Morbidly Obese doctors

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  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    My MiL had a doc (when she was around the same age i am now) that was so morbidly obese. She was told one day that in order to get rid of her diabeties she'd have to lose a lot weight. Meanwhile the doc had a bar of chocolate in his hand eating it during the consultation. She found a new doc and never went back.

    But his advice was correct. Did she leave because he didn't follow his own advice, or because she didn't want to follow his advice?

    BASIC advice may be correct.. like how do you lose weight? consume less calories then you use.

    but when it comes to useful living advice, like 'Im not losing weight, where do you think my hidden calories are?' or 'how can i adapt to healthy X easier?' anything of that nature, they wouldnt know. excercise is another example.

    Why do you assume they wouldn't know? Because all fat people don't know how to lose weight? Or because all doctors don't know? I've worked with many overweight or obese doctors over the year that knew perfectly well how to lose weight.

    because if you're not living the same healthy active lifestyle, you dont learn the little things that come with it.

    simple as that.

    Using your logic, an obese person should never take advice on how to lose weight from a doctor that has never been obese and lost. Because, while they may have kept fit, that's not the same losing 100+ pounds.

    And someone with cancer should not see an oncologist that hasn't had cancer themselves, or a GI doc that has a healthy gut, etc.

    Sounds more silly than simple to me.
  • marthafox1
    marthafox1 Posts: 191 Member
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    There may not be any logic to the argument. We are very visual creatures.
  • reneeot
    reneeot Posts: 773 Member
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    I do think that regardless of their lifestyle, doctors need to hold themselves to a higher standard when it comes to health. When my daughter was in the hospital it always made me nuts to look out the window and see the number of doctors and nurses standing just off the property to smoke.

    "Do as I say, not as I do" should not apply.

    Why shouldn't it apply? If a doctor knows how to make someone healthy or healthier, are you suggesting that they shouldn't do it because they don't keep themselves healthy?

    As parents we are suppose to know better and setgood example for our kids. But here we are on mfp most of had set bad example by allowing outselves to be overweight. Do we want to be judged as bad parents not worth kistening too.? Each person has their own issues to overcome. Let's Support not judge.
  • MrDude_1
    MrDude_1 Posts: 2,510 Member
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    My MiL had a doc (when she was around the same age i am now) that was so morbidly obese. She was told one day that in order to get rid of her diabeties she'd have to lose a lot weight. Meanwhile the doc had a bar of chocolate in his hand eating it during the consultation. She found a new doc and never went back.

    But his advice was correct. Did she leave because he didn't follow his own advice, or because she didn't want to follow his advice?

    BASIC advice may be correct.. like how do you lose weight? consume less calories then you use.

    but when it comes to useful living advice, like 'Im not losing weight, where do you think my hidden calories are?' or 'how can i adapt to healthy X easier?' anything of that nature, they wouldnt know. excercise is another example.

    Why do you assume they wouldn't know? Because all fat people don't know how to lose weight? Or because all doctors don't know? I've worked with many overweight or obese doctors over the year that knew perfectly well how to lose weight.

    because if you're not living the same healthy active lifestyle, you dont learn the little things that come with it.

    simple as that.

    Using your logic, an obese person should never take advice on how to lose weight from a doctor that has never been obese and lost. Because, while they may have kept fit, that's not the same losing 100+ pounds.

    And someone with cancer should not see an oncologist that hasn't had cancer themselves, or a GI doc that has a healthy gut, etc.

    Sounds more silly than simple to me.

    and men shouldnt be gynecologists.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    Why shouldn't doctors have the same problems all the rest of us do? Of course they know if they are obese...so do we. And of course they know it is bad and what to do about it....so do we. I can't reasonably expect someone else to deal with their issues better than I do..when they have the same issues. I agree its a little off-putting to see a very obese doctor, but I think they are people too, with problems and challenges a lot like mine.
  • ChgingMe
    ChgingMe Posts: 539 Member
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    How do you know they aren't trying to lose weight? You'd probably find me disgusting too if you saw me in scrubs, but I've lost 31 pounds and plan to lose a lot more. You never know what's going on behind the scenes.

