The Importance of Doctor’s Consultations When Dieting

While it’s not wholly unsafe to try changing your diet, you should speak with a trained and experienced physician before changing your diet drastically. If you find that you have reached a weight that you believe is affecting your daily life negatively, it may be time to talk to a doctor about their recommended diets for weight loss.

Doctors understand more than most people do about the physiology of the body and how our weight loss efforts influence our lives. They can provide us with information on healthy ways to lose weight fast to allow us to continue living our best lives while making improvements. Without a doctor’s help, you may not be able to correctly balance your diet, and you could encounter problems such as:

• Malnutrition
• Lethargy
• Vitamin Deficiency

Before beginning a radical new diet program, be sure to consult with a doctor on the possibilities of diet, exercise, and weight loss medication.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Dieting

Physicians have answers to common questions posed by dieters who are concerned with the safety of making major changes to the foods they eat and the frequency at which they eat them. Some effective starting questions to ask for your first weight loss consultation include:

Am I a good candidate for weight loss?

Not every person who is overweight is fit to begin a rigorous weight loss regimen. You must first work with your doctor to determine if common weight loss methods are right for you or if you might be a candidate for other, less common weight loss methods.

If you have tried many diets before without positive results, you may be a better candidate for weight loss with the help of weight loss medications. Your doctor will be able to determine what dieting approach is best for you based on your weight history.

Is my weight affecting my health?

Some people are simply heavier than others. Your doctor’s main concern will be the visceral fat (the fat around your vital organs) that may be preventing your body from carrying out normal physiological processes. After that, your stored fat (the fat visible underneath the skin) will be of concern because too much of it causes stress on all parts of the body, including muscles, bones, and joints.

What kinds of risks am I likely to encounter?

Depending on your overall health, including any chronic illnesses or infections you may be battling, your doctor may be concerned about risks to your health should you begin dieting.

To properly lose weight, maintain the lost weight, and heal from injuries caused by being overweight, you need plenty of nutrients and a healthy circulatory system for blood delivery. Talking with your doctor will allow him or her to properly diagnose your condition and inform you of the risks you may encounter.

How much weight should I lose?

Your weight loss goals should be set realistically and in a way that makes them achievable while maintaining good health. Losing too much weight, and especially losing that weight rapidly, has the potential to damage skin, organs, and other bodily systems that have come to depend on your current condition.

Doctors can help you find the perfect weight loss milestones that, if you follow your diet and exercise plans and properly take your weight loss medication, will lead to better overall health. Don’t be tempted to aim too high – rapid weight loss is temporarily rewarding, but it can have serious negative side effects. Speak with one of our doctors today to start a diet program that is custom tailored to your needs.