My Doctor Said I Will Never Lose My Weight

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Replies

  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    This is like my dad saying that I'm too old to learn piano. I started learning at age 48. I'm 52 now. I regularly prove him wrong by sending videos of me playing various songs of medium complexity.

    If you can find another doctor, consider it. If you're locked into this one by some kind of insurance network, enjoy proving them wrong!
  • heumpirej
    heumpirej Posts: 12 Member
    erniewebbiii wrote: »
    johnstonkevin457 wrote: »
    Seriously, a heart doctor told me "it's not gonna happen" when I told him my weight-loss plans. So naturally I am doing it. Down 60 pounds so far. 50 more to go. He said it because of my age: 66. What he didn't know is I am getting younger by the day.

    Unfortunately, most medical doctors know very little about nutrition and fitness.

    Sad truth!
  • fietsvrouw
    fietsvrouw Posts: 50 Member
    Doctors are just as prone to prejudice against people who are heavier as anyone else and in fact, a recent study showed that weight prejudice is actually more prevalent among them. It definitely shows a lack of objectivity, genuine empathy and, frankly, scientific rigor, and that affects the care you get. You should have no qualms about finding another doctor. Someone like that is likely to write off every medical issue as being a side effect of weight, and that can be deadly.
  • Ann262
    Ann262 Posts: 266 Member
    Well, he has probably heard it from a thousand patients who didn't follow through on their plan. Still...he could have been a bit more supportive.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,168 Member
    Ann262 wrote: »
    Well, he has probably heard it from a thousand patients who didn't follow through on their plan. Still...he could have been a bit more supportive.

    Yeah, the utterly gobsmacked reaction I got from my doctor *and* his med assistant, when I came in for my 6-month appt down several tens of pounds . . . that tells me that meaningful weight loss rarely, rarely happens IRL. They're humans, doctors, it's no wonder that they internalize and project those probabilities. Sad, though, on many levels.
  • anna_lowe
    anna_lowe Posts: 39 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Ann262 wrote: »
    Well, he has probably heard it from a thousand patients who didn't follow through on their plan. Still...he could have been a bit more supportive.

    Yeah, the utterly gobsmacked reaction I got from my doctor *and* his med assistant, when I came in for my 6-month appt down several tens of pounds . . . that tells me that meaningful weight loss rarely, rarely happens IRL. They're humans, doctors, it's no wonder that they internalize and project those probabilities. Sad, though, on many levels.

    even after my 6 month appt, down about 30 lbs, my doctor lectured me that winter was coming and to expect all the weight to come back. perhaps she was trying to get me to be diligent but it rubbed me the wrong way.
  • theIronDad
    theIronDad Posts: 7 Member
    What a horrible thing for a doctor to say! You could have been the type of person that let his comment dash all your hopes of even trying. Thanks God that wasn't the case and that you proved him wrong. Congrats.
  • metaphysicalstudio
    metaphysicalstudio Posts: 293 Member
    Great news! Proving someone wrong can be very motivating!
  • spyro88
    spyro88 Posts: 472 Member
    Maybe he knew you had the type of personality who would rise to that challenge ;)
  • lousoulbody
    lousoulbody Posts: 663 Member
    So many physicians want to medicate the body and not the mind. There is scientific proof that the mind & body are connected. Id like to think he was challenging you and if so i would ask. If not i would seek out a new professional, perhaps one thats healthy.
  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
    Ann262 wrote: »
    Well, he has probably heard it from a thousand patients who didn't follow through on their plan. Still...he could have been a bit more supportive.
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Yeah, the utterly gobsmacked reaction I got from my doctor *and* his med assistant, when I came in for my 6-month appt down several tens of pounds . . . that tells me that meaningful weight loss rarely, rarely happens IRL. They're humans, doctors, it's no wonder that they internalize and project those probabilities. Sad, though, on many levels.
    anna_lowe wrote: »
    even after my 6 month appt, down about 30 lbs, my doctor lectured me that winter was coming and to expect all the weight to come back. perhaps she was trying to get me to be diligent but it rubbed me the wrong way.

