Has anyone experienced their doctor telling them....

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Rloral
Rloral Posts: 112 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone experienced their doctor telling them that they're supposed to be at a weight that still seems very high? I weigh between 200 and 203 pounds and I've been at this weight for years. I have always exercised; I eat fairly healthy but I cannot seem to get below 200 for a long standing time. I weighed 199 two weeks ago but went back up to 203. I told my doctor and year after year she states that she thinks that's where I'm supposed to be. I'm 5'9, and only want to weigh 190. I see that some other tall women on MFP can get down to as low as 125 (which I do not want because I have a large frame). I know all women are different but I don't know what to do. Has anyone had this experience and how did they push pass the stalled weight loss. Thanks.
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  • DarcieC2389
    DarcieC2389 Posts: 146
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    I think some doctors are ok if you are just 5-10 lbs from the top of your weight range. I am 5'10" and the high end of my weight range is 174, but my doc was ok if I got to 180. I would look like a toothpick if I got down to 125 lbs. Years ago at 195 lbs, I was a size 12/14. I do not expect to be a size 2 or something. I would be happy even getting into a size 10.
  • roachhaley
    roachhaley Posts: 978 Member
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    I think what your doctor might mean is that your weight is fine now. That doesn't mean you can't lose a little weight, it just means not to be too worried about it if you dont :)
  • _HeathBar_
    _HeathBar_ Posts: 902 Member
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    I've found that doctors have very low standards when it comes to weight.
  • wolfi622
    wolfi622 Posts: 206
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    Doctors are looking at a much bigger and more complex picture than just your weight. It's not low standards, it's addressing what is really important. As the poster ahead said, it's not that you shouldn't can't reduce more, but the doctor thinks you are not compromising your health at your current weight.
  • tomhancock
    tomhancock Posts: 100 Member
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    This might seem a little smart assed, but please don't take it that way. Why don't you ask your doctor this question? A lot of the best free nutritional advice you can get is from asking your family doctor questions. They have studied nutrition for years in practice on top of their medical knowledge plus have first hand experience with hundreds of patients.

    Not saying you won't get good advice on here, but asking the doctor why he said what he did is going to get an answer tailored to your specific health needs, which your doctor knows about, but we don't!!!
  • maddiedog22
    maddiedog22 Posts: 116
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    I think it depends on the doctor. When I was at my highest weight (145lbs, 5'1) my doctor advised me to lose a lil weight. But I had also developed sleep apnea. If u feel physically fine then I'm sure ur weight isn't affecting ur health, but there is nothing wrong with trying to lose more
  • twinmom01
    twinmom01 Posts: 854 Member
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    A lot has to do with your frame and how you carry your weight and to an extent genetics.

    I am 5'4" and according to the "charts" I should be between 130-140...

    if I weighed 140 I would be anorexic...because I have a larger bone structure - I am also curvy so my weight is evenly distributed over my body rather then being centered in one area. My sister who is 3" taller has the same curvy body figure - with 3" taller and 15 lbs lighter gives her one of those envious bodies that can wear those low rider pants without hangover...she does biathalons and triathalons but yet her hips and thighs are just like mine (albeit slightly smaller) it helps that she has the same body type so I dont' beat myself up and come to peace with things like my hips and thighs (knowing even if I worked out as much as she did they would still be there in all their glory)

    I had my body fat and lean body mass measured and the calculations came to 133 lbs of lean body mass...so there is no way in the world I could ever get to 130-140 without looking like skin and bones...My ideal weight calculation was put at 160-165.

    I have switched my way of thinking to go from weight based to toned/ clothing size based...So my goal is to be toned - I dont' care if I am bigger I just don't want to jiggle...right now at about 176 I am in a size 14 - with some of my 14's being a little on the looser side...I would love to get down to a size 10/12 - I do a lot of strength training and lift heavy so it could be just loosing 5 lbs on the scale (since it would pretty much be all body fat since I am maintaining my muscle through weight training and eating loads of protien) could get me to that point...

    Don't beat yourself up over a number on the scale...
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    Body composition matters - If you have a low body fat %, then to lose much weight, you may need to lose lean body mass - which is not a good idea. If you are more muscular than others at your height, your weight will need to stay higher. This is a good thing though!
  • Nikki_42
    Nikki_42 Posts: 298 Member
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    If you don't trust your doctor, you need a new doctor. Or at a minimum a second opinion. Ie>I totally get wanting general feedback from strangers, but your doctor knows you and your history and your body better than us.
  • Jking826
    Jking826 Posts: 131 Member
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    Doctors seem to say the same thing to every patient lol... I'm 5'9 and weigh 190 now but was at 209 and I'm trying to get back down to like 165. I think any smaller I would look sick...I just want to look fit & healthy : )
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    I mentioned my weight to my doctor when I was over 140lbs once (I'm small boned and that is overweight for me), and he said I was fine. It wasn't until I was closer to 240 that he looks at me and goes, "You need to lose some weight!" Duh. Thanks doc. :noway:
  • twinmom01
    twinmom01 Posts: 854 Member
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    This might seem a little smart assed, but please don't take it that way. Why don't you ask your doctor this question? A lot of the best free nutritional advice you can get is from asking your family doctor questions. They have studied nutrition for years in practice on top of their medical knowledge plus have first hand experience with hundreds of patients.

