Help! I’m Struggling to Lose Weight

Nearly 50% of adults in the United States try to lose weight every year. However, more than 70% of adults in the US are overweight or obese.

At Central Clinic in Spring Hill, Florida, our family medicine specialist, Dr. Poonam Malhotra, understands the struggles many people face when it comes to losing weight. That’s why she offers weight management services. 

We want you to know you’re not alone and help is available. 

The truth about weight struggles

When you struggle to drop those unwanted pounds or find yourself losing and gaining the same weight over and over again, you blame yourself. You think your inability to lose weight or keep it off is because you lack willpower and self-discipline. 

But you’re wrong. It’s your physiology, not your willpower, that’s making it so hard for you to reach your weight goals.

To lose weight you need to eat less, move more, or both. When you reduce your calorie intake to lose weight, your body instinctively goes into survival mode. Though you’re eating less to lose weight and get healthy, your body thinks your sudden decrease in calories means starvation is right around the corner. 

To “save” you, your body increases production of hormones that stimulate your appetite and your brain releases neurotransmitters that make you crave high-calorie foods. 

On top of that, when you lose weight, your resting metabolic rate decreases. This means you need to eat even less or move even more to continue losing. 

Knowing how hard your body fights your desire to get to a healthy weight can leave you feeling defeated. But there are ways you can fight back, especially when you have help.

Getting help

Yes, many people can lose weight without help. And some, though very few, may be able to maintain their new weight for a long time. However, there’s nothing wrong with getting help, especially when you’re struggling to lose weight. 

When losing weight on your own, you focus on calories and that number on your bathroom scale. To lose weight and keep it off, you need to shift the focus from calories and weight to overall health and lifestyle habits.

Changing how you behave, think, and feel about your health, weight, and food is hard to do on your own. Getting expert guidance and support can be the factor that finally stops the struggle. 

Considering medical weight loss

There are many factors that influence your weight and ability to lose that go beyond your body’s physiology. Medical history, medication, and genetics also affect weight and may make it harder for you to reach your weight goals.

Medical weight loss is a comprehensive approach to losing weight. It addresses all the factors that influence your weight. For our weight-loss patients, we take an integrative and holistic approach. Our program includes:

• Personalized nutrition plans
• Exercise programs that match your fitness level
• Medications to control hunger or underlying health conditions
• Dietary supplements
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Lifestyle counseling

With our medical weight management program we teach you how to live to improve health and the weight loss naturally follows. 

Stop blaming yourself for your weight-loss struggles. Let us help you reach your weight goals. Call our office or request an appointment online today.