The Breaking Point

Turning Obesity Around with Proven Methods
1. Auflage 2025
ISBN: 979-8-3509-9953-2
Verlag: BookBaby
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 128 Seiten

Reihe: The Breaking Point

Throughout his years in practice, Dr. Alilin has witnessed firsthand the deep struggles his patients face-not just in losing weight, but in navigating a healthcare system that often fails to provide sustainable solutions. Time and time again, he has seen patients reach their breaking point-frustrated by failed diets, misinformation, and an industry more focused on short-term fixes than long-term health. As a physician, he has also experienced his own breaking point. Traditional approaches to weight loss were missing a critical piece: the intersection of science, mindset, and metabolic health. It was from this realization that 'The Breaking Point' was born. This book is not just another weight loss guide-it is a deeply personal and professional reflection on what truly drives lasting change. Dr. Alilin combines his extensive medical expertise with a unique, science-backed approach to metabolic health, integrating insights from microbiology, gut health, and metabolic adaptation to address the real reasons people struggle with their weight. Beyond the science, 'The Breaking Point' explores the emotional and psychological barriers that keep people stuck-helping readers identify and overcome the mental roadblocks that stand in their way.

Dr. Ben D. Alilin is a board-certified physician, metabolic health expert, and microbiologist with nearly two decades of experience in family medicine. Since completing his residency in 2007, he has dedicated his career to helping patients break free from the cycle of weight gain, frustration, and misinformation, guiding them toward lasting transformation through evidence-based medicine and practical, real-world strategies. In addition to his clinical practice at AFM Healthcare, Dr. Alilin is passionate about education and patient empowerment. Through his growing platform on YouTube (@DrBenAlilin), he continues to challenge conventional wisdom, provide actionable health strategies, and inspire thousands to take control of their health.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Leseproben

Chapter One:
Break the Chains: Achieving Weight Loss at Any Stage of Life

You have probably heard that weight loss is just as much about eating less and moving more as it is about adopting the mindset for it. Additionally, you’ve probably read about how identity transformations are needed for sustainable weight loss—a lifestyle change. Before diving into the details, it’s important to acknowledge that there are multiple pathways to achieving this goal. Weight loss can be accomplished through lifestyle changes, dietary adjustments, medications, or even surgery. Each method has its place, especially when tailored to individual needs and medical conditions. This chapter will focus on the mindset and identity transformation necessary for the majority of people, assuming there are no underlying medical conditions hindering their progress. However, a medical evaluation is crucial to identify any conditions that might require specific treatments or adjustments.

When Genetics Are Against You:
What Are Genetic Predispositions?

Before we look at the pathways to weight loss, let’s take a moment to consider an important aspect of obesity. There’s been a lot of misinformation out there that tries to convince you that you aren’t really born to be overweight. And that’s true to a certain point. People are overweight for many reasons. Many may turn around their lifestyle choices and try out different kinds of ‘tricks’ they see online, but their main problems can be solved by something far simpler: how they eat and how much they move. However, you may have also noticed that as human beings, we all tend to look incredibly different from one another. Some people may have a larger build, while others may naturally remain thin throughout their lives. This is because there is a genetic component to weight. This isn’t to say that this gives you the ‘okay’ to do anything you might want to do and to accept that you will be overweight the rest of your life. Instead, it means that if you are genetically predisposed to being overweight, you may need to take a few extra steps to avoid being in that position.

Research has shown that obesity is a complicated condition caused by a mix of genetic and environmental factors and is becoming more common around the world, in both rich and poor countries. With new technologies like genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and next-generation sequencing (NGS), scientists are discovering more about the genetic reasons behind obesity. For example, a study[1] conducted in 2022 shows that obesity can be divided into two types based on genetics: syndromic and non-syndromic. Syndromic obesity is linked to specific syndromes like Prader-Willi and Bardet-Biedl, which also cause developmental delays and early obesity. Non-syndromic obesity isn’t linked to such syndromes and can be caused by changes in one gene (monogenic) or multiple genes (polygenic).

Thanks to advances in genetic testing, researchers have identified several genes that can cause obesity, including LEP, LEPR, and MC4R. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is becoming a valuable tool for finding these obesity-related genes in clinical settings.

Again, this doesn’t mean that you should throw in the towel! Instead, it only means that you have to be conscious of the fact that you may be genetically predisposed to it. If you have questions on this, ask your physician!

