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The path to weight loss for obese adults (and children/teens) begins with an official medical diagnosis and a subsequent treatment plan. Here’s what to expect if you’re obese or severely overweight and seeking a conclusive diagnosis with an effective treatment plan that’ll help get you on the road to recovery.
The path to weight loss for obese adults (and children/teens) begins with an official medical diagnosis and a subsequent treatment plan. Here’s what to expect if you’re obese or severely overweight and seeking a conclusive diagnosis with an effective treatment plan that’ll help get you on the road to recovery. Succeeding at weight loss starts with a medical diagnosis from a board-certified doctor/surgeon, followed by committing to a comprehensive treatment plan. Not exactly an easy feat in the least, beating the bulge takes time, personal dedication, perseverance, and patience. But it can – and has – been done. Weight loss convalescence consists of identifying common diet and exercise pitfalls, a full medical evaluation, a series of requisite tests/exams, calculating BMI, a candid discussion of family medical history, psychological therapy sessions, and more. It’s just the beginning to an often long, arduous journey. Once the diagnosis process ends, a treatment plan will be recommended based on the results of the patient’s medical evaluation, exams, health history, BMI, and other diagnostic conclusions. Here, we break it all down and what to expect in the initial stages of your weight loss journey.
Your Obesity Diagnosis
The diagnosis phase of obesity is comprised of several factors. The following is just an overview, as there may be more or less steps taken during this process.
● Health History Review
A complete review of a patient’s weight history and past weight loss efforts will be assessed. What worked? What didn’t work? Why and/or why not? Early-life eating habits, activity levels, social behaviors, medication history, stress levels/stress management, and family health history (to rule out possible genetic predispositions) will also be evaluated.
● Full Physical Exam
Height/weight measurements will be taken, along with vitals, heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, examination of the abdomen, and listening to heart and lungs. This is similar to a standard physical exam that may be taken by your general practitioner.
● BMI Calculation
A Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher is classified as clinically obese. Keep in mind, most patients need a BMI of 40 or higher (or 35 or higher with a co-morbidity) to qualify for weight loss surgery.
Treating Your Obesity
The goal of recommending a treatment plan for weight loss is for the patient to not only lose the excess, potentially harmful weight, but to keep it off for good. Maintaining a stable, healthy weight over the course of a lifetime, while implementing strategic, overall lifestyle changes, ensures patients will never have to return for a revision treatment plan. Generally, weight loss treatment plans may include an entire team of bariatric experts, such as a certified dietician to devise eating plans and a behavioral therapist to help identify psychological challenges, educate the patient on adopting lifelong, healthy eating and exercise habits, and offer emotional support. Depending on the severity of obesity, as well as a patient’s willingness to commit to a plan, all weight loss treatment plans require complete overhauls in eating and activity habits. Most weight loss treatment plans will also include surgical intervention, such as gastric sleeve surgery, gastric bypass surgery, or adjustable gastric banding (lap-band), in addition to modified eating and exercise regimens. In some cases, patients will be prescribed medications to assist in their weight loss efforts. Bear in mind, weight loss medications are not for everyone and are rarely sustainable for long-term weight loss success without lifestyle changes. Their slimming effects can wane overtime causing a gradual regain in the weight lost.
Additional Treatment Strategies
Taking the initiative into ensuring one’s own weight loss success starts with steadfast dedication and even a bit of creativity. Here are some additional strategies and steps patients can begin taking today – before they even book a consultation or surgery date – that will help get them a few steps closer to their renewed body goals:
● Getting educated about obesity and why they developed the condition in the first place. Knowledge is indispensable and can help you prevent repeating the same mistakes or harmful habits.
● Setting realistic goals and having realistic expectations. Start making small, doable changes in eating and exercising habits you know you can stick to.
● Seek professional support to help overcome harmful, lifelong behaviors that contributed to your excessive weight gain. Lifelong, sustainable changes are not easy to make, so a support system will prove beneficial.
● Take out a pen and some paper and begin writing. Keep a food journal to monitor what’s working and what’s NOT working. Patients embarking on ANY health journey also find journaling about their emotions and day-to-day activities to be very healing and cathartic.
● Learn to manage stress levels. Life is stressful at any size, but especially for those going through weight loss treatment. Some ways to reduce stress include yoga, meditation/deep breathing exercises, vacationing, hiking, biking, reading, writing (journaling), vacationing, and getting enough sleep!
● Introduce more fresh fruits, veggies, lean meats, fatty fish, and whole grains into your daily diet. Pile plate with body-bettering, nutrient-dense, wholesome foods that fill you up faster and for longer. Nix sugar-laden, empty calorie choices (candy, desserts, boxed cereals), including alcohol that can derail your diet. Learn to measure out portion sizes to ensure you stick to an allotted number of calories.Your nutritionist will help determine how many calories you should consume daily. This number is highly specific and depends on gender, age, BMI, height, current weight,
and ideal weight.
● Step-up your game! Record your daily activity levels with a pedometer. Aiming for 10,000 steps a day is a step in the right direction and ensures you win the war on weight.
Conclusion
If you’re considering being officially diagnosed for obesity with a potential weight loss treatment plan, world-renowned bariatric surgeon, Dr. Feiz, and his team of bariatric associates are here to help. We invite you to take the first step in achieving a better body and better health by calling our office today to set-up a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Feiz or any of his associates.
