If you’re trying to lose weight, it can be frustrating to experience a standstill, setback or plateau.
Establishing a relationship with a primary care provider can be so beneficial for your journey to better health, as they’ll typically have the fullest view of your medical history and can provide general tips toward better health — including tips for weight loss.
Daniel O’Bryan, DO, a family medicine physician at AdventHealth Medical Group Primary Care at Temple Terrace, shares insights on four ways your primary care provider can help you lose weight.
“First things first — your primary care provider can review your medical history and order lab work to look for any potential causes behind your weight gain,” says Dr. O’Bryan. “Once you know whether or not health-related issues are hindering your weight loss efforts, you and your provider can work together to create a personalized plan tailored to your needs.”
Creating A Nutrition Plan
One way your provider can help you achieve your weight-loss goals is by working with you to create a balanced nutrition plan, ensuring you’re receiving the nutrients you need and not eating an abundance of not-so-healthy ingredients, like saturated fats, for example.
“If you’re making drastic changes to your diet, your provider will likely recommend lab work to monitor your vitamin and mineral levels,” says Dr. O’Bryan. “Lasting weight loss results from healthy weight loss — and if you’re experiencing nutrient deficiencies, you won’t have the energy your body needs, or the desire, to maintain your weight loss.”
Setting Exercise Goals
Exercise is an essential element for lasting weight loss. Still, if you aren’t accustomed to regular exercise, you may not even be sure where to begin, and getting started can seem overwhelming and overly complicated. “It’s OK to start slow and work up to longer, more intense periods of exercise as you’re able; even short walks up and down your street are beneficial and help create positive habits,” says Dr. O’Bryan.
Encouraging Healthy Habits
Successful weight loss has a lot to do with diet and exercise, but there are also other areas of your life that, when improved, can be beneficial for weight loss. “You can talk with your primary care provider about additional ways to implement other healthy habits,” shares Dr. O’Bryan. “For example, staying well-hydrated, getting a good night’s sleep and spending time in the fresh air can all do wonders for your body and even help move your weight-loss goals forward by lowering your stress levels and improving blood flow.”
Prescription Weight-Loss Medication and Bariatric Services
If you’ve tried other avenues of losing weight and haven’t found lasting success, you can ask your provider for information regarding medical weight loss solutions, including prescribed medications that can aid in weight loss or even bariatric surgical procedures. Your primary care provider can help assess if these options may be a good fit for you or refer you to a specialist for further assistance.
We’re By Your Side on Your Journey to Better Health
Losing weight can seem like a long and sometimes overwhelming process. We encourage you to talk with your primary care provider for guidance and more information on lasting weight loss.
