Today’s Guest – Adeyemi Fatoki, MD
1. Your name, title, and age? What do you do (or did you do) for a living?
Adeyemi Fatoki, MD, age 49 years, Bariatric (weight loss) and Substance Abuse Physician. I am the author of “The Fatoki Protocol– Its All About the 1/3 – Protocols that Help you Live Healthy, Lose Weight and Keep it Off for Life” and co-founder of the Practical Weight Management Program which is a technology that allows me to utilize a database to obtain and read patient histories to help design weight loss plans from their home.
2. Who was the person that inspired you as a child to eat healthy and stay fit? What was their relationship to you?
My mother inspired me to eat healthy and stay fit as a child. I was born in Nigeria and we had a food schedule that was balanced and contained the major four food groups, with emphasis on legumes and vegetables. We ate breakfast, lunch and dinner at a set time with family which made meal time fun as well.
3. What did they do to inspire you?
My mother usually steamed vegetables or stewed proteins rather than bread and fry them in oil. We had donuts only on Friday nights. We ate seasonal fruits and foods and very little processed foods. Most important we rarely ate outside the home in restaurants or fast food. She taught me the importance of a balanced meal and to love vegetables. I learned to prefer vegetables to starches and carbs. We were encouraged to go outside and play once we ate and completed our homework and chores. Once I was old enough to ride my bicycles, I used it to run errands. I believe that the foods we ate gave me energy an a positive outlook on nutrition and food balance.
4. How did their lesson change your life?
As children we were encouraged to eat healthy but we were also limited in our ability to purchase and eat processed food, when I became a Bariatric doctor I was able to share those stories and recipes with my patients, family and friends. When I decided to write my book, The Fatoki Protocol, It’s All About the 1/3, which teaches how to eat balanced meals instead of dieting, I included some insights learned from my mother. Also while in medical school where free time is limited, I would be able to catch myself from “pigging” out on fast food by trying to incorporate my mother’s recipes and limiting salty and sugary snacks.
5. Do you convey their message to kids in your life presently?
I am proud to observe that my kids eat the same way I do. One of my sons refers to the meals as “gourmet” with a balance of vegetables, starch and protein. They choose water over soft drinks and nuts and grains as snacks without thinking.
6. What would be your main message to children today to lead healthy lifestyles?
A balanced meal is important. Physical activity with friends promotes an active lifestyle that can be fun (I play on 3 volleyball teams). Vegetables are very palatable when seasoned and cooked properly. Introducing fruits and vegetables at an early age and if they see you choosing healthy foods they will mimic your eating patterns.
7. Do you have a web site you would like to promote….web address only?