    My doctor is AMAZING, and even though he's still overweight, he's lost over 100 pounds. If one of you judgmental types saw him today, though, you'd snub him, even though he's one of the nicest, most knowledgeable, most caring doctors I've ever had. He gets it. He understands my struggle. I would recommend him to anybody, no matter what their medical issue, because he's just that good.

    I do not care about a person's looks. I care about their personality and intelligence. I've had skinny doctors misdiagnose me for years, always brushing me off as just another fat chick. It took THIS doctor to run blood work because he knew something was wrong, and it was. He's correcting all of those skinny doctor's errors and helping me lose weight.

    Stop judging a book by its cover. I find it unbelievable that people on a weight loss and fitness site can be so judgmental and presumptuous, assuming everyone who is over 200 pounds is just lazy and stupid. You'd think people on here would be a bit more understanding.

    Whoa. Slow your role. NO ONE is judging you. I personally have a morbidly obese doc. I've been going to for years. Its my personal observation. I'm also sure she struggles as we all do. You seem a bit on edge about yourself. Calm down. This is NO reflection on you. Stop making it one.
  • Grimlock69
    Grimlock69 Posts: 197
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    I used to. I fired him!
  • Chapter3point6
    Chapter3point6 Posts: 1,233
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    Overweight, No. Morbidly Obese, Yes!!!
  • jejackson1977
    jejackson1977 Posts: 34
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    My doc is a little overweight but I really like him. He is a kind man and takes time with me. I am happier with him than I have been with a doctor in a long time.

    I won't judge him for his weight. People have done that to me all my life and I don't care for it myself.
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
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    My daughter's pediatrician is a slim, fit guy, so when I brought my daughter to see him this summer for a college check-up, I thought he would be a source of great advice for her. But, he told her that he starves himself all day, and gorges on the wrong food choices every night. He also described exercise bulimia. While I appreciated his honesty with us, it taught me that people who appear 'naturally slim' struggle with bad relationships with food sometimes. And, some are even doctors.
  • fourspeed
    fourspeed Posts: 3
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    Wouldn't bother me, now one that smoked would. I'd change doctors. My doctor is a vegetarian as I used to be and since I've had him for years he has all the stats for when I was and after I fell off.
  • krisiepoo
    krisiepoo Posts: 710 Member
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    This is an interesting post.

    I have avoided going to the doctor because I hate being preached at. I know I'm fat, I know I need to make a change, I feel like an overinflated balloon and I know I don't look good. I tell myself these things everyday. In the past I've had doctors make me feel bad about myself d/t my weight. 2 years ago I was 10 pounds from goal and got preached at because I was still considered "overweight" on the BMI scale. I was full of muscles, had run 3 1/2 marathons and STILL made to feel inferior.

    So I finally built up the courage to go again (different doctor, different location) and thought a lot about this question. What would I do if the doc seeing me was really big? Would their information be valuable to me? We are all here because we know that weighloss is a struggle so would I judge a doctor differently because they have the same struggles as me? would I be able to take their advice if they couldn't take their own? Or were they and were just struggling like me?

    in the end, it didn't matter. the subject of my gains, struggles, exercise/eating habits came up in a different context and my new doctor praised me for learning about how to make my good decisions and working towards a better me. I now have a doctor I can trust and feel comfortable with.

    In the end, her weight doesn't matter to me because I went there for MY health, not hers
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,738 Member
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    Does anyone have one? My doc is about 60 or so pounds overweight. Am I the only one that finds this disturbing?

    No. It doesn't bother me. Just because a doctor knows the right thing to do, doesn't mean he/she follows his/her own advice. I once worked for a divorce attorney. He told every client and person he knew, "never get married without a prenup". He got married without one.

