Helen Vong, Nutrition Editor

I recently got a chance to attend a live talk with America’s favorite doctor, Dr. Oz, when he visited Toronto on Feb 12th. I adore him (like most people) but like some people, I cringe at how sensational his show can seem. But skeptics, if you ever get a chance to hear him speak live – devoid of the magic of television editing and assistants of the day (giddy housewives) - go see him. He is full of integrity and raw passion for improving the health and quality of life for everyone. What’s more, everything he recommends aligns with the Oxygen lifestyle. Here are some great lessons from the good doc.

Oz on how to make lasting lifestyle changes:
Willpower is like a muscle; you have to work at it and find ways to make it easy in order for it to become automatic. People don’t change based on what they know, they change based on how they feel.
TIP: Read how you can find the joy in fitness by changing the way you talk to yourself here.

OZ on weight training:
If you want to stay slim forever, lift weights regularly. It won’t bulk you up, he stressed. And don’t worry about the scale not budging right away, having more muscle mass may not make the weight go down but it will shrink the waist! He explains what Oxygen gals already know: muscle is more dense than fat but the big difference is one pound of lean muscle burns up to a dozen more times the calories that a pound of fat. If you only have thirty minutes to spare in the gym, get off the treadmill and hit the weights. On the treadmill, you are only burning off the calories you are expending at the moment and your body stops burning it once you step off. But your body continues to burn calories way after you’ve completed a resistance-training workout.
TIP: Try these six moves to get a total body workout!

OZ on eating clean:
Eat healthy foods that you’ll love. If you grew up hating broccoli, then chances are you’re not going to eat it as an adult, no matter how many times you keep hearing it’s a super food. The key is to seek out clean foods that genuinely please your palate and make you feel energized.  
TIP: Love pasta? This reader found a way to make it healthy, get her recipe here.
 
OZ on belly fat:
Excessive belly fat is the telltale sign health woes. A waist circumference greater than 35 inches for women increases the risk of developing type 2-diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.
TIP: Your ideal waist size should be less than one half of your height in inches. Take out the measuring tape, he says, don’t use your belt!

OZ on catching Zzz’s:
Women need eight hours of deep restorative sleep every night. Dr. Oz says that he has learned to stop any kind of work – no computer, TV., (nothing with pineal-gland-disturbing light) - by 9:30 and hits the hay by 10 p.m. He’s up at 6 A.M., feeling refreshed and is rearing to go. If you find it hard to shut down earlier, he suggests setting a separate alarm to remind you when go to sleep. Brilliant!

OZ on doctors:
Be a proactive patient. Bring in a few key questions when you see your doctor. And don’t assume that you’ll offend your doctor by getting a second opinion. Doctors love homework, and you’re doing them and their other patients a favor when you make him/her dig for more information, essentially making him a more informed doctor.

– Helen
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