How many of you consulted your DR first?

cloneme_losehalf

I have asked my dr for years to give me diet pills, let me have surgery, etc. I have been to Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, this diet, that diet, etc. The answer I always got from my dr was that my numbers were to good to warrant surgery and diet pills have bigger risks than what I had at the time. Only suggest was a nutritionist referral. Well duh!!! After all the diets and research I think I KNEW what was going to be said! The same thing I had heard and read OVER and OVER. The problem was not knowing what to do, it was doing it. Now I realize that none of it was going to work until I was ready anyway. And that is why I am here. It seems weird to me to need to consult a dr when one is making better changes to life habits. Anyway, it was suggested therefore I do have an appt scheduled. Is this really common or is it unnecessary????

sneezles

It covers any liability a person may attribute to a any plan they choose to follow. I've read where most drs know diddly when it comes to eating well. If when you start exercising and you have real pain, as opposed to soreness, then you should see a dr.

speakz82

My doctor IS the reason why I'm at where I'm at. He was on me for years about losing weight and I never took it seriously til I had a life changing experience making me want it bad enough. I did my weight loss under the guidance of a bariatric MD for the first year, then after that my PCP took over.

My suggestion? Get a new doctor.

MikeSEA

For as often as I suggest that people see their doctor, I'm generally the last one to do so. Mostly because I have an irrational distrust of the profession. That said, going to a doctor before making a significant change to your composition might not be a bad idea. There might be some underlying factors that could or should play a role in your diet, even though you're unaware of them.

engineman312

i had a check up in june and my doctor looked at me and said "you need to lose weight" does that count?

cdngirl71

I never consulted my doctor when I started my wieght loss. I was ready for the change and stuck to it. I started working out lightly then progressed to more vigorous workouts that I could handle.

CherryOnionKiss

I had an appointment with my DR first because I was hoping for an easy way out. Every new mom around me seemed to lose their baby weight without lifting a finger and I gained weight instead of losing it. I got my thyroid checked and everything's fine. Now all I need is a kick in the butt.

TooFatToFit

I didn't see her specifically, but go semi-regularly so I know I am certainly healthy enough to throw some good food and a bit of activity into my life. I do think the 'consult your doctor' thing is a lot of COA (cover our *kitten*) on the part of businesses that have anything to do with weight loss or exercise. We should all see our doctors anyway, right?

ruststar

The doctor can't make you do what you know you need to do - only you can motivate yourself to take the action. A nutritionist might be able to help you come up with an action plan for eating, taking account the foods you like and your lifestyle, and a personal trainer can develop a plan to meet your goals, but ultimately you're the one who has to come up with the drive and determination to do it. I wouldn't want to pay a co-pay to hear what I already know.

pain_is_weakness

I didn't because I have heard from my doctor that I need to lose weight, this is not an extreme fad diet, this is teaching you how to eat healthy foods from all food groups and to stay within your daily limits. This site is basically what any doctor will tell you to do, it just helps to see it in front of you so it heps sink in. However, I do believe that if you are not very active you should get checked out before starting a fitness routine

potluck965

I think it depends on a couple of things, your general health and just how drastically you will be changing things up. Personally, I don't think the decision to eat more healthy and not so much is that momentous as to affect your health in anyway but good, as long as you are eating a balanced diet and getting proper vitamin supplementation. Exercise can be a little more problematic. If you have been completely sedentary, then attempting vigorous exercise is not something you should do without a doctor's approval.

iAMaPhoenix

I did not have to pay someone 50$ to tell me I am obese. Kinda saw it in the mirror daily. And since I do play a doctor on TV, I figured I would consult myself...lol.

Ashleypeterson37

I didn't. My doctor has gained alot (I mean ALOT!) of weight over the last 2 years so I felt it would be kind of weird getting weight loss advice from someone who was doing the complete opposite. The last time I went for a check-up, HE asked ME what I was doing to lose the weight....weird.

Dtrmnd86

I didn't make an appt because I wanted to change my lifestyle. I had an appt because at a gyno check up, my blood pressure was high for me. It's usually normal, always has been normal so when I saw 144/92 I freaked and made an appt. He said I was too young for medication and it was only pre-hypertention, that I could still turn it around before it got bad. I asked how and he said limit sodium, exercise, lose weight. So that's what I've been doing. I do see some workout videos recommend you see a physician before starting them, but I don't have any health issues that would make that seem necessary. My blood pressure was back to normal once I started making healthy changes.

jmmtaylor

I haven't consulted a Dr...I had an appointment in August, my BP is normal I don't have any medical problems. I don't have anything that hurts (other than muscles after doing Insanity). I always feel weird about going to a Dr about starting a workout program if I'm otherwise healthy. Just me though.

luvlite2

I concur..I don't think any doctor can tell you what's right for your body. Because what works for one doesn't for another. Start yourself out where you feel comfortable and go from there. Like the previous post(er) said. Go to the doctors if you start having abnormal pains. Good Luck!

smchic2012

I agree with you. I have been to several different programs lost a ton of weight and then gained it all back, each time my dr either praising me or chastising me depending on the results. She's mentioned a nutritionist several times but I know what to do it's just a matter a psyching myself up to do it. I'm hoping this is the big help that I need and I'm not telling my dr anything this time. Hopefully, the next time I see her there will be a loss substanitial enough for her to take notice. Good luck to you - and to me...

