Partnering with your doctor for weight management

Benefits of partnering with your doctor‍

Losing weight is not always as easy as eating less and moving more. Obesity is a complex, chronic condition that involves a lot more than just diet and exercise.¹ As such, you may need a bit of help when it comes to managing your weight. By partnering with a doctor you can lean on their experience and knowledge, and work together to investigate the causes behind your weight gain, as well as why you may be having trouble shifting it.

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As a neutral third party, your doctor may be able to spot patterns or habits that you wouldn’t necessarily notice and help to break them. For example, if you are struggling to resist cravings for certain foods they can help you explore options that may address that aspect of eating.

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Your doctor can also act as the gateway to other healthcare professionals, such as dieticians, exercise physiologists and counsellors. Tackling obesity requires a multidisciplinary approach and your doctor can help you put together your healthcare dream team.¹ 

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If you have tried multiple times to lose weight on your own, it may be time to partner with your doctor and reap the benefits of their skills and knowledge.

What to expect from your doctor‍

Your doctor is there for you and your needs.¹ While looking at things like your body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) they will also ask questions about your diet and exercise regime. In addition, your doctor should be digging a little deeper to better understand your situation. You want your doctor to ask about things like:²

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• Your history of weight gain
• What causes you to gain or lose weight
• What you have tried previously to manage your weight 
• Your medication history (as some medications can cause weight gain)
• If you’ve smoked in the past
• If you have any underlying health conditions that may be contributing to weight gain
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They will also assess you for any health risks as a result of obesity, like problems with your blood pressure, or your sleep.² So don’t be concerned if they are asking you lots of questions that don’t seem related to obesity - asking questions is a good thing! Gathering this information will help your doctor choose the type of management that is suited to your needs.

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Following this, your doctor should work with you to set realistic goals. These should come from an in-depth discussion of your expectations and theirs, and you should end up with an idea of your weight loss targets that are sustainable.¹

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What questions should you ask your doctor?‍

As these discussions are about your body and your life, you should feel confident asking as many questions as you like. Consider asking your doctor the following questions before you even start talking about management options:

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• How do you usually work with patients who want to lose weight?
• What is your experience in obesity?
• Would you recommend any other healthcare professionals to help me lose weight, like a dietitian or counsellor?
• Are we going to work together to create a treatment plan that is specific to me (my background, medical history and needs)?
• What do we do if I can’t lose weight? What are my first, second and third-line options?
• What goes into the development of a treatment plan for weight loss - what sort of things are you considering in order to make treatment decisions?
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These are just some questions to get you started - remember you can ask as many as you want at any point!