    I had the same with my practice nurse: she was really pleased with - and surprised by - my weightloss, and even more so when I maintained for a year. She had warned me that it might be a challenge to keep the weight off. Unfortunately she was right. However, I've lost it all again so next time I see heer she will be pleased about that.
  • willboywonder
    willboywonder Posts: 137 Member
    I'm dismayed at your doctor. Many doctors are, unfortunately, not very supportive or encouraging when it comes to their patients' health and fitness goals. Frankly, for some of them it's in their best interest to keep people UNhealthy. :(
  • ednaemersonmfp
    ednaemersonmfp Posts: 1 Member
    Congrats to you.. it goes to show you and you alone control your body not the Dr. Very happy for you..
  • Get_Back_To_Feeling_Good
    Get_Back_To_Feeling_Good Posts: 497 Member
    johnstonkevin457 wrote: »
    Seriously, a heart doctor told me "it's not gonna happen" when I told him my weight-loss plans. So naturally I am doing it. Down 60 pounds so far. 50 more to go. He said it because of my age: 66. What he didn't know is I am getting younger by the day.

    Gppd for you as Nike says "Just do it"
  • fdhunt1
    fdhunt1 Posts: 222 Member
    So, it's very encouraging to hear that people our age can lose weight. The success stories are great. But what I want to know now is, "How did you all lose the weight?".

    Please share the successful strategies.
  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
    fdhunt1 wrote: »
    So, it's very encouraging to hear that people our age can lose weight. The success stories are great. But what I want to know now is, "How did you all lose the weight?".

    Please share the successful strategies.

    Basically, I would say: read the forum! But in a nutshell: eat less and move more.
  • santsy712
    santsy712 Posts: 2 Member
    Outstanding !!! I'm curious what your doctors response is ??? I also was told something along the lines of "not going to happen" ......I am 61, so far 17 lbs in 10 weeks. The dietician I was told to see was obese.... WTH.....what a joke. She told me it was alright to eat foods that I know I need to avoid. I wish everyone continued success !
  • FABRICWOMAN
    FABRICWOMAN Posts: 539 Member
    fdhunt1 wrote: »
    So, it's very encouraging to hear that people our age can lose weight. The success stories are great. But what I want to know now is, "How did you all lose the weight?".

    Please share the successful strategies.

    Intermittent fasting 16:8 and daily tracking with MFP and keeping up with motivational articles and forums like this. Have met many friends through MFP. We uplift each other when we are down and celebrate when we are up. I too had a Dr. who would not do double knee surgery until I lost 100 lbs. That was back in July 2020 and weighing 319 lbs. When I went back for my follow up appointment in April 2021 weighting 218 lbs. The man actually was dancing on his toes with my weight loss. He told me he "thought" I wouldn't do it, but was ecstatic that I proved him wrong.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    edited May 2021
    I've seen a kind of evolution of the medical profession:

    1960s: Stay thin whatever it takes. Go ahead and smoke. Adults shouldn't exert themselves or they risk heart attack. (Many doctors smoked.)
    1970s: Avoid saturated fats and eat low-fat foods. (Except Dr. Atkins, who most thought was a flake.)
    1980s: Exercise is the key to health. Go for the burn. Buns of steel. (Fad exercise and diet crazes take off.)
    1990s: Obesity is the root of all evil. Direct patients to lose weight. Blame all problems on BMI. (My wife stopped seeing a GP entirely due to his over-emphasis on her weight.)
    2000s: Obesity starts in childhood. Teach "healthy eating." (A good trend, but overweight children were shamed.)
    2010s: Weight loss is impossible, don't even bother. People who lose weight just gain it back. (Many gloom and doom articles in the news.)
    2020s: Where do we go from here? Do we diet or give up? No one seems to know.

    I really don't think doctors know what to do right now. If they tell people to lose weight, then they're shaming them. Many don't believe it's possible at all due to the many studies that show how often people gain weight back.

    All I can say is that, if you have a tendency to gain weight, and you choose to control your weight, a single period of calorie restriction is not going to solve the problem. You need to be willing to revisit the problem regularly.
  • GummiMundi
    GummiMundi Posts: 396 Member
    edited May 2021
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Basically, he was rather shocked which was a pretty clear indicator to me that this doesn't happen often. We actually have a much better and more personalized Dr./Patient relationship now which I think is also rare. I don't really race bikes much anymore, but I used to run into him at various events and we'd have a chat and he regularly comments on my social media posts about this or that ride I just did or this hike I just did, etc. He has mentioned to me on more than one occasion how invigorating it is for him professionally when he ends up with a patient that actually takes control of his or her health. I just think it's pretty rare for a Dr. to see.

    I get what you're saying.
    When I lost 40+ pounds (and my BP got lower, and my cholesterol got better) my former GP was shocked too. She even congratulated me!
    In turn that made me shocked, because I never expected that reaction from her. In the past she always lectured me about something, so much that I dreaded our appointments. A compliment from her was something I had never imagined.

  • jodi9894
    jodi9894 Posts: 1 Member
    Good for you, congratulations

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