High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) – or corn syrup that has been broken down and processed to form a ratio-specific blend of fructose and glucose – has become the go-to sweetener for the United States food industry. Two of the main reasons for this are that the high fructose blend, in comparison to sucrose (or table sugar), is sweeter in taste and cheaper to produce.

In today’s grocery store you will find HFCS listed in the ingredient list for almost any processed food that you purchase – from breads and cereals to lunch meats and yogurts. The significance of this continues to be argued. Read more →

The world of health and fitness is filled with tons of misinformation.

Falling for some of these myths could have you confused, frustrated, and going nowhere instead of shaping up! We are all guilty of believing some of the popular fitness fables out in the media today, but the purpose of this article is to set some of them straight. Read the following myths below so that you can make the most of your exercise routine!

No Pain, No Gain- There is nothing good about experiencing joint and bone pain or muscle strains after exercising. Exercise may cause some muscle aches and soreness, but never pain.

There is One Best Way to Exercise- Not only is there not one single best way to exercise and get in shape, but there’s not one best way for each person individually. The recipe for success is to vary your exercise routine and tailor your routine to what you like to do. Try new things and see what happens!

More Sweat, Less Fat- The amount that you sweat is indicative of your body’s ability to maintain its normal body temperature. There is no correlation between how much you sweat and how many calories you expend.

Drinking Less Water Causes Cramps- Cramps are actually a symptom of dehydration, so drinking water to stay hydrated will ultimately reduce your risk of experiencing cramps while exercising.

You Can Target One Area of Your Body for Weight Loss- No matter how much exercise you complete for a specific region of the body, it’s physiologically impossible to “spot train” your body. You cannot lose body fat in one specific area. In fact, when you lose weight, fat is lost throughout the entire body.

Many of us are aware that we are fighting against an obesity epidemic in our country.  Those who are seeking help for weight loss are confronted with an overwhelming number of options to choose from.  Indeed, there seems to be another epidemic of weight loss choices!  And perhaps it goes without saying, that the quality of the weight loss program is not necessarily measured by the amount of marketing dollars spent to advertise it (think expensive T.V. ads or half page newspaper ads!).

At Peak Nutrition and Weight Loss Clinic, we are proud to offer several reasons we believe set us apart from many other weight loss options out there:

I am board certified in both Family Medicine and Bariatric Medicine.  I believe this gives me a unique perspective, not only in helping people lose weight, but understanding the complexities of the other conditions that accompany obesity (diabetes, hypertension, hypothyroidism, high cholesterol, etc.).  This allows me to medically supervise patients for safe and effective weight loss.

We have on staff Registered Dietitians to meet one-on-one and in group classes with patients.  Notice, I didn’t say “nutritionist”, a title which may describe someone with much less education in nutrition than a certified Registered Dietitian.  I believe this is important, since so much of maintaining weight loss depends upon properly teaching the person sound nutritional principles that they can rely on after they have reached their goal weight.

We offer one of the most affordable weight loss programs in the Triangle area.  A person can get started for as little as $300.00, including comprehensive lab work, EKG, and a bariatric history and physical exam!  Early morning and evening appointments are also available for convenience.

We understand that it’s not just adults who suffer from being overweight; many of our kids are also affected.  So, we have recently created a program specifically tailored to helping adolescents get nutritionally healthy and physically active: Peak Life Plan for Kids! See my blog on this exciting program to learn more!

We are proud to be the Triangle’s Area only provider of the OPTIFAST meal replacement program.  This is a structured, closely medically monitored program that provides rapid weight loss along with an excellent class curriculum led by registered dietitians and a behavioral therapist.

Regardless of one’s weight loss needs, the staff at Peak Nutrition and Weight Loss Clinic is dedicated to helping our patients reach their goal.