We are often asked about weight loss recommendations by our patients, but even more frequently we advise people with injured or arthritic joints to optimize their weight. The reason is simple: the average person takes 2 million steps per year with an impact measured at 1-5 times their body weight, depending on the height of the step. If you lose as little as 10 pounds, your joint sees up to 50 pounds less force per step, 2 million times per year. Ten pounds adds up to an enormous impact.

So, how to lose weight? People vary. Schedules vary. Weight loss is extremely difficult for some people and not a big deal for others. The following describes our recommendations to our patients who are often busy executives who travel and cannot control the meals they are served. This works for us. Let us know if this works for you.

Weight Loss Target: 1 pound per week.

Steps:

1. Drink and finish Two tall glasses (16 oz) of tap water before lifting the fork at each meal.
2. Eat whatever you like except desserts.
3. Drink two tall glasses of water before bed.
4. Do not eat between meals.
5. Only drink water as a beverage during the day. (except when exercising use isotonic fluid replacement drinks or Joint Juice)
6. Drink a glass of water between any glass of liquor or wine. (So if you empty your scotch glass, next is a glass of water, then another drink.)
7. Exercise one hour each day, seven days a week.
8. Never, ever watch TV or read when exercising. You lose half the benefit of exercise if you are not focusing on your body, heart rate, sweat and exertion. By feeling the work out, you get the wonderful addictive endorphins from exercise, you understand where your conditioning limits are, and you are able to push through them the next time.

This program works because the water acts as a portion control device limiting how much you eat by physical satiation rather than mental rules. At first, this can cause frequent urination, but this gradually subsides. The daily exercise builds an addiction, and eventually you feel bad if you miss your exercise. The glass of water between alcoholic drinks reduces your alcohol volume, greatly diminishing the caloric load and lethargy of the next day. Try it for a month. Lastly, play rather than work out whenever you can. Exercise is supposed to be fun, relaxing, and rejuvenating. Working out somehow sounds like work. Sign up for sports teams, play with friends, and join exercise groups.

Ultimately we find these tips help to optimize your weight, your fitness, and your mind for a healthy and satisfying existence.