5 Questions To Ask Your Doctor When You Have Trouble Losing Weight

Some people struggle to lose weight. It's important to pinpoint what may be causing this struggle in order to resolve the issue. First, you want to go to a doctor for help. While at the doctor's office, here are five questions to ask your doctor when you have trouble losing weight.

How is my diet?

The things you eat greatly affect your weight. French fries, chips, and cookies may be tempting, but they have a lot of calories without very much nutritional value. You need to be honest with your doctor about what you eat. They can give you honest feedback and tell you how to make better decisions.

Even if you think you’re eating right, it could be that you have certain food sensitivities that are getting in the way of your weight loss goals. This happens because the digestive tract, irritated by sensitivities, loses the vital nutrients while still absorbing the easy calories. This makes it extremely difficult to lose unwanted weight. Because your body isn’t satisfied by your meal or snack, you’ll likely go back to eat more, often facing the same problem as before. You can talk to your doctor to help find out what food sensitivities you might have.

Am I exercising enough?

You aren't going to lose weight if you don't exercise during the day. It can be hard to find time to exercise when you have to focus on work and family. Once again, be honest with your doctor about your exercise routine and look for ways to improve it.

For many, it’s intimidating to start a workout regime when they don’t feel confident in their body or its abilities. Your doctor will likely be able to suggest exercises that you can start with, or they may be able to refer you to resources that can help set up a healthy fitness program for you. While some muscle soreness is normal after a workout, remember not to push through sharp pains and to seek medical attention if regular aches don’t fade as expected.

What health issues can being overweight cause?

Some people don't understand how dangerous it is to be overweight. It makes your heart and lungs work harder, sometimes to the point of not being able to work at all. Diabetes, mobility problems, and mental health issues are also a concern. Talk to your doctor about these risks to help increase your motivation to get better.

Could I have a thyroid problem?

The thyroid is notorious for its adverse effect on weight. Depending on the specific thyroid issues, some people find themselves losing weight uncontrollably and dangerously, while others gain a lot of weight quickly and are unable to exercise or diet it back off.

Fixing the thyroid problem can contribute to weight loss. Talk to your doctor about how to find out if your thyroid is the culprit and, if it is, what you can do about it.

Would I be a candidate for surgery?

Many people who struggle to lose weight consider turning to surgery to get results. Some people are great candidates for weight loss surgery while others aren't. Generally speaking, surgery is a last resort. If you’re considering weight loss surgery, you should be obese rather than slightly overweight, relatively healthy outside of the obesity, and struggling in one particular bothersome area. 

Surgery should be taken seriously, and you may experience some digestive issues after. Also, it's important to realize that you need to diet and exercise after the surgery to keep the weight off. The surgery itself isn’t a cure-all and you may need to make lifestyle changes.

Being overweight can make someone feel insecure and develop low self esteem. Losing weight can be the key to regaining your confidence. This additional confidence can help you tackle everything else in your life as well.

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Written By:

Anita Ginsburg is a freelance writer from Denver, Colo. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn't writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.

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Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.