Program Descriptions

- CARDIOFIT
- MEDIFAST MEAL REPLACEMENT / TAKE SHAPE FOR LIFE
- CARDIOFIT WELLNESS COMMUNITY
- HEART HEALTHY RESTAURANT PROGRAM
- TESTIMONIALS

CARDIOFIT
CARDIOFIT is a 12 week program to optimally reduce the risk for a heart attack or stroke with a cutting edge nutritional, lifestyle, and exercise approach to complement your current care.

CARDIOFIT is directed at those who are overweight or obese at higher cardiovascular risk including:

• patients with established heart disease (those having had a heart attack, angioplasty, stent or bypass surgery), or heart failure
• those with diabetes (especially those on medication) and pre-diabetes (Metabolic Syndrome)
• those with high cholesterol and/or high triglycerides
• those with a family history of heart disease or diabetes

Led by Dr. Lemanski and a dietitian in a group class setting, CARDIOFIT will teach you:

• the causes for heart attacks and strokes,
• the benefits and limitations of angioplasty, stents, and bypass surgery,
• the benefits and risks of specific medications,
• the proven benefits of optimial nutrition, lifestyle, and exercise and their role in reducing the dose of medication or possibly obviating the need for medications, and
• the place of supplements, phytochemicals and vitamins in cardiovascular risk reduction.

Additionally, CARDIOFIT will teach you how to actually accomplish the recommendations of your own physician to:

• lose weight,
• eat in a heart healthy fashion on a daily basis,
• stop smoking and
• exercise appropriately on a daily basis.

All CARDIOFIT participants are also seen in office consultation by Dr. Lemanski for individualized recommendations. A referral from your primary care physician is required. Unlike many other weight reduction programs, CARDIOFIT represents physician supervised weight loss. Additionally, there is ongoing physician to physician communication between Dr. Lemanski and your primary care physician and/or cardiologist.

As designed by Dr. Lemanski, the CARDIOFIT eating plan has two phases. The first phase reduces weight and is high in protein, moderately low in carbohydrate, and, importantly, low in saturated fat. In 95% of program participants, phase one achieves a similar blunting of appetite as experienced with Dr. Atkin's approach, but improves LDL, as well as HDL and Triglycerides.

The second phase is a high omega-3 Mediterranean eating plan based on clinical research (the Lyon Diet Heart Study) shown to lower the risk for a heart attack death and non fatal heart attack by 70%. The mean weight loss over 12 weeks in CARDIOFIT is 25 lbs.

Graduates of the CARDIOFIT program enter the CARDIOFIT Wellness Community for ongoing monthly group meetings/group meals. Those wishing to lose more weight may enroll in the program more than once at reduced cost.

For more information, please attend one of our no cost, physician led Program Orientation Sessions (see schedule). All first time participants wishing to sign up for a CARDIOFIT class must attend an orientation session. The cost of CARDIOFIT is competitive with and at times less than other commercial weight reduction programs. Program cost is outlined during the Program Orientation Session.

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MEDIFAST Meal Replacement/Take Shape for Life

The Center for Preventive medicine uses MEDIFAST Portion Control Meal Replacement as a tool for weight loss in select patients desiring such an approach. Studies at Johns Hopkins show that MEDIFAST MEALS may achieve a 67 lb. weight loss in men, and a 47 lb. weight loss in woomen over 4 months.

We participate in the MEDIFAST, Inc. sponsored national Take Shape for Life Program which supports the use of the MEDIFAST MEALS and products, with a website and individual health coaches. At the Center for Preventative Medicine, all health coaches are medical professionals.

For those patints being supervised by our health coaches, we also provide - free of charge - a weekly MEDIFAST support Group at our Albany office. Participants are weighed and blood pressures are taken as part of our ongoing assessment of the optimal way to use the product. The support group also allows real-time feedback on the use of the product, questions on any medically related issues, as well as an opportunity for participants to exchange or swap products from the variety pack which each receives, in order to accommodate their taste preferences at lowest possible cost.

All participants in MEDIFAST MEALS/Take Shape For Life are offered a free orientation lecture explaining the use of the product. Participants must also be seen in consultation by Dr. Lemanski to determine appropriateness, and to define and mitigate the potential risks this approach may have for certain individuals. For example, patients with diabetes on medication generally require some alteration in diabetes medication to avoid abnormally low blood sugars.

MEDIFAST MEALS/Take Shape For Life participants are encouraged to taper off product once target weight is achieved. The recommendatons of the Take Shape For Life program are followed in this regard. Those individuals who have difficulty in transition are offered further help through our Cardiofit program which emphasises diet, exercise and lifestyle change.

CARDIOFIT Wellness Community

Graduates of CARDIOFIT and MEDIFAST MEALS/Take Shape For Life are encouraged to join our CARDIOFIT Wellness Community for ongoing support in heart healthy living and weight management.

Members of the CARDIOFIT Wellness Community usually meet at 5:30PM on the second Tuesday of each month in Albany for a group meal/ cooking class demonstration and lecture. Please see the Cooking Class or Schedules pages to confirm dates, time and locations for upcoming lecture/meal/cooking demonstrations, and to find out how to reserve a place.

CARDIOFIT Wellness Community members may post invitations to join in walking and other exercise activities by e-mailing Dr. Lemanski at paul.lemanski@primecarepc.com. The invitations will be posted on the Wellness Community Message Board the first Tuesday of each month.

Testimonials

"Many diets have come and gone - I've tried so many! But this is the first one that is pleasant to do - I'm losing an average of 2 pounds a week and NEVER hungry!

- Loretta N. Cammer              

"Finally, I found a program that spoke to my needs. The combination between biochemical processes, personal attitude and support was superb. Additionally, the success and immediate weight reduction kept me motivated. No longer do I feel like I can't do it.

The information has allowed me to be in control for the first time in many years. Thanks, Laurie and Dr. L."

- Rosaire Higgins     

Center for Preventive Medicine & Cardiovascular Health

at Mid-Valley Cardiology 111 Mary's Ave. Suite 3 Kingston, NY 845-339-3663

Main Office 400 Patroon Creek Blvd. Albany, NY 518-618-1100