FAQ
Can I use meal replacements?
Yes. Dr. Roberts makes recommendations based on individuals’ medical needs and test results. These recommendations could include meal replacements.
Can I use prescription medication?
Yes. It is important to continue to take necessary prescription medications for health and safety reasons.
Can I use artificial sweeteners?
Dr. Roberts does not generally recommend heavy use of artificial sweeteners. She discusses the healthiest options with patients on an individual basis.
Can I use MSG (monosodium glutamate)?
Dr. Roberts does not advise ingesting MSG due to its excitotoxic properties.
What if I break away from my diet for weight loss?
If you do break away for a meal or for one or two days in a row, the weight loss process will stop for a few days; a slight increase in weight may occur. Dr. Roberts recommends starting the diet again at the next meal and carrying on. Frequently breaking away from the diet could hinder results.
What if I have low energy or hunger during the diet?
Some patients may be dealing with insulin resistance or low blood sugar. Dr. Roberts can always make adjustments so that patients are comfortable and feel well.
Can I eat salt?
Yes. That said, excessive salt intake could cause water retention, which might increase weight.
The program calls for a large consumption of water. Is this necessary?
Yes. It is important to stay hydrated. Please try to drink a minimum of a half of a gallon of water per day, or eight eight-ounce glasses.
Should I eliminate cosmetics, moisturizers, lotions, and creams?
Certain weight management protocols recommend that patients avoid these products because they have minor amounts of fats. That said, Dr. Roberts generally does not recommend that patients change their health and beauty routines.
What about abdominal exercises and aerobics?
Aerobic exercise has many health benefits. In terms of resetting the body weight set point, walking one hour per day outside is highly effective.
Will I gain the weight back?
It could be difficult to maintain results should patients adopt unhealthy eating habits and stop exercising. That said, Dr. Roberts shifts patients into maintenance phases after weight loss to help them find a balanced, healthy diet and lifestyle that they can enjoy for years to come.
If the weight comes back, can I do the program again?
Yes, of course. Patients are always more than welcome to return for current recommendations tailored to their lifestyles.
Why is the number on the scale not budging?
Dr. Roberts can adjust plans to help break plateaus. That said, the number on the scale does not tell the whole story. Fluid retention and losses also affect weight, not just fat deposits. Additionally, patients could be losing fat and gaining muscle. Since muscle is heavier than fat, this could result even in an increase in the number on the scale. In such situations, patients often report feeling better and fitting into clothing better, but do not understand the number on the scale. To Dr. Roberts, this is a win: decreasing fat – within reason – and increasing muscle improves health, and improving patients’ health is the doctor’s ultimate goal.
Why do some weight loss diet plans fail?
During dieting a person eats less, so his or her body receives a signal from the brain to enter starvation mode from the brain. The brain is wired to protect the body against starvation and death, so it protects fat stores to keep the body healthy through a starvation period.
How is starvation mode triggered?
The brain uses glucose for proper functioning, which it gets from the blood. Blood absorbs glucose from the food we eat. During dieting, blood receives less glucose. To overcome the shortage of glucose, the brain starts receiving backup glucose from the liver, stored in the form of glycogen. The brain finishes using the stored glycogen within three to four days. After that period, the body gets the signal to switch on starvation mode and prevents weight loss.
How are dieting and the starvation mode mechanism interrelated?
The moment the body goes into starvation mode, it receives a signal from the brain to reduce the rate of metabolism. As metabolism decreases, the body starts burning calories that are equivalent to intake. Weight loss is minimal in this phase since calorie intake is equal to the calories burned. To fulfill the body’s protein requirements, the brain signals the body to eat up its own muscle, leading to low energy and weakness. At this juncture people generally give up dieting. During this period, the body’s low metabolic rate lowers to burn even fewer calories than before. Hence, the diet plan fails. Instead of losing weight, people tend to gain weight as they burn fewer calories.
Dr. Roberts avoids these pitfalls because she medically supervises patients and individually tailors diet and exercise recommendations to each patient’s metabolism. While most diets damage metabolism, the doctor promotes metabolic health.