Overcoming Genetic Predispositions

You might contend, “But obesity runs in my family.” Do not let it dominate your life. Instead, challenge yourself to eradicate it from your lineage. Genetic predisposition can make weight loss more challenging, but it does not make it impossible. Through dedication, consistent effort, and making informed choices, you can achieve weight loss and maintain a healthier lifestyle. How? Here are a few steps:

Knowledge and Understanding: Learn about nutrition and how different foods affect your body. Understanding the impact of your choices can empower you to make better decisions.

Small Steps: Start with small, manageable changes. Gradual improvements can lead to significant long-term results. Replace one unhealthy habit at a time with a healthier one.

Professional Guidance: Seek support from healthcare professionals, such as dietitians, nutritionists, and personal trainers. They can provide personalized advice and help you create a sustainable plan.

For example, Jane, a forty-five-year-old with a family history of obesity, started by replacing sugary drinks with water and gradually incorporated more vegetables into her diet. With the help of a nutritionist, she created a balanced meal plan and began to see steady progress over several months. Jane’s story illustrates that with the right knowledge and support, genetic predispositions can be managed and overcome.

Reflect on this: Your genes are not your destiny. They may influence your starting point, but they do not dictate your potential. By understanding your body’s unique needs and making informed, incremental changes, you can chart a new course for your health.

Key Takeaway: Genetic predispositions can be overcome with knowledge, small steps, and professional guidance. Your health journey is uniquely yours, and with persistence, you can achieve your goals.

Pathways to Health: Lifestyle, Diet, Medication, Surgery

Throughout this book, we will explore various changes you can make in your life to overcome obesity, prevent it, and adopt a lifestyle that promotes long-term health. It’s important to understand that losing weight isn’t just about appearance—it’s fundamentally about improving how you feel and your overall well-being. While I won’t deny that appearance can affect mental health, the primary focus should be on your health. Research highlights the significant impact of body image on mental health, particularly among vulnerable groups, with societal appearance ideals often contributing to these pressures:

“Body image concerns constitute a burden at the global level, with higher levels of risk among already vulnerable groups. The oppressive nature of appearance ideals, combined with their function to maintain social hierarchies and generate profit, contributes to explaining this increased risk.”[2]

That’s because we live in a society that cares a lot about how we look and how we present ourselves. Whether this is something we need to change is the topic of a different book. My main concern is to ensure that you feel good in who you are and that you feel empowered. So, that means making the changes that will get you there!

Going back to what we were discussing, the main concern here is your health. You want to feel better. You want to feel comfortable tying your shoes in the morning. You want to be able to go on a walk or walk upstairs without being limited by your weight or getting out of breath within a few minutes. Perhaps you have personal reasons as well, like being able to play outside with your kids, having the freedom to travel without being concerned about how your weight might make the plane seats uncomfortable or how walking on the cobblestones in Europe may hurt your knees. This is the point of this book: to help you get there.

Now, as a physician, I like to discuss all possible options and to determine what works best for each patient based on their needs. The first change that we need to make regardless of how else you will address your weight loss is your lifestyle. This includes how much you move, sleep, drink water, whether you exercise, or whether you tend to be highly car dependent. It includes whether you smoke or drink a lot of alcohol and the like. Your lifestyle impacts more than your weight: it impacts your overall mental health, how you feel overall, and your mood. For example, leading a healthy lifestyle puts you in a better mood, which helps you feel happier and motivated and encourages you to keep going on your journey.

Part of that lifestyle is also your diet, which is important to your weight. As Americans, the food we eat is often far from the healthiest, and that’s due to a few different reasons. To name one, we have been told all kinds of different things when it comes to weight loss. Eat fewer carbs, eat less fat, go keto, go Atkins, go carnivore, go vegan, the list goes on. There are also strong lobbies that influence the food pyramid, which means that for years, the food pyramid has been dependent on which lobby is able to best convince the government to include more of its products.[3] So, you may be reading this and think, What the heck is a ‘healthy’ diet?! I don’t blame you. It’s complicated! The best advice sometimes is to keep things simple, but in this day and age, that’s hard to do. So, this book will walk you through this.

Next, there are two options that are less conventional but nonetheless quite useful: medication and surgery. As of 2024, weight loss medications have been all the rage. They offer people the option to lose weight gradually by helping them remain satiated and giving them the space to enjoy their lives without the “food noise.” Therefore, this is an option that we will explore, too. Surgery, or different kinds of surgeries that you can do, are also an option. These...