We have a cat named Squirrel. On the outside, she does indeed look like a squirrel. But on the inside? Squirrel has the heart of a US Marine.
Squirrel came to live with us after a dear friend died in the line of duty. Stuart “Stu” Smith was a decorated Marine whose military service carried over into his civilian flight career.
You could set your clock at the flight base every morning when it was time for Stu to eat breakfast. Precisely at 5:30 a.m.
Squirrel does the exact same thing. Precisely at 5:30 a.m. Not 5:31. Certainly not 5:32.
If you should forget her designated meal times, Squirrel will remind you. Loudly. Insistently. With a direct order. Right MEOW.
So, what lesson can Squirrel teach us on a weight loss journey? Having a specific plan that maintains nutritional integrity and consistency is critical for success.
The goal of any weight loss journey is to lose weight. The goal of a medically supervised weight loss journey, such as the one you embark on with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center, is to make sure that you lose the right kind of weight.
Idealistically, this means losing weight from fat mass (FM) and not skeletal muscle mass (SMM), as fat mass is the biggest predictor of overall metabolic health (An, Cho & Yoon. 2023).
According to a recent study in the journal Nutrients, optimum weight loss occurs when you preserve skeletal muscle mass as much as possible. SMM is one of the most important predictors of long-term health, physical function and longevity (McCarthy & Berg, 2021).
So how do we use nutritional consistency to preserve SMM? At Scottsdale Weight Loss Center, we use proven science with real results. This includes:
- weekly body composition analysis of FM, SMM and other clinical markers of effective progress
- protein forward nutritional plans that are specific to each patient
- establishing daily protein goals that are measurable and achievable
- frequent protein intake intervals (usually every 2 to 4.5 hours) that help achieve daily goals
Surprisingly, out of all these strategies, one of the toughest challenges for patients can be protein intake frequency—but it doesn’t have to be. Just take a lesson from Squirrel.
Having a consistent eating schedule at designated times each day takes the decisional stress out of nutritional planning. One of the simplest ways to do this is to set a schedule to eat every three hours, then set reminders when it’s time to eat.
Some patients use a checklist on a sticky note on a computer monitor. Another system is to move beads on a bracelet throughout the day.
One of the simplest tools, however, is to set a reminder alarm on a phone or watch.
Using the Squirrel Technique, this alarm could be a progressive meow on your phone, spaced three hours apart, that gets louder if you choose to ignore it.
Protein right MEOW please!
Whatever reminder system you choose, make it simple so it is sustainable. Think something that grabs your attention and prompts action. A little judicious humor is always a bonus.
Until next time, be safe and be well.
This article was by written by Dr. Jillian Swope DNP, FNP-C, the medical clinician at Scottsdale Weight Loss Center’s Chandler Clinic. Dr. Swope has been caring for patients with compassion and clinical expertise throughout Arizona since 2006. She specializes in the field of clinical obesity medicine across the lifespan, including effective weight management strategies for pediatrics, endurance athletes, firefighters, flight crews, healthcare workers and law enforcement personnel.
References
An, S., Cho, S. & Yoon, J. (2023). Adipose tissue and metabolic health. Diabetes Metabolism Journal, 47(5), 595-611.
McCarthy, D. & Berg, A. (2021). Weight loss strategies and risk of skeletal muscle mass loss. Nutrients, (13)7, 2473. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072473
