EMAIL THREAD what does your doctor recommend to help you lose weight? curious what your experiences have been. Here is one perspective from an MD writing for us! -PT Link Wed. Nov 5, 7:53am

counting calories carefully is the only thing that ever worked for me. Sunday, November 16, 2008, 4:43 PM

When I went to my Dr. for help losing weight she prescribed Meridia because she said it would help with my depression. I was so excited the first day when I was able to put my fork down half way through lunch because I no longer felt like eating. That was the first and last positive moment of my experience. I started feeling 'odd' and my eating habit's didn't improve despite my high hopes after the first day. After three weeks I said, enough, and quit taking them. I felt horrible for the next week...and ate comfort food to feel better. What a fiasco! I told the Dr. my experience and she wanted to put me on blood pressure meds since I couldn't lose weight. She never once suggested anything but WW, which I had already tried for years without success. But I didn't want to start on the cycle of meds that often starts with BP meds - I've watched friends go down that road and no thank you. I told her I would consider it (we don't have to do what they say) while researching alternatives. Now I'm mostly an Eat to Live gal, and looking forward to my next BP check. Sunday, November 16, 2008, 5:02 PM

My dr. told me to eat natural unprocessed foods and measure my portion sizes. She hadn't heard of Dr. Fuhrman but pretty much told me to eat the way he lays it out in his books. When I showed her the Eat to Live book I checked out of the library, she said "Yes! That's exactly it!" So I've been eating lots of fruits, veggies & whole grains. Just a tiny bit of chicken or beef a couple times a month, added to a salad or brown rice. I'm not ready to be a total vegetarian, but eating this way has helped me feel a lot better and the weight is just dropping off. Also, I don't have to shoot insulin before meals anymore. Though I still have to take my oral diabetes meds and shoot the 24-hour insulin at bedtime. I'm just waiting for the day when I don't need those meds anymore. To date I'm down 36 lbs since I started eating this way, and I don't feel the least bit deprived or like I'm "on a diet". FYI -- my take on the reason this isn't widely adopted: nobody can make money on it. Well, except for Dr. Fuhrman's book sales. But nobody can make money on a plan membership, special foods, drugs, etc. Sunday, November 16, 2008, 8:19 PM

My doctor made no recommendations other than that I could stand to lose a few. My father's doctor recommended South Beach to him. So, finding myself in need of shedding a few - I decided to check it out. I love it - I find myself actively avoiding refined carbs not because I'm 'on a diet', but because I feel so much better when I do. The diet allows healthy carbs tempered by lean protein and fiber. I eat very little in the way of processed foods and most of my meals consist of a lot of veggies and some lean protein. I watch sugar on labels like a hawk. I can honestly say I've never looked and felt better - especially my skin (yes, I'm vain). Never, not in a million years did I think I'd be happy long-term on a low carb diet, but this is the way I was meant to live. I could actually have more carbs than I do at this phase in the diet, but I'm happier without them. Sunday, November 16, 2008, 9:00 PM

the PH Miracle My doctor recommended the PH Miracle. By the way, I'm reading the Diet Evolution book by Dr. Gundry.... interesting. Sunday, November 16, 2008, 9:15 PM

My doctor told me that I needed to lose weight and the best way was diet and exersize. No big revelation there. I told him that I would see what I could do, but was making no promises. My problem: food! I love it all and have a raging sweet tooth. The good thing is that I love to exersize as well. Monday, November 17, 2008, 8:13 AM

My doctor told me to quit eating wheat, and cut back on grains. Personally, the limited meat suggested by Fuhrman is not healthy, nor is the idea of eating so much grain. The opinion of a physician who recommends the diet after only two weeks isn't worth the bandwith it's using up. A two week trial is never considered significant in the medical community. Monday, November 17, 2008, 10:12 AM

the meat question is one I a definitely interested in. I totally eat in the way dr fuhrman suggests, which is basic common sense. lots of fruits, veggies, greens. But I do eat meat, way more than he recommneds. What i do is try to go for the organic stuff and get rid of as much of the fat as possible. My own theory is that there is a ton of toxins in animal fat, simply because that is where a lot of it ends up. it is not that animal products are bad per se, it just that you want to avoid a toxin delivery channel if you can. Monday, November 17, 2008, 10:37 AM