NoAdditives

For the most part, I don't go to the doctor. I don't even have a primary care doctor at the moment. I rarely get sick and don't have other medical concerns. I just go to my ob/gyn when I'm pregnant or due for an annual exam. I hardly think I need to consult a doctor about making healthy changes to my diet and I know how to exercise in a safe manner. For people like me, seeing a doctor isn't necessary. It's not like I'm diabetic and trying to train for a marathon. I'm just overweight and making the healthy lifestyle changes I need to get to a healthy place.

MrsBlobs

Sort of, he said 'I won't prescribe you the contraceptive when you hit 35 and remain at that weight'. I took that as a green light to go.

NoAdditives

I concur..I don't think any doctor can tell you what's right for your body. Because what works for one doesn't for another. Start yourself out where you feel comfortable and go from there. Like the previous post(er) said. Go to the doctors if you start having abnormal pains. Good Luck!

A doctor can definitely tell you what's right for your body. I don't think it's necessary for a generally healthy person to see a doctor if they're just eating healthier foods and getting some exercise. But, doctor's are doctors for a reason, they have a huge amount of knowledge that average people do not. It never hurts to ask questions and get advice, especially if multiple weight loss attempts have failed in the past.

jmruef

I didn't consult mine before doing this. I was a little afraid of being talked OUT of it, because she's seen me come back from an eating disorder. I know she (and all my loved ones) are worried that I'm going to go off the deep end again - all I can do to reassure them is NOT do it. So I lost the weight on my own, over 6 months plus a litte more.

Gotta say it does worry me to see people asking medical-type questions here about symptoms they're having. It's nice to see that the response to most of those is "see a professional".

Apryl546

I didn't bother going to see my doctor.
Not only do I not like her, but she makes me feel like an incompetent little child almost every time I go. My last visit was probably the first "adult" session in a longass time. That was in March, just to get another year of BC.
-The only reason I haven't switched yet is because I've had her for YEARS.-
I knew I needed to lose weight, so I did it myself without my doctor telling me. So far so good. I'll only see her if I have a concern, which hasn't happened yet.

ninerbuff

I go to my doctor once a year for physicals and he's now asking me how he can lose weight....................

tbudge

I did consult my Dr first, but only because I had a surgery a while back and I have permanent stitches that I don't want to risk coming undone. I started on Insanity, so I made sure I got the go ahead. I do have to modify a few things. But P90X is out of the question. So, depending on your situation, it's not a bad idea to just check in with the doc and make sure that what you want to do is healthy for you. Just my opinion.

MinnieInMaine

Sort of. My annual happened to be at the end of 2009 and I'd already planned on starting Weight Watchers the next week (had registered for at work) so when my doc asked about weight loss, I was ready with that answer. She'd been encouraging me to make a change for a few years so she was really happy for me. And boy was she super excited when she saw me this past January after losing about 60 pounds!

Anyway, to answer your question another way - I would've joined even without seeing her because we'd already done all the tests the previous year (sugar, thyroid, etc) and like the OP, I had all the knowledge (and my doc knew it), I just had to get to the right mindset to actually do it!

I think if you do have health issues and/or haven't been to a doctor in a while, it's a really good idea to get a consultation about weight loss and get their input on how you should proceed.

angeleyes4643

I did not have to pay someone 50$ to tell me I am obese. Kinda saw it in the mirror daily. And since I do play a doctor on TV, I figured I would consult myself...lol.

That was me. lol And I got tired of reading reports from docs, etc that said "obese 40+ year old woman". Just sounded rude to me. So here I am.

kellibenage

Just a different perspective. Why not go to the Dr? Ask him to do blood work so you can see your cholestrol numbers. Know your blood pressure, etc., check for things that might be a concern. If for no other reason, you would have something to compare to when you are closer to your goal. I don't think it hurts to go in and talk to him/her. Ultimately though, eating right and exercising is what works. The Dr may help provide tools (nutritionist), but ultimately it will be your hard work.

gods_gal

I see my general doctor and RA doctor every 4 months and both knew I was going to start going to WW. Can't wait for my next visit for them to see that I'm really doing it this time!!

Cosmic_Unicorn

At my last physical, in 2009 (-_-), I was 5'6" and 195 pounds. My doctor told me not to worry about weight since I was healthy-ish and only a little bit obese, but she suggested that I start eating whole, organic foods and exercise a little bit every day, just to be a healthier, happier person. Instead I ate junkfood for a year and gained another 10ish pounds. I can't WAIT to see her reaction at my physical next month now that I've actually followed her advice. =D

Spongebaberoundpants

I've been to MANY Dr's and my physician I have now is the one who suggested this site and he's a weight loss specialist.

Melmade

No, not this time, but I recently had bloodwork done, thyroid tests, sugars, etc. since I was pregnant less than a year ago. All was well, so since I'm generally healthy anyway I just went for it without seeing a doctor first.

I do suggest seeing a doc if you have questions about thyroid/metabolism issues, joint/connective issues, diabetes concerns, or anything like that.

I asked a doctor years ago about diet pills & he suggested "Fit For Life" and "The Pritikin Diet" books. Not what I really wanted to hear. I did the Pritikin Diet for about 6 months or so, but fell off because it was too hard for me to keep up with. I was working in a deli/bakery so something that strict was just too hard with the constant temptations.