The FastDay Forum

Given the diversity of bodies on this forum, it is clear that some of us have/had a lot to lose and some of use less so. Interestingly, even though I think I am 25-30lbs over a healthy weight (207lbs at 5'11''), I have never been told by a doctor that I weigh too much. Why?

Perhaps I hide my weight well and I don't look "fat". But my physician has never told me I should lose weight or that I would benefit from shedding pounds. While I know doctors may be sensitive to the topic of weight and don't want to offend, I sort of wish I had been told in plain English that I was overweight. In my mind I have been healthy and perhaps relative to my doctor's other patients, I'm in good shape. Once he mentioned my cholesterol was a little high and he made a general comment about eating a balanced diet with plenty of veggies. But noting specifically about weight.

Anyway, I heard a few comments at Christmas this year that I was looking hefty and that's really what got me motivated to try 5:2. Had my doctor said something the past few years, I think it would have been a reality check for me. So, what has been your experience with doctors telling (or not telling) you to lose weight)?

My doctor told me to lose weight. He started saying it when he noticed the number going up on his paperwork. I was maybe 20-30 pounds overweight at the time. The only other comments on weight I've had from a doctor was a chiropractor telling me to keep my weight down (when I was fairly thin) to keep my back pain in check. Unfortunately I didn't listen.

I visited the doctor just last week, and he didn't mention my weight loss at all!

Both my GP and then consultant (re hip replacement) told me to try and "lose a bit of weight" - but it was almost a passing comment - maybe a stern talking to earlier would have helped However, we do have to take responsibility for ourselves don't we Anyway I'm pleased to report that I've lost practically 4 stone (2 stone since my hip replacement last year) and am due to see my GP in the next month or so - and you bet that he's going to mention my weight loss - 'cos I certainly shall - and I've bought him a copy of the 5:2 book to read 'cos when I saw him last November he'd not heard of it!

I have a very negative experience regarding my weight gain and a couple of doctors to whom I talked to about it.
Both my GP and an endocrinologist I saw about my thyroid and its "malfunction" and my weight gain paid no attention to my worries and actually implied that I'm an hysteric (that was the endocrynologist) for worrying so much because the weight I gained wasn't even the 10% of my body weight.
I get mad even talking about it and I've very disappointed that they failed to help and suggest anything besides the Dukan diet (sorry but I don't fancy doctors who suggest diets that lack of one of the food groups)!!!

I took the pre-emptive strike route. Some time after I first started with my doctor, I started to gain weight. In looking at my chart, she told me that she wouldn't start nagging until 170 lbs. Well, this spring I hit 163, knew I would have to get into another size of clothes if I didn't lose weight, didn't want to face the doctor with a 10 lb gain over the last year, and saw the Eat, Fast, Live Longer program! The rest is history!

Yes, but not in so many words and I was in denial. You can see my pictures and wonder, I wondered 6 months after the the doctor's hints. I never thouight I was fat. My waist was 96 cm The doctor was half hearted (I don't blame him, I was a fatalistic brick wall) and besides health professionals are resigned to something that cannot be changed - we're getting fatter

Trousers in NZ were manufactured with elastic inserts - I was able to buy 96 cm and they weren't tight. I've always been fat so I look a bit fat. Family legacy, my mum's side of the family have always been proud of their stomachs.

I saw the horizon programme. My wife is much younger than me and I thought I should try to extend my life. So I got the tape measure out. It slowly sunk in as I made those measurements how fat I was. I felt foolish and idiotic - I realised I had been conned by my vanity.

Here I am despite the manufacturers of clothes, food and beverage - and vanity. Which is surprising considering that most people didn't think I was fat when I was living in New Zealand - they were in the same postion as me.

I am talking about something wrong with our whole diet culture. Some fundamental con. Something we are powerless against. Life is full of surprises. I am pleased this diet is working.

Now I am harnessing my vanity for my benefit!

I saw my doctor last November for a regular physical after having gained over 20 lbs last year (not to make excuses but my father was very sick; it was a very bad year). I weighed in at his office at about 150 lbs (I'm 5 ft.4). I had started to work on weight loss by that point by a few weeks, but that didn't stop him from writing this into my written medical report: "Work hard to lose weight." UGH! I had never had anything like that in a written report before. What a way to go into the holidays, with these instructions engraved on your brain - but he's one of those docs who calls it like he sees it and he knows my cholesterol and BP levels will go back to normal (I control both without medicine for now) if I lose weight and exercise regularly. Some doctors aren't so blunt. My obgyn is a little more tolerant of weight swings, but 150 was a new/record high (aside from being pregnant). I'm also shorter so weight gain is a bigger deal, especially relative to my BP and cholesterol if I'm not exercising...hope this helps.

Yes I have been told it was last year when after a routine checkup blood pressure taken, jumped on the scales, the doctor,then said did you know your twice the woman you were just couple of years ago
yep that a wake up call she just suggested cutting down carbs and more exercise that's it no further info or follow up given, thus it has taken me until finding 5:2 to get serious about getting healthy again after trying various "diets" and none being sustainable for my way of life.

doctors don't really get much training on nutrition and weight loss, and since weight issues are seen has purely behavioral, they leave it to you to change your habits. it's changing in some systems. i had an HMO and they have weight loss clinics, etc that are really good.
my doc had access to my records for the last 10 years, and she noticed the weight gain that occurred in mostly the last 3 years. still in a "safe" range, so she didn't suggest weight loss, but did check my vitals to verify cholesterol et al were not dangerous. i was trying for 3 years to lose weight (managed to do it twice before) and even with a year of personal training, couldn't shift anything (though was getting definition). so, i'm really convinced now it's about diet. i've lost a small bit in two weeks on 5:2, but i know some of that is muscle just by virtue of no longer doing the personal training.... here's to some fat making it's way off too though!

12 years ago i had a workplace injury and the specialist dr writing a report for the insurance company did not hesitate to inform me I was 15 kgs overweight and that I ought take up scuba diving? I was outraged of course but 15 kgs was seared into my brain and that is my weight loss goal. He was right and game to call it.

I think while generally weight is a sensitive issue and we don't need to be told as we know

[janeg]

...and dis you take up diving gillymary? Isn't it odd the things that stick in our brains?

I've had a few doctors be a bit mean about it in Japan. It annoyed me because they started blaming every health problem on my weight, even ones I had as a skinny teenager. I get blood tests every year, and my diabetes and heart risk indicators are all in the normal range. I exercise more than most people my age. I don't mind them telling me that I should lose weight. In our yearly health exam, we are asked if we want to get help losing weight.

My employer offered a health check a few years ago and all my values were great - except my BMI that was probably around 28 at that time. The nurse who walked me through the results gave me a stern look and asked: You are overweight - What are you going to do about it?

But that was not any news to me so that didn't affect me at the time since my results apart from BMI were really good.....