I've been very disappointed in my various doctors' advice over the years. They often seem sheepish about mentioning my weight, or don't at all, and their advice is the usual vague "eat less, exercise more". And worse, after I successfully lost and maintained 70 lbs to get to a healthy weight, they were uninterested and unimpressed. And had no useful advice about dealing with post-fat issues like being cold all the time. My conclusion has been -- the doctors with weight problems have just as much psychological projections about it as anybody else, and the thin ones think fat people are just lazy. In other words, most doctors, who should be educated and know better, just don't get it. If *I* was a doctor, I would have a packet to give people with multiple options for all of the strategies that we know are part of effective weight loss -- for instance, "Strategy #3 Get a support network. Choose one (or more): peertrainer, weight watchers, or a weight loss buddy" (other strategies -- get more sleep, reduce stress, make daily exercise a habit, eat more veggies, etc.) People don't need to be told "Eat less, exercise more", they need to be told practical ways HOW to do that. Otherwise it's like telling a diabetic "It's simple -- just control your blood sugar!" or a cancer patient "It's simple -- just stop those cells from growing!" Part of why I am a bit bitter -- years ago I asked doctors about my nose, which I couldn't breathe through. They said it was because I was fat -- translation, you deserve it, can't do much about it until you lose weight. Well, I finally lost weight and STILL couldn't breathe -- went to a proper ENT, he said I had a deviated septum, had some surgery and now it is much much improved. So when I was fat, every problem was due to that and implicitly my fault. Monday, November 17, 2008, 11:41 AM

I work in a doctors office and the #1 thing he recommends is for people to join weight watchers, because of the support it can provide. Monday, November 17, 2008, 11:49 AM

No Recomendations I too have had little feedback from Doctors besides the you should lose some weight" statement. I think nearly everyone overweight knows they could lose weight but very few realize that they are obese. Showing patients the BMI scale and providing them suggestions on how to get started would be great. Like the PP poster said, reading materials, portion recomendations, peer support goups like PT WW etc, and a goal. I was going to the GYN once every 3 months for depo for 5 years. My 2 doctors over that time could have tried to encourage me to lose weight by suggesting by the next time they see me I lose 10 pounds. Having a goal from your doctor helps make things real. After I lost a lot of weight, no thanks to my PCP I went back and she asked me if I had a thyroid problem since my weight had dropped so drastically. No thank you woman, I worked my a$$ off to get here (25yo F, 5'6" 155lbs, 50lbs gone) Monday, November 17, 2008, 5:44 PM

Im not personally overweight but my mom is and she is diabetic and the doctor recommended she follow a "diabetic eating plan" and excerise DUH when she does follow her plan she sheds lbs like crazy and the second she doesnt they stick to her like glu. Monday, November 17, 2008, 9:49 PM

My doctor recommended that I don't eat normal "breakfast food" like cereal (even the healthy ones!) bananas etc. She told me to eat leftovers, soup chicken, even PIZZA! I went to my doc last wed and found out that I had gained 15 lbs since March, and that is with exercising, eating healthy, and enough sleep! She said I should start eating my breakfast like it was lunch, and to not eat past 7 PM, with the exception of a snack, I usually have a few carrots. : ) Monday, November 17, 2008, 10:19 PM

I dont think a lot mds are all that knowledgable about nutrition..otherwise they would be perscribing nutrition more that pills..and I think they may be a little uncomfortable about the whole obesity thing... you will probably learn more by reading up on your own..books on nutrition and fitness and healthy life plans..see what makes sense to you.. Monday, November 17, 2008, 10:38 PM

The best thing my doctor did was to send me to a dietician and tell me he wanted me to lose 20 pounds by the next appointment. I went to the dietician kicking and screaming thinking "I can do this on my own". I was WRONG! I learned so much the first time I went and look forward to seeing her each time now. My doctor put out the challenge to me to lose 20 pounds...I lost 30 by the next appointment. He also told me to walk 3-miles a day. No matter the weather no matter what, 3 miles a day. I stopped eating beef and pork, pototatoes and corn, and all added salt. No butter and very little bread. I also cut out most all of the processed foods. I eat mostly fresh fruit and veggies with some chicken and turkey. I feel much better when I eat like this and can tell a major difference when I slip and have chips or candy of any kind. Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 6:09 AM

to the poster who said "eat lunch for breakfast" -- I have had good results from focusing on PROTEIN for breakfast, and minimizing carbs. eg, 2 eggs with cheese, maybe on just one slice of whole grain bread. It keeps you full so much longer and prevents the mid-morning pastry... (and btw, if you eat well otherwise the eggs won't ruin your cholesterol) Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 9:20 PM

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