Medical professionals advice: "be realistic"

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Replies

  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    I'd also add that unfortunately as a whole general practitioners are not really very good at really helping with weight loss. It's not really their fault...weight loss is really complicated and needs a lot of holistic life changes that the average time-constrained appointment just doesn't have time for.

    They are absolutely able to tell you that you're overweight, need to look at diet, exercise, and so on, and give some pointers. But they usually can't figure out specifically that your soda consumption and your online gaming habits specifically need to change.

    Specialists, like dietitians, weight loss specialists, and wellness coaches are much better at evaluating and offering more specific and detailed advice. Doctors really do know what needs to be done, but unfortunately are typically constrained by time issues.
  • lacyphacelia
    lacyphacelia Posts: 58 Member
    Is there more context to this? Why were you told to avoid dieting? Did they mean extreme diets or that there's some medical issue and you'd be ill advised?

    I wasn't expecting the amount of responses, but it's been helpful.

    To answer your question-- I was at the doctor's for a visit about PCOS when the nurse told me to be realistic. I had to go to a specialist, because as much as I do like my general practitioner, she seems to have no clue about PCOS and has never addressed it with me.

    It was also my general practitioner who told me not to diet, but then in the same conversation told me to use Weight Watchers...LOL.
  • lacyphacelia
    lacyphacelia Posts: 58 Member
    edited October 2017
    jemhh wrote: »
    166 isn't as big as you seem to think it is. Yes you have extra weight but your attitude about it seems extreme. Perhaps the nurse was pointing that out based on however you were acting in the office.

    No, I wasn't "acting extreme." I asked her if losing weight would help my PCOS symptoms, because I did research on body fat and its influence on hormones. She asked me how much weight I thought I needed to lose, and I mentioned the weight I was at before PCOS (and healthier). That's when she told me to be realistic.

    My attitude is realistic, honestly. I'm thinking about things in terms of body fat, and I've noticed to get rid of the fat, I do have to get to a lower weight because I'm apple-shaped.
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    edited October 2017
    At 5'3", I weighed 200 lbs and lost 50 lbs with minimal exercise, so I think your nurse practitioner is an idiot.
  • MissyCHF
    MissyCHF Posts: 337 Member
    I think something is lost in interpretation here. "Be realistic" is sound advice. Losing 15 pounds and being able to keep them off makes you healthier than losing 40 then regaining them all plus some. "Be realistic" is a very individual advice. If you manage to find an enjoyable and sustainable way that allows you to lose 40 pounds and keep them off without pouring so much effort into it you eventually break, then that's your "realistic". If you're struggling and white knuckling to maintain that weight, then that may not be your realistic. You may be better off regaining some and maintaining at a 30,20, or even 10 pounds lost while you work on continually learning how to improve that outcome sustainably. Being slightly overweight is much better than being more overweight from a health standpoint, so their advice makes sense given their profession and the current statistics.

    You may or may not at some point accumulate some new skills that allow you to maintain relatively comfortably at a lower weight. Not what I'm saying doesn't mean dieting and maintenance should be effortless, it simply means it shouldn't be soul-breaking because that wouldn't last. Think of it as the closest weight to the goal weight you have in your head that is sustainably maintainable.

    As for "avoid dieting", that's one of the best advice you'll ever get for weight loss. They may not have worded it well, but it simply means diet in a way that is pleasant and feels like something you'll be able to do for a very very long time. The "lifestyle change" cliché, if you will. I personally don't like that phrase because it implies you decide to change your lifestyle, you change it, and you diet happily ever after. The best explanation would be to actively work on accumulating lower effort skills and strategies while dieting that would make weight maintenance easier in the future and build long term habits so you eventually find it possible to maintain the weight you realistically can (which may as well be 40 pounds lower).

    TL;DNR: work smart with an eye on maintenance.

    Excellent post. :smile:

  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,297 Member
    I'm sorry to read of your PCOS, I think there is a PCOS group on here. I just looked, here in the UK we have support sites/groups. it is probable you will have something in your country too. Many find lowering carbs a great help because PCOS can go hand in hand with insulin resistance and can have hypothyroid aspects. It can come down to nutrition and digestion. If you can be referred to a specialist that would help. I would advise reading round your personal symptoms and PCOS from good medical sites, following your personal symptoms. You may find a list of good people in your area to consult on one of the sites or group, someone could even be in your area. All the very best, many are able to reduce their health issues and have a much better life.
  • lacyphacelia
    lacyphacelia Posts: 58 Member
    Fuzzipeg wrote: »
    Many find lowering carbs a great help because PCOS can go hand in hand with insulin resistance and can have hypothyroid aspects.

