The Big Reasons that Weight Loss Should Not Be Your New Year’s Resolution

                            Doc Joe

New Year’s resolutions are a great idea in many ways. They help you set goals, get motivated, and feel positive about the future. However, there are some things that should not be a part of your New Year’s resolutions – and weight loss is one of the best examples of this. You may ask “But why not make a resolution to get healthy and lose weight? That should be a good thing!” There are actually several compelling reasons.

Avoiding Broken Resolutions

The fact is that only about 8 percent of people actually achieve their New Year’s resolutions. These abysmal odds mean that New Year’s resolutions just don’t work for certain things – and weight loss tends to be one of them. The main reason that weight loss resolutions tend to fail quickly is that they are often unrealistic. People   may make a goal that could only be achieved by essentially not eating at all, or people may make a goal that would require exercising many hours each day. Once you feel that you’ve failed your resolution, it becomes all too tempting to just give up completely – and thus the resolution (and weight loss) are a total failure.

Looking at the Long Term

By nature, a resolution tends to be fairly short term. At the maximum, a resolution will cover the period of a year (until next New Year’s.) However, weight loss is most successful when you look at it in a long term way. The best way to achieve (and maintain) weight loss is to make changes that you can live with – for a lifetime. Many resolutions depend upon fad diets or fast weight loss plans that are not sustainable for the long term.  The changes that you’ll need to make for successful weight loss are not nearly as painful when they are implemented over time, and when they are approached with a realistic attitude. Weight loss does not have to mean taking the extreme approach of never eating a bite of sugar again. However, it does mean learning about healthy and satisfying substitutions and having treats only in great moderation.

Ready to get started on a healthy new lifestyle? There is no reason to wait for next New Year’s to do so. By the time that you’d be making resolutions again, you can be at your ideal weight. Call us to learn more about healthy weight loss today!

Don’t wait to lose weight!

Dr. McDonald has teamed up with Celebrate Vitamins to implement a medically supervised weight loss program. Our program (Path to Success™) is a medically supervised program that provides three options for approaching weight loss.  These paths include supplement only, supplements plus food, and food only.

If your weight has become a concern, caused serious health conditions, and/or you would like to reduce or discontinue certain medications, then this program may be for you.

Source

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamond/2013/01/01/just-8-of-people-achieve-their-new-years-resolutions-heres-how-they-did-it/#eaa24eb304c7

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About Your MD

Your MD is an innovative medical practice that places a high priority on patients’ time and on the quality of their medical care. At Your MD, our physician, Dr. Joe McDonald, will not rush your appointment – so you can discuss all your health issues in depth and collaborate on the best course of treatment.

Dr. McDonald is an evidence-based physician, which means that no medication is prescribed, no test is ordered and no instructions are given unless they have proven results elsewhere. Dr. McDonald favors high-quality research to offer patients clinical decision-making that reduces multiple attempts at treating the same complaint.

 Now accepting new patients.  We take all major insurances including Medicare – (240) 560-5100

Physician, Coach, Teacher…….

Doc Joe

It is pretty common to see physicians write about how hard it is to practice medicine in our current environment. It is true that there are many obstacles to providing quality care, but this isn’t about that. I still love this job and I believe that the principles taught by the forefathers of our profession ring true today. I find that some health care providers have lost sight of what is important and many patients don’t know what “good” means in reference to health care and are unsure about what is fair to expect from their doctors.

So, what should patients’ expect from their physicians? I think it should go without question that they should expect quality health care. This means a practitioner of evidence based medicine. A patient should be able to trust that their doctor stays current on research and guidelines, follows up in a timely fashion, is accessible, and actually listens to them. However, this is just the beginning.

I have had the good fortune of growing up with football. I played all the way from grade school through small college ball in Kansas. My perspective is that of an average at best player. Through the years I had good, bad, and a couple great coaches. I have grown to realize that the best coaches were truly talented teachers. They were able to break down complicated concepts and explain them to a wide group of intellects. Along the way they taught valuable life lessons and developed young men. It occurs to me that the physicians I have respected the most, those that provided the best care, were the best teachers.

