Adults With Severe Obesity: Weight Loss Treatment And Tips

People with a BMI of 40 or above suffer from severe obesity, which is a dangerous medical condition. Previously known as morbid obesity, it affects an estimated six million individuals in the United States, or around one in every 33 persons. This condition should not be mistaken for overweight (BMI > 25) or typical obesity (BMI > 30), which are both associated with a variety of complicated metabolic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance syndrome, and elevated blood fats, as well as other weight-related health concerns. It's a dangerous illness that requires medical attention.

I've met and spoken with hundreds of very obese people weighing 300 pounds or more since I started my weight reduction consulting business over 24 years ago. Although their weight was a major source of physical and mental distress for the majority of them, they had "adapted" to their expanding waistlines over time and were designed to stay very overweight for the remainder of their lives.

This sort of patient surrender to lifetime obesity comes as no surprise to doctors and other health care experts who interact with fat individuals. However, it is just one of several roadblocks to long-term weight loss. Many clinically obese people suffer from a range of psychological problems with which they have learned to cope through overeating. Some of these concerns, such as the early death of a parent, need advanced treatment, and even then, they may go unsolved. Furthermore, many obese persons have family, educational, or financial challenges, limiting their treatment and rehabilitation alternatives. 

Given the complexities of obesity's origins, reactions, and circumstances, it's no wonder that many traditional therapies are generally useless. Unfortunately, many individuals of normal weight, including members of the medical profession, still struggle to recognize the intractable nature of the problem, adding to the alienation and shame felt by the very fat.

Obesity Treatment Options

The capacity of treatment to assist extremely obese people to lose weight is primarily determined by its ability to address the underlying causes of the illness. The majority of therapies focus on symptoms (excessive calorie consumption) rather than causes (why obese individuals overeat).

Conventional Weight Loss Diets

Now that the Atkins Diet's low-carb strategy appears to have run its course, leaving many obese dieters near to, if not larger than, their initial starting weight, the efficacy of traditional weight-loss regimens is more questioned than ever. Most reduced-calorie diets, regardless of their food composition, provide insufficient assistance to help obese patients make the essential modifications to their eating and activity routines.

Weight Loss Surgery (Bariatric Surgery)

For individuals with significant weight-related health issues, gastric reduction surgery is an important "last resort" therapy option. It usually results in considerable weight reduction and other health advantages, but it only addresses symptoms, not causes. So, while it forces patients to eat less and lose considerable amounts of weight in the two years following their gastric bypass or banding procedure, it has less effective in dealing with the underlying causes of disordered eating that have grown up in the patient's psyche over time. As a result, around 2-3 years after their operation, a considerable number of bariatric patients find it too difficult to maintain the suggested dietary rules and recover most, if not all, of their initial weight.

Obesity Drug Treatment

Doctors continue to rely significantly on pharmacological intervention for weight loss, as seen by the rising number of obesity medicine prescriptions granted to patients. Furthermore, with obesity being dubbed the "trillion-dollar disease," pharmaceutical corporations continue to pour money into research in the hopes of finding a cure. Despite this, clinical trials using FDA-approved obesity medications continue to reveal very modest long-term weight reduction advantages for extremely obese individuals, largely undoubtedly due to the fact that pharmaceuticals are still unable to address the underlying reasons for disordered eating.

Does This Mean Obesity Is Untreatable?

Does this suggest that obesity is untreatable due to the limited efficacy of standard diets, surgery, and drugs? No. It merely indicates the need for additional specialized or support-based choices. The first step in determining the best treatment choice for any obesity disease is to consult with a physician, who should be able to explain the many specialized therapies available. For example, in the United States and Canada, there are a number of good medically supervised weight reduction programs operated by hospitals and clinics that provide actual assistance and counseling. Overeaters Anonymous (505-891-2664) and TOPS (800-932-8677) are two self-help support organizations that can be incredibly beneficial. For more information, call the American Dietetic Association (800-366-1655) or the American Obesity Association (202-776-7711).

