Naperville Sun Health Matters:
Doctor loses 125 pounds after re-doing lifestyle
Mar. 2, 2011
Every day a new group of people grapple for the first time with the idea of their mortality. The trigger might be hitting a certain age, the onset of heart disease, or being around others who are ill. Many turn to their health care providers for answers. What can I do to make the most of my life? How can I prolong it?
But health care professionals aren't immune to their own moments of truth. Ask 44-year-old cardiologist Ann Davis of Edward Hospital and Midwest Heart Specialists, whose own "aha" moment in 2009 led to a weight loss of 125 pounds and a new, active lifestyle.
"I see things in my practice every day that remind me of how precarious life can be," Davis says. "There are consequences for good choices and bad choices, and I knew I had to get on the right page.
"You finally realize it's not selfish to take care of yourself. You're setting an example for your children."
Davis recently trained for and completed her first long distance race. She ran the Rock 'n' Roll Half Mardi Gras Half Marathon in New Orleans on February 13 in a little more than 2-1/2 hours (2:33:32).
Both Davis and her husband, Steve Kovar, a pediatrician with Kids First Pediatrics, plan to run the Chicago Marathon in the fall, a first for Davis. Their boys, 8-year-old Benny and 5-year-old Sammy, want to be runners, too.
Here's Davis' healthy approach to weight loss:
Eat several small meals daily to prevent swings in blood sugar and to help keep your obesity hormones (e.g., leptin and ghrelin) in balance. Include some complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats.
Choose good fats, found in olive and canola oils, avocado, seeds, nuts and dark chocolate.
Avoid trans fats, and limit saturated fats and simple carbohydrates such as white flour and white sugar.
Emphasize unprocessed foods. These include fruits, vegetables, fiber, whole grains, lean meats, fish, poultry, and non- or low-fat dairy items such as Greek yogurt.
Choose foods dense with nutrients. A choice Davis often enjoys for breakfast or dinner is quinoa, an ancient seed, similar to a grain. It supports weight loss with levels of protein and complex carbohydrates that keep your stomach feeling full for hours.
Select your family's treats on your own terms. For example, Davis chooses cookies with healthy ingredients such as whole grains and dark chocolate.
Get in touch with why you're eating. If food is your tranquilizer, it's time to look at other options for comfort. If you think of food as your reward, remember the real reward is being healthy, fit and happy. And a happy, positive outlook may also decrease your risk of heart disease.
Believe you can start a more active, adventurous lifestyle today, even if the process is gradual. Make cardio and weight training part of your new athletic life.
"Once you set your goals, each victory will make it easier to go for the next," Davis says. "And if your whole family is on board, the benefits of a wonderful new lifestyle will extend for generations to come."
Submitted by Edward Hospital
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