Who does not desire to have a fit and shaped up body? Perhaps we all do. Overweight is the biggest enemy of our health. But factors such as sedentary work, lack of time to exercise and the availability of delectable fast food have made it extremely difficult to have stabilized weight.

It is not only a person’s appearance that is badly affected by being overweight but also his fitness. Usually obese people keep on confronting one or the other health problem. There are times when excess of weight becomes a mental torture and leads to depression.

It is quite an easy task to gain weight but immensely difficult to reduce it. Though there are various remedies prescribed to shed weight, all can’t to followed or trusted. One old and quite effective way to become light is the use of Atkin’s Diet.

Dr. Robert Atkins (1930-2003) was the father of Atkin’s Diet. In 1972 he popularized the diet in his famous series of books. In practical application also the diet turned out to be quiet successful. Thus it became more and more popular with time.

Dr. Atkin believed that carbohydrate is the primary reason behind gaining weight. This is because carbohydrates are composed of energy providing items such as sugar, starch, cellulose and gums. So if a person reduces the intake of carbohydrates (carbs) he or she can greatly get rid of many pounds. Thus people should avoid potatoes and other starchy vegetables along with sugar, grains, pastas and fruits for these are the major sources of carbs. In the opinion of Dr. Atkins doing this will translate a carbohydrate-burning metabolism to a fat burning one. Atkin’s diet is critical of carbs related but not of fatty and protein rich stuff. In fact it recommends its users to eat food that provides them fats and proteins. In the case of proteins it particularly emphasizes the consumption of animal protein.

Though atkin’s diet has done wonders in many cases, it has many shortcomings. If this diet is quite popular with one set of people, some others are enormously critical of it. this is because of several reasons. Firstly Atkins meals are not only low in carbs but contain negligible amount of essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients. Secondly atkin’s diet is flourishing with cholesterol boosting fats that can be very troublesome. Thirdly since atkin’s diet promulgates animal protein, vegetarians find it difficult to adopt it. In the fourth place according to the American Heart Association (AHA), a high protein diet is not adequate to lose weight. So diets such as Atkin’s can cause nutritional deficiency and other cholesterol related problems (cardiac arrests) in the long run. Finally critics believe that eating meat and other high protein products can lead to osteoporosis, colon cancer, heart diseases and renal diseases.

However the best way to reduce weight is to avoid excess as well as complete elimination of anything. A person should take a diet rich in essential nutrients (vitamins, minerals, proteins, fibers etc.), stay away from fatty foods as much as possible. Also carbs such as sugar should be consumed in a regulated manner.

Read More »

Getting my patients involved in regular fitness routines can be quite challenging, especially for patients who are very overweight. So I got very excited when one of my patients said she was considering a new boot camp class, which is run by a company called Downsize Fitness and specifically geared toward plus-size individuals. Coincidentally, I had just read about a gym of the same name, which caters to individuals who have 50 or more pounds to lose. I was definitely intrigued and decided to learn more.

I spoke with the CEO of Downsize Fitness, Kishan Shah, who is extremely inspirational in his own right. Shah has a family history of diabetes and heart disease and once weighed about 400 pounds. Over the last eight years, he's been able to lose half his body weight by eating a well-balanced diet and exercising. He joined Downsize Fitness to share his passion with others.

[Read: Best Weight-Loss Diets]

Presently, there are two full Downsize Fitness gym locations – one in Chicago and the other in Dallas. Two more will open soon in Naperville, Ill., and in Fort Worth, Texas. There's also a boot camp class that launched in March, which is taught out of a New York yoga studio by Julie Longmuir.

Shah stated something I'm sure my obese patients would agree on: "There is fear of ridicule and lack of support in most gyms for the obese." But Downsize Fitness is different, he says, and will help, "empower them for their journey." Shah stressed that Downsize Fitness is more than a gym; It's a community that provides private and semi private training sessions, nutrition counseling and fitness classes such as Zumba, yoga and Pilates. (Note that all members who enroll at the gym need medical clearance.)

I loved hearing that even the fitness machines are designed for people who are obese, with modifications such as larger and more cushioned seats. There's also equipment specifically for individuals with bad backs and knees, such as sit-down ellipticals, which allow them to cardio exercise without straining problematic areas. Plus, the majority of the trainers who work there have lost 60 to 70 pounds themselves and can therefore relate to their clientele.

I did wonder what happens to the clients who successfully lose weight and are no longer are 50 pounds over – are they ousted from the gym? (I pictured them Survivor-style, snuffed torch and leaving off the island.) Thankfully, that's not what happens. "Successful members mentor the newer members, serving as daily inspiration and keeping the community cohesive," Shah said. They even have before and after pictures displayed in the gym. I bet this keeps the members who lost weight accountable and successful for the long haul.

[Read: Why You Can't Rely on Willpower For Long-Term Results]

I was thrilled to see that Downsize employs registered dietitians at their locations – I'm an RD myself, after all. Jennifer Vimbor, the nutritionist at the Chicago location, told me, "We encourage a 'no diet' approach, focusing on realistic, individual goals and provide nutrition and lifestyle classes and cooking demos. The gym is a community where we all work together – clients, nutritionists and trainers."

Longmuir is another inspiration, as she's lost 80 pounds herself. I asked Longmuir, whose energy seemed contagious, what she recommends to her clients as they begin an exercise routine. "Keep it simple. Be consistent and don't overdo it," she said. "Building this new healthy habit takes time, patience and determination. Part of your journey is figuring out what is right for you, and finding a support system can help you."

Two of my patients who are sisters, Gina and Gemma, tried Longmuir's class. "I loved the fact that she herself was once overweight and understands how intimidating and difficult it is for someone who is overweight to exercise – especially going to a gym and doing group exercises," Gina said. Gemma's thoughts? "The class was approachable, doable and really fun. It can be very intimidating to try a new class, and here it was just the opposite."

[Read: Try These Out-of-the-Box Fitness Classes]

I'll continue pushing my obese patients to exercise, even if it means they're going to a gym or a class where members are thinner than they are. I'll encourage them to take it slow and do what they are comfortable with, and to perhaps try a beginner yoga class, walking routine or swimming. I do wish that more Downsize gyms or classes designed specifically for obese people would start popping up in all cities as communities that aren't so intimidating. But in the meantime, I guess I should also be happy that Downsize is offering live virtual group classes through Google starting July 15th; That might be the perfect start for many.

Hungry for more? Write to eatandrun@usnews.com with your questions, concerns, and feedback.

Keri Gans, MS, RDN, CDN, is a registered dietitian/nutritionist, media personality, spokesperson, and author of The Small Change Diet. Gans's expert nutrition advice has been featured in Glamour, Fitness, Health, Self and Shape, and on national television and radio, including The Dr. Oz Show, Good Morning America, ABC News, Primetime, and Sirius/XM Dr. Radio.

Read More »