I’d like to provide some guidelines for how to talk to your doctor about your weight issues. Your doctor does care about your weight. While weight regulation is a combination of both biology and behavior, as you have been reading throughout this book, it ’ s important to start a conversation with your doctor that is honest and open. You will need to acknowledge that you need help with both your biology and your lifestyle.
The first step is a review of your own weight – related risk factors for health, considering each of the following categories: Family history (genetics) Present weight Current lifestyle Current medical illness Smoking history Stress management Next, you ’ ll want to review the following checklist of factors that might be sabotaging your ability to lose weight. Open your discussion with your doctor by reviewing these two lists together.
There are tests to evaluate all of these biological saboteurs, and there are effective treatments to manage them. It’s important to face the reality of your medical history, since even the best lifestyle effort can be overridden by biological factors. If you feel you’re doing everything right and you’re not losing weight, the medical tool is a must – do.
Make it a point to have a yearly checkup with your primary care doctor. Some women double up with their care, using their annual visit with their gynecologist as their yearly general checkup, but I strongly urge you to also select and develop a relationship with a primary care doctor. Particularly when it comes to weight loss, two medical heads are better than one.
