What is it?
Being overweight or obese can have an impact on your health, but even small amounts of weight loss can make a difference. In fact, losing just five to 10 per cent of your body weight helps to improve your health. If you’re concerned about your weight, speak to your GP.
What will my GP do now?
Your GP may develop a treatment plan for you. The goals of this plan are to eat a healthy diet, exercise more and maintain a healthy weight.
Your GP may also talk to you about your weight so you can learn why a healthy weight is important. Your GP will discuss:
- How much weight you may need to lose
- How to get your family or housemates on board with your plan
- How to buy and cook healthy food
- Finding a healthy eating plan you can stick to
- Knowing which foods that would be beneficial to limit
- Drinking less alcohol
- Quitting smoking if you’re a smoker
- How to make healthy eating a normal part of your day
- How to exercise more
- Activities you can work into your daily routine
Your treatment plan is about improving your overall health, not just losing weight. Your GP may also talk to you about:
- Goal setting – now, and in future
- How to avoid the triggers that make you want to eat more
- How to make plans if your routine changes
- How to stop using food as a reward
- Social support, such as family and friends as well as community resources
Your GP might recommend counselling or other therapies. Support from a professional can help you to lose weight.
What will my GP do in the future?
If you and your doctor have set up a weight management plan, your GP may want to see you every two weeks for the first three months. After three months, you’ll have an extensive review. This review will look at your progress, goals, changes, risk factors and overall plan.
Your GP will provide ongoing support for at least the next 12 months. If you’re having trouble losing weight or keeping weight off, talk to your GP.
You might have another condition that needs to be looked at. Your GP can also modify and change your plan if it’s not working as well as you’d hoped.
If you reach your treatment goal, your GP will talk to you about how to keep your weight healthy in future. You’ll also discuss how to prevent regaining weight.
What can I do?
Losing weight might not happen right away, but it will happen. Make sure you understand your treatment plan and talk to your GP if you have any questions. Don’t worry if you lose weight then regain some again – weight regain is very common and is not a sign of failure.
Talk to your GP about how to make healthy eating and exercise a normal part of your everyday routine. Ask about apps and fitness trackers that may help.