Some Practical Tips If You Are Obese

Anyone who weighs 300 pounds or more should seek medical advice and receive adequate assistance. It is not sufficient to rely just on medications, diets, or willpower. You may, however, do a number of things to assist yourself and enhance your weight-loss chances. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Stop Telling Yourself That You Can't Lose Weight

Whatever your size or shape, and regardless of your weight-gain history, the reality is that you can lose weight and keep it off. I have yet to encounter anyone who has been unable to lose weight in 24 years, yet I have seen many who lack the determination to stay to their diet! The point is that being unable to do something is not the same as not wanting to do it. Most dieters, however, mistake the two. They believe they are unable to lose weight, but in reality, what they are expressing is a refusal to make the required modifications to their eating habits. Stop convincing yourself that you can't lose weight because it's just not true. The fundamental question is: do you want to lose weight, and if so, why do you want to lose weight?

Start Telling Yourself Why You Want To Lose Weight

We send ourselves messages in the form of ideas, which have the same effect as radio advertising. The more we hear a message, the more likely we are to believe it. Every day, tell yourself that you want to reduce weight, and it will gradually become a higher priority. Don't stop there, though. Also, convince yourself how reducing weight would make your life better. Perhaps you want to attract more male attention; perhaps you want to fit into a pair of ordinary jeans, or perhaps you believe that a slimmer figure would increase your confidence. To be honest, it doesn't matter what advantage you believe weight loss will provide; what matters is that you promote this benefit to yourself at every chance. Start immediately and give it three months of your time, and I promise you will lose weight.

Start Understanding Your Body Chemistry

There are three things you should be aware of when it comes to body chemistry and weight loss. To begin with, the longer you go without eating, the more prone you are to binge later. So eat something tiny every three hours at the absolute least. This lowers your chance of bingeing and allows you to burn calories as quickly as possible. Second, the easier it is to overeat food that is less chewy and more easily absorbed. Chewy meals, on the other hand, contain more fiber and hence keep us satisfied for longer. A creamy dessert is a wonderful example of readily digested food. Even after a large lunch, most of us can easily consume a dish of cheesecake or a bowl of creamy ice cream. It would be quite hard to consume 5 oranges or 6 apples after a substantial main dish. So be sure to eat enough high-fiber meals on a regular basis. They are lower in calories, fill your stomach faster, and keep hunger at bay for longer. Finally, most women have food cravings in the week leading up to TOM. This is entirely normal and predictable. To keep yourself satiated, make sure you have an additional supply of nutritious snacks on hand. Above all, don't try to deprive yourself of the additional food your body desires - you'll fail - instead, make sure you have healthy alternatives on hand.

Don't Try To Be Perfect

God does not make flawless individuals; instead, he makes humanity. Humans, on the other hand, adore smoke, booze, double chocolate chip muffins, and cinema popcorn in truck-sized boxes. So, unless you're from Mars, don't expect to be a flawless dieter; it's not going to happen! Every dieter has poor days, weeks, and even months. But what does it matter? It's not a sprint to lose weight; it's a journey. It makes no difference how long it takes you to get to your goal. The only thing that counts is that you reach your destination. Furthermore, if you understand that your diet wagon may occasionally lose a wheel, you can prepare for how you will respond when this occurs. If you expect your diet will be trouble-free, you will be less likely to be prepared if a tragedy occurs.

Maintain Your Guilt-Free Status in All Situations

Assume you weigh 300 pounds. You start a diet and exercise with a neighbor, everything goes well and you drop 30 pounds, you feel great, and then you have a large fight with someone. Result? Your diet goes apart, you stop exercising, and you begin to eat for consolation. What can you do to avoid this from happening again? You won't be able to. Life is what it is. This is how it goes. You have no choice but to go with the flow. So what if you have to binge for a week till you feel better? But whatever you do, don't feel bad about yourself. Because guilt will consume you and keep you obese indefinitely. In my experience, a dieter's initial bout of overeating is rarely the issue; rather, it's the guilt that it induces that prompts them to give up. Don't trust anyone who tells you otherwise. Losing weight should be a guilt-free zone. There is no shame in my weight reduction program or forum, no matter what occurs.

Join A Weight Loss Community

If you have access to the Internet, look for an active forum where you may publish your weekly weight, keep a food or weight loss log, exchange ideas with other dieters, and have a good time. Many individuals consider weight loss to be a serious concern. However, this is not the case. It's a trip from point A to point B. And, like any journey, it goes more quickly if we enjoy ourselves and discover fascinating things along the way. My weight loss forum is a friendly environment, but there are many others to pick from. One of the most important advantages of participating in an active dieting forum is the ability to express yourself. You may vent about your personal triumphs and failures, as well as offer your support for others, which is very helpful. So keep an eye out for a good online weight loss group and watch your obesity vanish into thin air!