    Not saying you won't get good advice on here, but asking the doctor why he said what he did is going to get an answer tailored to your specific health needs, which your doctor knows about, but we don't!!!

    A lot of Dr's don't study nutrition, unless they have specifically choosen to study that path, which a lot of them don't. Furthermore there are Dr's who will cowtow to the pharmacutical companies - i.e. you have high cholesterol, rather then changing your diet here take this medicine.

    I went to a Dr. 2 years ago to specifically address why I wasn't loosing weight after journaling and exercising for 5 months...explained what I was eating (chicken, fish, no red meat, lots of fruits and veggies) - they did blood work and came back and told me "everything looks good , but your cholesterol is a bit high you may want to cut back on your red meat consumption"....I never went back because apparently she didn't bother to listen me at all...since we had a whole discussion about how I was eating low fat and gave up red meat, etc...

    Better off looking for a dietitican or a nutrionist - if they are certified then they are the ones who have studied nutrion for years...
  • amdahwd
    amdahwd Posts: 237 Member
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    I hate to tell you, but doctors have not studied nutrition for years - they are not experts! Case in point, last week, my mom was told she needed to follow a special diet because she was borderline diabetic and they do not want to put her on medications. She asked the doctor what she was supposed to eat. He proceeded to go to the lobby, get 5 different brochures, bring them back to her and tell her to look at them. Every one of them was different. When he came back to the room, she asked him what to do, and his response was to pick one of them and follow that one and not to mix them up. His best answer...

    Another answer for that - our hometown general practitioner who was the "diet doctor". When I went to him a couple of years ago for that quick fix (yes, the pills), his advice was the same old stuff I had heard for years - don't eat bread or other white stuff, no sugar in my diet (even from fruit), nothing but fat free dressing on my 1 cup of salad that I was allowed a day, and nothing after 6:00 at night. Otherwise, eat whatever I could put into those guidelines.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    I'm 5'9. weigh 151 and wear a 4... when I was weighing 180, I wore a 10/12, and was just plain fat.

    Would I ever get down to 125? No prob. not.. but I like where I am and it suits my frame.
  • TaylorsGranddad
    TaylorsGranddad Posts: 453 Member
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    I've found that doctors have very low standards when it comes to weight.

    Agreed...

    Mine told me that my BMI is correct and I should be about 130lbs...

    My target is 160-168, I'm 5'8", I played rugby when I was younger so I'm quite large framed, if I was 130lbs I'd need hospital treatment.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    I'm 5'11". I think I will probably be stuck at 200 lbs for awhile once I get there. I can't explain all the science behind it, but the body does have set points. Basically, the set point is a biochemical mechanism to defend against starvation. It requires a lot of work and effort to break through a set point. But it can be done. My goal is 170 lbs, but I just know I will linger around 200 lbs because when I was 200 lbs before I gained, I seemed to hover around that point for a long time.

    If you don't want to accept 200 lbs as your final weight, then don't. Keep pushing yourself harder. Eventually, your body will cave and you will lose again. Whatever you do, don't give up!

    Edited to add that I also have a large frame like you do. :smile:
  • jennifer52484
    jennifer52484 Posts: 888 Member
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    I would take what the doc said as he/she is not concerned weight your weight at this point. If you want to lose weight, I think you should. Weight loss doesn't just happen over night. Just keep in control of what you are eating and exercise. You will break the plateau. You just can't give up.

    Also, I'm 5'5" and when I was 187lbs I thought i was "big boned" or "large framed" too.. but I wasn't, It was pure fat. Either that or my bones shrunk :tongue:
  • JulieH3art
    JulieH3art Posts: 293 Member
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    Has she measured your waist size and waist/hip ratio? There are some real cardiovascular risks if you are not below a certain level, irregardless of your weight.

    and if you want to lose, and you are overweight, she should help you in any way she can.
  • roachhaley
    roachhaley Posts: 978 Member
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    Has she measured your waist size and waist/hip ratio? There are some real cardiovascular risks if you are not below a certain level, irregardless of your weight.

    and if you want to lose, and you are overweight, she should help you in any way she can.

    >irregardless

    :indifferent:
  • Dtho5159
    Dtho5159 Posts: 1,054 Member
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    My dr is realistic. He knows my history of being overweight and knows I won't get to 125-130. He said he was fine with me weighing 175-180 but I want to try to get as close to 150 as I can.

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