As I mentioned before, it takes a team to help a T Rex make a change.
I had someone ask me today why should they pay for a medically supervised weight loss program? Here are just a few reasons why it worked for me, and why I don't think you'd hate it:
Preparation. I don't know about you but I am a researcher. I like
to know everything about everything that I am getting myself into
before hand. I like to read, ask questions, and dig deeper. Having a
doctor who had answers to concerns and who addressed topic before I ever
thought of them was great. For example, my doctor had me fill out a
questionnaire that included this doozie: "When you get to your goal
weight, how will you respond to people who are jealous or think you will
gain it back?" This told me two things: this woman thought I could
actually reach my goal weight, and there would be downsides to losing.
Dealing with disappointment. Weight loss is a journey. Say it with me: a journey. No matter how far you need to go on your journey there will be things you didn't plan for. Plateaus you weren't expecting. Days when you are STARVING and can't figure out why. Days when your old jeans are too big and the new smaller size doesn't fit and you feel bloated and you dropped a weight on your foot and you are giving up and eating donuts because it's too hard. On those days, having someone qualified (and rational) in your corner to remind you how far you have come and what you still have left to do (ahem, to talk you down) is an immeasurable help.
Deal with the downsides. There are downsides to weight loss, beyond the occasional "Donuts because I can," days. Those are things you might never have thought of, things that creep up on you and make you feel like you were better off the way you were before. For example, after having lost 70 or so pounds, I started having gallbladder issues. I thought, "This only happens to fat people who consume lots of fat. This is the healthiest I have been ever!" Then I re-read my entrance packet to the program. Turns out, if you lose OR gain a bunch of weight because of diet changes, your gallbladder might just stage a mutiny. It happens. And having a doctor there to talk to you about why you are always freezing, why you seem to be fatigued or loosing hair, or why your insides want out hasta pronto is well worth it.
Are you meeting your fitness goals on your own? If you are, then stop reading this blog, stop thinking about how to change your training routine, don't think about going to a doctor for help and guidance. If you don't need my advice, you don't need to pay for a doctor's, that is for sure. But if something isn't clicking, if you are struggling, or if you need a knowledgeable confidant and leader to help you, by all mean call a medical weight loss center today and put your money where your chub is.
If none of this makes sense to you, or if you think you can still do it on your own, go for it. You may do great, you may not need a team. But if you are struggling, ask for help. It's more than just a bi-weekly weigh in and pep talk. It's real knowledge and a helping hand.
