Has a doctor ever advised you to lose weight? Has a doctor ever advised you to exercise more? Have you been given specific advice or counseling on how to lose weight?
The chances are that even if the answer to the first two questions is yes, the answer to the third is no. According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, patients are ignoring advice from their doctors because they don't get the chance to discuss their concerns fully.
The study found that only ten percent of patients surveyed had voiced all their worries during their consultation. And while patients were reluctant to voice concerns or opinions during appointments, doctors were also not doing enough to find out why patients were coming to see them.
The fact is that unless you outline your worries clearly, it's unlikely that you'll get the advice and assistance you need.
Find a doctor who will help
Some years ago, I went for a check-up. I told my doctor I wanted to lose some weight. He reached into his desk drawer, pulled out a single sheet of paper, and slid it across the desk, saying "You look fine to me, but you can try this if you want." The sheet had a week's worth of menus for what I assume was a reduced-calorie diet. Needless to say, that didn't exactly motivate me to lose weight, and I did not.
Three years ago, I switched doctors. (The "weight-loss counseling" I had received was only part of the reason.) My new doctor asked if there were any specific issues I wanted to discuss, and I said I felt fat and depressed. He stopped, paid attention, and asked me if I thought the two were separate issues or part of the same thing. I said I thought maybe a little of both.
He asked me about my exercise habits, which at the time were pretty pathetic. "I walk a lot," I volunteered hopefully Then he gave me some very specific advice and said he thought it would help lift both burdens. It worked! Not only did I lose just over 7 kilos (15 pounds) over the course of 6 months, but I have kept the weight off for 3 whole years.
And although I am sometimes sad, I have not felt really depressed in a very long time. The reason I tell this story is to show the range of experiences we may have when we talk to our doctors about weight. I was lucky the second time, but I fear my first experience was more typical.
It's important to enlist your doctor in your weight loss campaign. Talking to your doctor is especially important if you are very overweight or have weight-related and other health problems, and certainly if you are pregnant. Talk to your doctor before starting on any diet to be sure there is no risk of malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, alterations in your body chemistry, or dangerously rapid weight loss.
Your doctor can be one of your most effective boosters as you work to become healthier. If he or she is not, speak up frankly. Tell your doctor that this is very important to you and that you really need help and concrete advice. If necessary, schedule a separate appointment to discuss your weight and what to do about it. Let your doctor know, in advance, that's the reason you are coming in. And if you still don't get the support and solid information you need, consider changing doctors.
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