to lose weight

What first step did you take that made a big

Drink more water

Maybe it’s not what you’re eating but what you’re drinking—or not drinking. Try to drink more water during the day.

“Drinking water is something everybody struggles with,” Brown said. “When you’re dehydrated, you’re going to feel sluggish. You’re not going to feel like your best.” Brown pulled out her own large refillable water bottle that has different time marks printed on it. She was right on time with her water intake that day.

“If you’re a visual person, getting something like this to show you it’s 2 p.m. and you haven’t had any water today is a good reminder,” she said.

Ditch energy drinks

“A lot of energy drinks either have a lot of calories or a lot of added sugar,” Brown said. “But also, they have a lot of caffeine. Everything in moderation is OK. But if energy drinks are the only things you’re drinking throughout the day, be mindful that you can consume too much caffeine.”

A healthy diet includes no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine in a day. “That’s only about four cups of coffee,” she said. The calories in energy drinks and coffee with cream and sugar add up fast. “If you are trying to watch your weight, this is an area where people probably are often consuming a lot of calories and just don’t realize it.” difference

in your health?

What’s your favorite healthy snack?

Do you have any secrets to painless meal prep?

Do you have a weight-loss success story?

We’d love to know more. Write us at ems@utmb.edu

Release your emotions

Emotional eating often goes with all the emotional baggage we carry home from work. Brown recommends unpacking some of that emotional baggage before you get home.

“Those emotions are in your own personal space rather than at work,” she said. “It does lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms and that could be food and it could be alcohol.” Ways to unpack include practicing deepbreathing exercises or talking to someone who listens.

“Some people may not even be aware that they’re emotionally eating,” she said.

Be here now

At some time, we all have sat on the couch with a bag of chips or a bag of popcorn, and before you knew it, the whole bag was gone. That’s mindless eating.

“Like, very mindless,” Brown said. “Being very mindful of how you’re feeling when you’re eating or what you’re doing when you’re eating is important.”

Some people de-stress at home by sitting on the couch and watching TV. “Instead of bringing the whole bag of popcorn or the whole bag of chips with you, maybe portion out a small little bit versus bringing the whole bag. You’re likely going to be satisfied with just the smaller amount,” she said.

Need some help taking your first step?

Here are two resources with information we trust:

• Eatright.org

• Myplate.gov

Also, you can see a dietician as a patient and get personalized advice or ask your doctor.

Are supplements healthy?

“Taking a general multivitamin daily is probably pretty good practice,” Brown said. “In the United States, a lot of the foods we eat already have been fortified with the vitamins and the minerals that we need to remain healthy. I don’t see vitamin deficiencies often in my practice, particularly in the general population.”

She does, however, see problems when people start taking other extra supplements.

“And they can be very expensive, and your body is really good about filtering out what it doesn’t need,” she said. “I have seen patients who have really done harm to their body by taking too many supplements.”

Snacks

“In America, we love all kinds of high-carb, sugar-packed snacks because they’re quick and they’re easy to consume,” Brown said. “But if you want a snack or something that is going to keep you full and give you energy, you want one with protein in it.”

Maybe that’s a carbohydrate and a protein together such as apples and peanut butter or cheese and crackers that you can keep with you during your workday.

“Adding something with protein is going to keep you fuller longer,” she said. “You’re not going to get as hungry as quickly as you would if you just ate something that was just carbs.”

Why did you choose emergency medicine? Did someone or something influence you?

My interest in emergency medicine started during high school. I was a student athletic trainer and EMS explorer. When I went to nursing school, the ER rotation was the one unit I couldn’t get enough of. I started my career in Neuro IMU, but I knew the ER was where I belonged. Many years later, I can’t imagine another job that offers as much variety as working in the ER.