food nutrition is all that’s required.  The N.E.W. Program, Inc. emphasizes this healthy balance for our clients.

The N.E.W. Program teaches clients how to obtain a more active lifestyle by practicing a few simple lifestyle pattern guidelines.  These lifestyle patterns are the topic discussed in our unique Lifestyle Management Program, now offered ON-LINE through the website www.thenewprogram.com.  Join us for a these insightful and power-packed workshops and learn how to implement the simple patterns you need to control your weight forever.

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‘Tune-Up’ can put weight loss back on all cylinders

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Successful weight loss clients, whether they use surgery for leverage or not, identify new habits and a new lifestyle that results in a healthier stable weight and a better ability to live the life that they’ve wanted. Of course, finding the habits that work requires some up-front practice. Even though everyone enjoys healthier living, staying healthy requires maintenance.

Dr. Justin Braverman

Sometimes a person will be doing well and then either hit a plateau or, for some reason, begin to regain weight.  If this has happened to you, it’s important to recognize it and then get back on track. The need to get back on track is something everyone experiences now and then in life and to make the process easier we have developed a simple program to assist our clients. The N.E.W. Tune-Up Program is designed specifically to help you get back on track quickly and to regain your success.           

This program is short and focused. It is not for people that need to establish a completely new lifestyle from scratch, but instead it helps people who already know what lifestyle they want get back there quickly. The program focuses on maximizing weight loss, permanently.

Through The N.E.W. Tune-Up Program we will help you reset your goals and re-establish the lifestyle patterns you need to maintain permanent success.

The Tune-Up Program is a structured eight-week nutrition and exercise coaching program.  It includes an initial comprehensive primary client assessment that consists of an executive medical evaluation, an evaluation of eating patterns and baseline activity level, and a comprehensive nutritional assessment. 

It begins with a one-week metabolic re-adjustment followed by a structured nutritional progression over the next three weeks. The meal replacements used for the nutritional progression, the vitamins and all nutritional supplements needed to complete the entire program are included. Regularly scheduled nutrition re-assessment and dietary coaching will help clients develop the eating patterns and choices necessary for weight loss success.  

Weekly Lifestyle Management workshops, exercise group meetings, and support group sessions are also provided to help clients develop the necessary tools to maintain permanent weight control. Finally, at the end of the eight-week program a thorough medical re-assessment will be completed.

If you have hit a plateau, or even regained some weight, remember that this happens to almost everyone in our society now and then. Realize that the important thing is to not be too hard on yourself, and consider using our Tune-Up Program to help you get back on track. The first step towards better health and a return to a healthier lifestyle is to recognize that it is something you want. Once you know this, give us a call, we’ll be glad to help.

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SMART goals get you there, keep you there

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Dr. Justin Braverman

Evolution is widely accepted as the gradual change of species over thousands or millions of years. The process of change – radical evolution – is much harder to accept on the individual basis. Reaching and maintaining maintenance in your weight loss journey may involve not just the shedding of weight, but the shedding of the self-imposed limitations that once defined you. The process of lasting change starts with internal factors and then moves to the external factors of weight and appearance.

Goal-setting is the first step in charting a new course in life, but the fear of disappointment keeps many from formal (written, verbalized) goals. Look at goals in two categories: Short-term goals that can be accomplished in the near future and long-term goals that will be reached over an extended period of time. Documenting goals will provide a sense of purpose, direction, and feeling of success. When failures come, we can ‘learn from “failures” so you can make changes for a more successful future.”

Quality goals are documented and they are also SMART:

  •  Specific – “I want an A1C of 6.5” vs. “I want to be healthier”
  • Measurable – You must be able to evaluate the goal
  •  Attainable – Is the goal something you can reach?
  •  Realistic – How realistic are my goals?
  •  Timed – When will you have it done or re-evaluate?

You can merely ‘think’ about shedding your previous limits, but a state of ‘contracting’ will empower you and add a sense of accountability. Formalize and share your goals in a support setting or with a healthcare professional.

The N.E.W. Program’s weekly workshop series continues Tuesday with a focus on maintenance by Justin Braverman, M.D., natural orifice surgery director of The N.E.W. Program. The presentation will look at reassessing goals, how you value your health and ‘a lifetime of feeling good.” Dr. Braverman’s workshop will be presented at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 30 at our Newport Beach location.

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