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Lavinia Rodriguez

Binge-purge eating behavior is about much more than food

Last updated Wednesday, May 16, 2012 - 2:38pm

Bulimia is an eating disorder, but it has little to do with eating. In reality, bulimia has more to do with low self-esteem, perfectionism, unrealistic expectations, anxiety, fear of losing control, depression and other psychological barriers.

Unfortunately, parents, spouses and others, when they become aware of a bulimic's problem, have a tendency to focus on eating and weight, just as the bulimic does.

The symptoms of bulimia include:

-- Recurring episodes of binge eating. Binge eating is characterized by eating large amounts of food in a short period of time.

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Depression feeds weight problems

Lavinia Rodriguez Tampa Bay Times

Last updated Wednesday, February 29, 2012 - 11:47am

Being depressed can make any task more difficult. Dealing with weight issues while suffering from depression can be especially hard.

Features, Depression, Mental Health, Overweight, Weight loss Read more Comments

Are married couples fatter than single people?

Lavinia Rodriguez St. Petersburg Times

Last updated Wednesday, September 28, 2011 - 3:43pm

Do weight gain and marriage go together, just like love and marriage?

While there are still questions to be answered about this issue, studies have found that obesity appears to be associated with couples living together (married or not) and that there is a stronger association the longer the pair have lived together.

Features, Marriage, Obesity, Overweight, Weight loss Read more Comments

When men have an eating disorder

Lavinia Rodriguez St. Petersburg Times

Last updated Wednesday, September 7, 2011 - 10:14am

"I was aware of eating disorders due to media coverage, but they're usually presented as female problems so I never made the connection with myself. Looking back, I can see that I had behaviors associated with an eating disorder from my late teens but I never considered I might have an eating disorder until my quality of life began to diminish. I was obsessed with food. I counted calories constantly. Anxiety defined my daily existence. I was paralyzed emotionally and socially. It was hard for me, but I finally realized that I had an eating disorder."

Features, Diet, Eating disorders, Health, Men Read more Comments

Normal eaters have points in common with problem eaters

Lavinia Rodriguez St. Petersburg Times

Last updated Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - 1:28pm

People being treated for eating disorders often believe that they're more dysfunctional than they actually are. Invariably, I find myself showing patients that many of their behaviors are also experienced by people who don't have eating disorders.

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Desk jockeys need to make a little wiggle room

Lavinia Rodriguez, St. Petersburg Times

Last updated Wednesday, June 8, 2011 - 10:38am

So many people have jobs that require sitting behind a desk for much of the day, that they've come to be known as "desk jockeys." Plenty of them keep on sitting after the workday is over, sitting at dinner, watching television and sitting at a computer. As you might guess, all this sitting is contributing to obesity.

Logic seems to say that adding a regular exercise routine to a sedentary day would keep a person lean and healthy. But research is suggesting that it's not that simple -- that sitting for extended periods of time is so unhealthy, you can't make up for it just with regular exercise.

Business, Exercise, Health, Office Read more Comments

Look to the past to see if your weight resolutions will work this time

Lavinia Rodriguez, St. Petersburg Times

Last updated Wednesday, January 5, 2011 - 12:39pm

If the commercials, the talk show hosts and the annual crop of new diets are to be believed, making a resolution to lose weight during the new year is not only a good idea, it's mandatory.

Resolutions imply sincere intent and motivation to make it happen this time. But if there's ever a time to look to the past before planning for the future, it's before you make another resolution to lose weight.

A recent study of weight gain during the holidays found that the average weight gain from mid November to mid January was less than a pound. Fewer than 10 percent of the study participants gained five pounds or more. Although this doesn't sound bad, the trouble is that the pounds that are gained tend to stick around, only to be joined by more the following year.

Features, Health, New Year's resolutions, Weight Read more Comments