Comments on: Doctor’s Lame Weight Loss Advice

By: Diane

Diane — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:04:33 +0000

That was terrible advice! I hope you don’t struggle with that disorder anymore! If you do, hopefully you can find a doctor that can offer healthy advice and not stupid, dangerous advice.

By: A Girl Running

A Girl Running — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:52:05 +0000

I wanted to mention one other situation. I struggled with eating disorders for many years. When I was 19 and 2 years into my disorder I decided to see a dietician to get some help as I knew what I was doing was wrong and did not know how to stop.

I embarrasingly confessed that I would overeat, and get rid of the food by using laxettes, excessive exercise and induced vomiting. He told me “not to worry, lots of young girls control their weight like that”

I walked away $90 poorer and feeling silly about something that was obviously “normal”.

I spent the next decade fully emerged and miserable in a never ending cycle of disordered eating.

By: A Girl Running

A Girl Running — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:47:24 +0000

It’s very rare to be weighed by a Dr in Australia (where I live when I am not in Spain) but I once told a Dr I was concerned about my weight gain (I was a size 12 back then) he told me to stop eating breakfast!

Before I left Australia I put on a lot of weight in a short amount of time. When I went to see my Dr to have my medical records to take overseas with me, he took one look at my hips and “What happened to you, why did you do that to yourself” I have been nervous about medical visits ever since

By: Diane

Diane — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:26:52 +0000

Margaret,
I’m so glad you are catching up today! You are right – doctors are afraid of offending people. In fact, today on the Fox News website I saw a clip where two of the commentators were discussing how some doctor’s had been sued by their overweight patients for suggesting they were overweight! I was once referred to a nutritionist, but only went twice because she was trying to tell me what to eat!

By: Margaret

Margaret — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:02:32 +0000

About doctors and weight loss advice. I think doctors are afraid to offend their overweight patients. They need to think it through and be ready to bring it up if the patient doesn’t. When I have asked my doctors about weight issues they have discussed the problem with me compationately but not necessarily very helpfully. Everyone seems to be left to find a plan on their own. I kind of hoped they would refer me to a nutritionist or something, but that never happened. I hope as more people are obese that they will be better trained to deal with the issue.

This is my day to catch up on your blog. Thanks for all the good advice.

By: Diane

Diane — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:34:51 +0000

Thanks for the nice words! I loved your comment about the “older” doctor. I wonder if he would have followed his own advice had he been struggling with his weight?! You are right, the only way to have long term success is by changing our lifestyles to include exercise, and healthy eating. I haven’t read the book you are following, but I’ll add it to my list of summer reads. Here’s another book I want to read this summer that is by Dr. David Kessler called “The End of Overeating.”

I appreciate your comments very much! Diane

By: MamaBearJune

MamaBearJune — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 02:27:43 +0000

Hi, Diane! Thanks for visiting my blog. I’ve been reading through your story, your articles and your tips. You’ve got some awesome content here! I had been walking regularly for a couple of years and had started eating healthy, but my weight loss was agonizingly slow. I mentioned it to my doctor (70-something need to retire civilian working at the AF Academy) and he said “Oh, you have to cut out carbs and do the South Beach Diet if you want to lose weight quickly.” HELLO???? What a bunch of crap! I had just watched my husband lose 100 pounds in one year by simply “deciding to eat healthy.” (I lost 15 pounds in that year.) He didn’t even exercise because he had an arthritic hip and the pain prevented him from doing anything strenuous.

Starting in Feb of this year, I followed the plan in The Flat Belly Diet book, which is a lifestyle, not a “quick fix, magic pill” kind of thing. It was the first thing that really worked for me and it’s very easy to follow. When people notice my weight loss and ask what I’m doing, I always say “Eating healthy and getting regular exercise!” I know they are hoping to hear they can take a pill and weight will magically fall off of their body, but it always comes back to the basics. Good food and good activity.

Will be putting your blog in my faves!