Dr. Lisa Harris: Changing Lives, One Pound at a Time
Nov 2009
Thanksgiving is a special time of year, especially for people who enjoy eating—and really, who doesn’t? For some, the traditional holiday fare—mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered dinner rolls, stuffing and turkey, not to mention the array of desserts—is an appetizing treat. But for others, the delectable spread isn’t just food; it’s a feast made for self-loathing. For those with a compulsion to overeat, no matter the time of year, food can seem like both their greatest friend and their worst enemy.
Dr. Lisa Harris understands what it means to have this sort of relationship with food. As a weight-loss physician, she’s counseled thousands of patients and helped to guide them toward a more balanced life, both physically and emotionally. Harris gained her experience academically at Hahnemann Medical School (now Drexel University College of Medicine) in Philadelphia, Pa., and personally from her own struggle with the scale.
Since opening the Chase Wellness and Research Center in Virginia Beach (www.chasewellnesscenter.com) in 1994, where she and her team of experts treat patients, Harris has seen the medical community as a whole begin to accept the idea that obesity is a complex yet treatable medical condition. The Health Journal recently spoke with Harris about what it takes to lose weight, how she and her son stay fit together, and what she’d likely sing if handed a microphone.
HJ: What recent advancements in bariatric medicine are you most excited about?
LH: When I started in bariatric medicine, obesity was not really considered a medical disease. It was more the belief that people just had to have some willpower to stop eating, or maybe it was a character issue—like they were lazy. Now, especially in the medical community, obesity is seen as a medical disease that needs to be treated. If someone is overweight or obese, it is not just a cosmetic issue. It’s actually a medical problem that can bring about other medical problems.
HJ: What are your views on weight-loss surgery (liposuction, Lap Band, gastric bypass, etc.)?
LH: I don’t do any type of weight-loss surgery personally, but I have suggested the idea to some of my patients because I believe it is an option for some people.
HJ: Have you had any personal experience with struggling to lose weight?
LH: I’ve had problems managing my weight since I was in the third grade. I think I initially gained weight because that was at a time when my older sister left home and went away to college. I was very close to her, so eating became a way to comfort myself. That was the start of a pattern.
In my early adult life, I was focused on my appearance. When I got married in 1989, I was the smallest I have ever been—a size four. I lost the weight by carefully watching everything I ate, keeping a food journal and exercising daily. Over the next year and a half I slowly gained some of the weight back and then leveled off.
Today, I am focused on my health. Obesity has a far more broad impact than just on how we look. I try to stress this to all of my patients.
HJ: Consumers are cautioned that weight-loss medications and supplements can sometimes do more harm than good. What is your opinion?
LH: I never suggest over-the-counter weight-loss aids because they are not regulated. I do, for some patients, prescribe medication because I believe it is a useful tool—just like food diaries and exercise—but not a magic pill. I explain to them that they won’t be taking it every day for the rest of their lives but that it will get their cravings and eating under control.
HJ: How does your business compete with the many other weight-loss options out there?
LH: I’m always cost-conscious, so I really worked hard to have programs that fit everyone’s budget. I always remind people that being obese or overweight is expensive. Food costs money. You may have medical problems that have come from being overweight, and it costs money to see physicians and purchase the medications to manage those conditions. If you are gaining weight, then that costs money because you have to buy all new clothes.
HJ: What book is currently on your nightstand?
LH: I am always reading parenting books. I am currently reading A Good Son—it’s all about how to raise boys. The second one I am reading is Lord of the Flies. My son is reading it in school, so I thought maybe I’d read it, too, so that we could have discussions.
HJ: Who are your role models?
LH: Some of my patients who have lost a tremendous amount of weight. They just never gave up, even though it took them a while to do it. That’s the one quality that I admire in people the most—persistence.
HJ: Childhood obesity is a hot-button issue. Do you talk about weight with your son?
LH: I stress healthy eating both at home and when we go out to dinner. I try to get him involved in lacrosse and other sports. So far he has not had an issue with his weight, and I hope he won’t. I think that it really helps when kids cook, because they are more likely to eat what they cook, so I’ve tried to do that with him, too. We also play games on the Wii Fit together, which is a ton of fun, and we both get a good workout.
HJ: Do you have a favorite quote?
LH: Yes, it’s by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: “The heights by great men reached and kept were not obtained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”
HJ: Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies that your patients would be surprised to know about?
LH: I like to sing, although I can’t sing—so I don’t consider that a talent. I love to sing karaoke at home. If I go out of town, I will karaoke, but I don’t want anyone that knows me to see me. I usually like to sing something by Aretha Franklin—she’s spunky and lively.
“Obesity has a far more broad impact than just on how we look. I try to stress this to all of my patients.”