Feb. 24--Dr. Carolyn Ross knows what it takes to lose weight.
And she's willing to share her expertise with the Weighty Matters blog.
Ross is a former Tucsonan who worked in integrative medicine with Dr. Andrew Weil.
Now, she's practicing medicine and writing books in Denver, though she still feels an affinity for the Old Pueblo -- she's even kept her 520 phone number.
Ross' book, "The Binge Eating and Compulsive Overeating Workbook" (New Harbinger Publications, 2009) is available at most bookstores.
She's joined our impressive list of experts who will answer questions for the Weighty Matters bloggers -- a group of like-minded folk who hope to get healthy.
Ross gets how tough it is to lose weight, and she says the first thing to do is not look at your diet, but yourself.
"You need to be ready to put in the time and effort it takes to lose," she said in a recent phone interview.
"Make a list of 20 reasons why you really do want to lose weight. Fitting into size-2 jeans may not sustain you through the process."
When you get discouraged, she said, look at that list to remind you of the important reasons you want to lose.
Start small, she added.
"My approach is about making changes that are small but sustainable. Your goal may be losing 10 percent of your weight in a six-month period, and maintaining that. Maintenance skills are very important."
And she has this bit of sound advice.
"Most of my patients feel if they could just lose weight, their life would be better, happier," she said. "I tell them, if you could just be happier, you can lose weight, not the other way around."
If you have questions for Ross, submit them to the Weighty Matters blog at azstarnet.com/food
Winner gets free trainer
Gabe Nagy, our Weighty Matters exercise guru, is giving away six months of twice-a-week personal training to one of our lucky bloggers. The deadline to enter is March 3. Check out how to enter at the Weighty Matters blog, azstarnet.com/food
Contact reporter Kathleen Allen at kallen@azstarnet.com or 573-4128.
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