I would encourage physicians in training to really embrace the art of teaching. Medicine becomes more complex everyday. Patients are flooded with bad information from an almost infinite number of sources. It is our job to take the time to truly teach patients’ about their health, disease, prevention, and medicine. This takes time and may mean that taking care of 3,000 people in 15 minute increments is simply not possible.  But we owe this to our patients. A patient that understands their health is more likely to trust in their care plan, be compliant, and have reasonable expectations.

I am often asked by friends and family, how they can find a “good” doctor. I have had patients tell me, “You’re the best doctor I’ve ever seen.” (plenty have said otherwise J.) I answer,” You don’t know that, you just think I’m nice. I could be messing all kinds of stuff up.” Sometimes it is good to get a reference from another doctor, but it is hard to know if that has anything to do with quality of care or golf handicap. It is a difficult question. I would encourage patients to look for a good teacher. Look for a doctor that finds a way to take the time to answer questions, to listen, and to explain care plans. In short, try to find someone resisting the 15 minute appointment block. It may be hard, but most worthwhile things are.

Good luck and health to you, Joe

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If you live in the Bethesda, Maryland area and need a primary care physician, please call my office at (240) 560-5100 to set up an appointment!  

We are accepting new patients and take most insurances!  (We also have a very affordable hybrid Concierge model.  Call my office for details!)

 (For more information, go to http://www.yourmdllc.com)

Doc Joe’s Weigh Loss Journey – Not Everything is Perfect!

10 Weeks In.

Doc Joe

It wouldn’t be fair if I only gave my positive experiences with this diet. That being said, I’ve had a couple of rough weeks. I let temptation get to me and reverted to some bad habits. I ate at Chipotle and Taco Bell a couple of times and even had more pizza than I should have. On top of that I just got back from a yearly fishing trip with a bunch of my college buddies. It was 4 days of eating and drinking things that wouldn’t be put into any reasonable diet.

I didn’t weigh myself at all during the past few weeks. I was afraid and in denial.  ☺  I did adjust my eating and practiced some of what I’ve learned while on the trip, but still fell off the bandwagon a bit. I was really nervous to step on the scale today. I really thought that I had gained 5-10 pounds. One of the guys on the trip works for Hershey and brought 4 coolers full of chocolate for Pete’s sake!!!!

I only gained 2 pounds!!! I was shocked. It wasn’t too big of a setback and I’ve found my motivation again. I believe that the key is to realize that there will be setbacks, but they don’t have to be complete failures. We shouldn’t beat ourselves up and tear ourselves down. Just jump back on the horse and get back to work. Today was a good day and I’m ready to really work at it to reach my goal…..

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Your MD is an innovative concierge medical practice that places a high priority on your time and on the quality of your medical care. We offer you prompt appointments and highly personalized service with no limit on our availability. Call us as often as we’re needed.

At Your MD, our physician, Dr. Joe McDonald, will not rush your appointment – so you can discuss all your health issues in depth and collaborate on the best course of treatment. We call it Concierge Plus.

 Now accepting new patients.  Call for your free consultation with Doc Joe – (240) 560-5100

An innovative membership medical practice

Doc Joe’s Weight Loss Journey – 6 Weeks In

Doc Joe

Down 35 pounds and feeling great! I continue to adjust the diet to fit my preferences. I’ve added in hard-boiled eggs, shirataki pasta, and some low calorie bread to enhance my efforts. I even have the occasional BLT using center cut bacon and low fat mayo. It is a low calorie/carb meal and is quite a treat!

About 30 pounds to go to get to my goal!!!

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Your MD is an innovative concierge medical practice that places a high priority on your time and on the quality of your medical care. We offer you prompt appointments and highly personalized service with no limit on our availability. Call us as often as we’re needed.

 

 At Your MD, our physician, Dr. Joe McDonald, will not rush your appointment – so you can discuss all your health issues in depth and collaborate on the best course of treatment. We call it Concierge Plus.

 

Now accepting new patients.  Call for your free consultation with Doc Joe – (240) 560-5100.

An innovative membership medical practice

Weight Loss – First 4 Weeks

24 pounds in 4 weeks!!!!!

The first week was rough, but as time has gone on I’ve been able to tailor the plan and don’t feel like I’m suffering at all. I’ve been on our modified plan where I use our food replacement items for breakfast and lunch and then eat a reasonable dinner. For the most part I’ve been eating low carb, high protein, and low calorie diet. I’ve decreased the number of meal replacement items I eat and have been adding in real food that still fits in the plan. This strategy is really working for me.