    I asked my doctor about lowering carbs, and she said it wasn't sustainable and it was "dieting."
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,928 Member
    edited October 2017
    35-40 lbs is realistic. 1 lb a week ish. you can do this!
    lowering carbs isn't the same as eliminating them.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,297 Member
    It seems as if you can't win with your adviser. The doctor might just as well say. Don't try to feel better or make any advantageous changes.

    Lowering carbs is sustainable if one has the will and reasons to do it. If MFP suggests 150, 125 could be beneficial, may be even lowering by 10 grams. I agree for most of us going very low 25g or no carb is unsustainable. its what is appropriate to your system, may be. Like I said in my first contribution. Having one less slice of bread with what ever, if you eat it, would have the effect of lowering carbs. Having a smaller portion of potato also, possibly researching portion size, are yours too large? Knowing what carbs are and having fewer need not be dieting. Its eating foods you do now, just fewer/smaller amounts of the starchy veg and things, taking an interest in nutrition.

    I've just looked there are at least 6 PCOS groups on here, search groups, I've no idea if many are still active, it could be worth a look. Please try looking for online support sites, they can have a wealth of information on them. You may even find the name of a specialist in your area.

    BTW, begging your pardon, I've no time for the dietary advice my doctor, or any doctor over 50 years has given me. Its find out what your body works best on and go with that.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,926 Member
    Is there more context to this? Why were you told to avoid dieting? Did they mean extreme diets or that there's some medical issue and you'd be ill advised?


    It was also my general practitioner who told me not to diet, but then in the same conversation told me to use Weight Watchers...LOL.

    In context of that complete sentence sounds like he/she meant not to diet in terms of doing fad going on a diet thiings - but do long term changes such as WW (or here)

    Which woudl in fact be good advice.

  • MsMaeFlowers
    MsMaeFlowers Posts: 261 Member
    I'm 5'5 and started out at 165.5. I weighed in at 125 this morning. So what's not realistic about your goal?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,724 Member
    I started at 5'5"/183lbs at age 59, and was in the 120s just less than a year later, by making sustainable, healthy changes in eating - mostly portion control and reduced treats, as I already ate lots of healthy foods. I didn't even change exercise materially, since i was already quite active.

    I've stayed in the same weight range for nearly two years since, and will be 62 next month.

    If that's not a realistic thing to do, does that mean I have to go back? ;) I sure hope not - I feel so much better!

    (I don't have PCOS, but others here on MFP who've been successful do. I only have hypothyroidism.)

    Best wishes - I think you can achieve your goals, if you commit to them, and take sensible steps toward them.
  • NorthernLights1985
    NorthernLights1985 Posts: 16 Member
    Timtam summed it up really.
    Your doctor is right, most people never make a long term progress. This is my advise: fat loss is not linear but logarithmic, your average kcal intake supports a certain mass. Start by slowly changing your habits and start exercising. Never diet or continue what is difficult, it is quite possible to eat between 1700-2000 kcal per day and feel satisfied.
  • lacyphacelia
    lacyphacelia Posts: 58 Member
    This is my advise: fat loss is not linear but logarithmic, your average kcal intake supports a certain mass

    That's a really good of putting it! I know there can be weeks of no weight loss, and then BAM people lose 5 pounds.
  • lacyphacelia
    lacyphacelia Posts: 58 Member
    I'm 5'5 and started out at 165.5. I weighed in at 125 this morning. So what's not realistic about your goal?

    I think the doctor doesn't think I can do is successfully and keep it off. She's probably gotten used to seeing me heavy, as I've been seeing her since my late 20's and have been within the same 10 pound range.
  • NorthernLights1985
    NorthernLights1985 Posts: 16 Member
    This is my advise: fat loss is not linear but logarithmic, your average kcal intake supports a certain mass

    That's a really good of putting it! I know there can be weeks of no weight loss, and then BAM people lose 5 pounds.

    Yes! I lost a lot of weight about five years ago, two years ago I started to gain some of it back because I was slipping back to old habits. For the past 6 months I have been working on changing them again but this time without any kind of dieting. It´s been going well but much slower than I was used to from before but that is the trick to a life time change, do it slowly and in a way that you can keep doing forever.
    You should start to look into your mental side as well, are there emotional issues that cause you to over eat? Because you will need to learn to tell the difference between real hunger and emotional hunger.
  • NorthernLights1985
    NorthernLights1985 Posts: 16 Member
    oh oh oh! I´m getting excited for you! ;) Just one tip that really makes a difference for me, make a nice tasting salat at least with one meal per day, twice is even better. For me it works best to have fruit in it as well. One of my fave is half a mango diced with diced selleri, just about 50/50 of each. That really helps keeping me satisfied.