Dr. Jana Klauer - How the Rich Get Thin: Park Avenues Top Diet Doctor Reveals the Secrets to Losing Weight and Feeling Great

The information contained in this book should by no means be construed as a substitute for the advice of a qualified medical professional, who should always be consulted before beginning any new health, diet, or exercise program. If you are pregnant or nursing, or taking any kind of prescription medications, or are under the care of a physician, please consult with your physician before starting any health, diet, or exercise program and for optimum dosage requirements of all vitamins, nutrients, and supplements.

I would like to acknowledge the influence and thank the individuals who have shaped my clinical practice and this book.

At the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, I was particularly influenced by Dr. Edward Ronan, a gifted teacher of biochemistry and pharmacology. Michael J. Klein, M.D., and Robert Phelps, M.D., are both pathologists and enabled me to understand the working of the body on a microscopic level. John Rowe, M.D., past president of Mount Sinai, was an inspiring teacher and healer.

The faculty of the Columbia University School of Human Nutrition presented nutritional topics with thoroughness and insight. I would like to thank David Talmadge, Ph.D., Sharon Akabas, R.D., Ph.D., and Maudene Nelson, R.D., for teaching me about human nutrition.

At the New York Obesity Research Center of St. Lukes Roosevelt Hospital, the legendary F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, M.D., generously taught me about obesity. Dr. Pi-Sunyer was one of the first individuals to recognize obesity as a disease. It was an honor to be a part of his great institution. Carol Boozer, Ph.D., was a patient mentor in the intricacies of conducting clinical trials.

Louis Aronne, M.D., allowed me to manage his clinical trial, introduced me to treatment of obesity, and encouraged me to enter the field of medical weight reduction. It was through his guidance that I had the courage to start my own practice.

Marianne J. Legato, M.D., is an inspiring physician who I have been delighted to work with for the last four years.

My agent, Richard Curtis, deserves credit for taking a new writer under his wing and introducing me to St. Martins.

Sally Richardson, the publisher at St. Martins, and Elizabeth Beier, my talented editor, believed in the book at the first presentation. These dynamic women have my deepest gratitude. The wonderful genius Wendy Lewis, who helped me arrive at the finished product, was invaluable. John Murphy, head of publicity, enthusiastically supported the book. Lisa Senz was a dynamo in her creative marketing ideas. The entire staff at St. Martins marketing, design, production, and sales gets a round of applause from me.

My trainer, Joe Masiello, of Focus Fitness, kept me strong through our 6:00 A.M. get-togethers.

I also want to thank S.P.L. (you know who you are) because you enabled me to change.

Lastly, how can I adequately thank my brilliant, handsome, and wonderful husband, Gerold Klauer, who had the chutzpah to put up with four years of medical school, four years of clerkship, two years of masters degree study, and a one-year fellowship. He is a rock and deserves a medal! Our children, Matthew and Erika, are a source of joy and pride. Their support and love mean everything to me.

Park Avenue. These two words conjure up images of wealth, privilege, and ease. Park Avenue is New Yorks grandest boulevard. It is stately and imposing. The brilliant yellow tulips in the spring and the lighted Christmas trees during the holidays make the avenue come alive to its many visitors and the few residents fortunate enough to call it home. The cachet of Park Avenue and the fine dining establishments, luxury hotels, and boutiques nearby have made the Upper East Side the most desirable and expensive neighborhood in New York.

Films and magazines depict the people who dwell on Park Avenue as though they have always lived there. And yet, only a small number of them actually grew up in this neighborhood. The majority of the avenues residents are hard-working people who have put in the hours, made tremendous sacrifices, and stayed focused in order to be able to afford to live in this desirable location. If you dont believe me, take a walk along the avenue at six oclock in the morning and you will see men and women leaving for work. These people understand that there are certain things that are nonnegotiable for success: formulating a plan, sticking with it for the long haul, and not giving up in the face of adversity.

The same is true of weight loss. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements for quick weight loss. But these messages are false and often dangerous. If all of these quick-fix diets were successful, why is the obesity epidemic reaching dangerously high levels in the United States? So, if you are hoping for a new quick-fix diet, then this is definitely not the book for you. But if you want to lose weight safely, and keep it off, then read on.

My name is Dr. Jana Klauer and my practice specializes in weight loss and nutrition. I attended the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and completed my internship in Internal Medicine and residency in Rehabilitation Medicine at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. At the hospital, I treated a multitude of patients with the diseases of civilization: high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. We have effective medicines that are able to control these conditions, but they do not cure them. Indeed, using medicine extends life, but the conditions remain. Most are directly attributable to an unhealthy diet and lack of physical exercise. Only when you take away the cause of the illness is health restored. I instructed my patients to lose weight, to visit a commercial weight-loss center. When they humored me and complied, the results were often suboptimal. They lost a few pounds, only to regain them. My patients were suffering with preventable illnesses. Because I cared deeply about their health, I knew that I must find a way to help them. But what more could I do? I needed more knowledge; I reasoned that, since my patients trusted me, if I advised them how to eat it might make a big difference. So I then obtained a masters degree in human nutrition from Columbia University, in a program specifically designed for clinicians.