Most importantly, I feel great!! I can really see a difference in my appearance and I have a closet full of clothes that fit me now. I’ve been able to eat some of my favorite foods periodically and haven’t hurt my efforts. My back and knees feel much better.

I’m still motivated to keep working towards my goal. I’ll check back soon…

An innovative membership medical practice

My Weight Loss Journey

I’m writing this blog to document my progress with weight loss. Thank you for following along. I have a concierge internal medicine practice with a very strong focus on preventative health care. Weight loss is a large component of the care provided to my patients. I have very strong opinions regarding weight loss medicine. For the most part, I think it is made out to be way more complicated than in really is. With this in mind I researched many plans to offer to my patients and decided upon the Center for Medical Weight Loss.

As of right now, I weigh 303 pounds. I was an offensive lineman for a small college in Kansas. That was a long time ago and it really doesn’t look like the NFL is going to be calling me for a tryout. It is time to get my weight down to a more reasonable number. My knees and lower back are not tolerating this weight and risks for many diseases including cancer are increased at this weight.

Tomorrow I am going to start the weight loss program that I prescribe to my patients. My initial goal is 240 pounds. I’ll be giving periodic updates of my progress, both positive and negative. Wish me luck and stay tuned………. 

 This is me at 303 pounds!

 

 

My First Blog!

Doc Joe

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself, my practice, and my blog. This is the first blog I have ever written, so I’ll ask for some room to grow. It is my hope that my practice will serve patients in a unique and complete fashion. Much the same, I hope that my future blogs are both entertaining and informative.

A few words about my background… I grew up a military brat, spending some time in Montana, Taiwan, Oregon, Colorado, and Wyoming in my youth. I went to high school in Cheyenne, Wyoming and my parents still reside there. From Cheyenne, I went to a small liberal arts school in Kansas where I majored in biology and chemistry, played football, and met my wife. I then spent a long time in Kansas playing with bacteria and B cells in graduate school, advocating for all kinds of stuff and people with the AMA while in medical school. Then I moved to Maryland to study pulmonary/critical care medicine and share Kansas City BBQ with the great people of Maryland, finally starting a concierge internal medicine clinic called, Your MD.

Along the way my wife and I had a couple of kids. Will is 15 and a good kid. Katie is 12, sings like an angel, and may be the best duct tape wallet maker on the planet. I spend my time with my family, competing in BBQ competitions, and taking care of my patients.

I enjoy taking care of a patient, being involved in every component of their care, giving them the confidence to depend upon and trust in me. My concierge internal medicine practice, Your MD, is the best way I found to do just that. My patients have 24/7 hour access to me by cell phone and email. I go to their houses, meet them in the hospital or ER, and meet them anytime that it is convenient for them in my office. I get to truly know them, because appointments are as long as they need to be and I limit my patient panel size severely to allow for this. My practice is run like a large extended family. Myself, my business manager (and uncle) Dwayne, and my medical assistant Dominique are always available and currently accepting patients.

I want to thank you for making it to the end of my introductory blog. If you need a doctor give me a call. If you have a medical question, give me a call. If you need a great BBQ rub recipe, give me a call. My next, more informative, blog will be along soon. Take care, eat healthy, get some exercise, and give someone a hug.

Please visit our website at www.yourmdllc.com.

ObamaCare Prompts One Maryland Doctor to Privatize His Practice

Concierge Medicine Today | Industry Trade Publication

For Immediate Release
Contact: Dwayne Wells | Tel: (240) 560-5100

info@yourmdllc.com

Dr. Joe McDonald takes a different approach to medical care. He has removed the barriers between you and your doctor and we improve communication, so there are no mysteries about what is being done and why. And he has added extra healthcare benefits to help ensure the well-being of your body and your mind. Dr. McDonald is an evidence-based physician, which means that no medication is prescribed, no test is ordered and no instructions are given unless they have proven results with patients like you.

(Bethesda, MD – July 6, 2014) In response to the growing concern about the availability and quality of health care, Montgomery county physician Dr. Joe McDonald has started a unique medical practice in which patients pay an annual fee to see him.

Commonly called “concierge medicine,” the fee is meant to offset…

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