Have you wanted to ask your doctor weight loss questions, but felt intimidated to because you weren’t sure you’d want to hear what they have to say? Asking your family practice doctor weight loss questions is a great place to start because they have a perspective of your health condition and are able to tailor a diet and exercise regimen to match it. Next time you decide to ask your family medicine doctor weight loss questions, make sure to gather the following information:
Tips for Asking Your Doctor Weight Loss Questions
- Figure out what your ideal weight should be.
Every human has a distinct height and body frame. There is not a hard and fast ideal weight goal. Some family practice physicians will refer you to the Body Mass Index (BMI) which calculates your ideal weight based on your height and age. However, this is just a starting point. Your doctor should take into consideration your health and medical history and help you set a weight loss goal that is both reasonable and attainable.
When you reach that goal, you can always reassess whether of not you should set a new goal. If you make your weight loss goal the ideal weight for a 25-year-old yoga instructor who is your height, not being able to reach it will be discouraging. Not to mention, going through the rigmarole necessary to even attempt a weight loss transformation like that might be dangerous if you are in poor health to begin with. - Determine a reasonable time frame for reaching your weight loss goal.
Your doctor will likely tell you that losing weight too fast is dangerous for your health, and unsustainable. If you lose more than two or three pounds per week, it’s likely that you’re mostly losing muscle mass or water weight. Additionally, if you make your caloric intake so low that your body has no choice but to burn through your stored fat rapidly to keep you alive, it will essentially throw it your body into “starvation mode.” This means that when you do eat again, your body will think “I don’t know when I’ll get this fuel again.” and will hold onto it. You’ll quickly regain the weight and your slower metabolism will make it difficult to lost weight in the future. Most experts suggest that the healthiest weight loss time frame involves losing about one pound per week. Your doctor will be able to specifically advise you on your own ideal weight loss time frames. - Consider what health issue you have that could impact your ability to lose weight, as well as how losing weight could impact your health issues.
If you are visiting a doctor to discuss weight loss, you likely already know what health condition you have that impact your ability to lose weight. But if not, this is an important conversation to have with your doctor. If you have hypothyroidism, diabetes, or pre-diabetes, you may find that it’s extremely difficult to lose pounds. Treating those conditions should be incorporated into your weight loss plans.
At the same time, very many health conditions naturally improve if you lose weight and improve your lifestyle. If you have sleep apnea and use a forced air machine to sleep, you might be able to live without the machine if you lose some weight. Likewise, many heart conditions are improved with weight loss. Being able to drop a medication if you lose enough weight can be a powerful motivator. - Check on how your medications impact your weight loss goals.
Many medications reduce your ability to lose weight. Some medications require alterations to conventional weight loss plans in order to remain effective. Perhaps you need to substantially increase your water intake due to a medication. Perhaps you need to stay out of the sun while exercising. If you take a medication that makes it difficult to lose weight, perhaps your doctor could prescribe a medication that achieves the same treatment without inhibiting your ability to lose weight. This is an important aspect of your weight loss conversation with your doctor.
When you want to lose weight, starting with a conversation with your doctor is your best course of action. Make sure that you cover these topics while talking to your doctor about weight loss.