    Knowing the answer isn't the same as doing.
  • augiedad
    augiedad Posts: 19
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    I agree with you completely. Not only the doctor, but almost everyone that works there. When I was 322 lbs, there was no comment about my weight and walking past there lunch room I saw 6 boxes of Dunkin Donuts. I switched doctors to the thinnest one in the practice and when I started to lose weight I would no even let them know what I was doing. I told him to deal with the results and I worry about how I'm getting them. Their pratice has no qualifications to comment on them.

    Since I lost 110 lbs the doctor I have now has asked me for advice. I could go on on this subject all day.
  • Chapter3point6
    Chapter3point6 Posts: 1,233
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    No. It doesn't bother me. Just because a doctor knows the right thing to do, doesn't mean he/she follows his/her own advice. I once worked for a divorce attorney. He told every client and person he knew, "never get married without a prenup". He got married without one.

    She probably had more money than him!!! :laugh:
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,738 Member
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    No. It doesn't bother me. Just because a doctor knows the right thing to do, doesn't mean he/she follows his/her own advice. I once worked for a divorce attorney. He told every client and person he knew, "never get married without a prenup". He got married without one.

    She probably had more money than him!!! :laugh:

    Ha ha! She didn't. Everyone told him he was being dumb.

    My point was, you may know exactly what needs to be done, but it's often easier to give advice than to follow it.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    Honestly? If a doctor is telling me to lose weight, eat better or whatever it is I need to do in order to be healthy and they are obese themselves why should I take their advice or even take them seriously for that matter? I don't care if your job is sedentary and you "eat bad". You're a flipping DOCTOR. You should be in shape and at least practice what you preach.

    I also wouldn't take an aerobics class from an unfit instructor nor would I have a personal trainer who is "fluffy".
  • PaulW2MD
    PaulW2MD Posts: 44 Member
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    As an obese doctor I can understand everyone's conflict with someone like myself. My patients are great. They have seen my struggles. I think it makes me better able to talk to my patients. I am human. I understand that trying to lose weight can suck. I was obese way before I decided to become a doctor. I was raised by obese parents and taught to eat like they do. All my siblings are obese. And I am sure I will struggle all my life. Obesity is a weakness that you cannot hide. Some of the non obese physicians I know drink to much, smoke, abuse pain meds. But in the room they look healthy. Hell some of them abuse weight loss meds. I have never taken a pill for weight loss. Not because it doesn't work, but because it is bad medicine. That's all I got. Got to get back to work.
  • hkevans724
    hkevans724 Posts: 241 Member
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    Wouldn't bother me, now one that smoked would. I'd change doctors. My doctor is a vegetarian as I used to be and since I've had him for years he has all the stats for when I was and after I fell off.


    I had one once that smoked.. he told me " you know smoking is bad right?" I said yea.. he said ok... He never harped on me for it because he knew it would be wrong. I liked him :)
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    Wouldn't bother me, now one that smoked would. I'd change doctors. My doctor is a vegetarian as I used to be and since I've had him for years he has all the stats for when I was and after I fell off.


    I had one once that smoked.. he told me " you know smoking is bad right?" I said yea.. he said ok... He never harped on me for it because he knew it would be wrong. I liked him :)

    So you're ok having a doctor who obviously doesn't care about his health let alone yours? You're going to a doctor for your check ups to make sure everything is fine, that you're doing everything right and that you're healthy. You want the doctor to "harp" on you for certain things, say if your weight is creeping up or you smoke. So would you be ok with a doctor who had high cholesterol and because yours was high but so was his it'd be ok because he didn't "harp on you" about it?

    Maybe I'm in the minority here but I wouldn't want an unhealthy doctor. I can't respect someone who's telling me how to live longer, lose weight, quit smoking or whatever it is I'm trying to do and they themselves can't seem to get it right.

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