Before beginning a new health plan if seeing a physician follow this guide:

When discussing weight loss with your doctor, it’s essential to approach the conversation openly and honestly. Here are some steps to help you ask your doctor about participating in a weight loss program or any health plan while under their care:

1. Prepare for Your Visit:
   • Before your appointment, jot down any questions you have about your weight. Consider asking:
     • What is a healthy weight range for me?
     • How long should it take me to reach my goal weight?
     • How will losing weight affect my health conditions or medications?
   • Bring a list of all the medicines you take, including supplements and over-the-counter drugs. Some medications may impact your weight or interact with weight-loss treatments.
2. Be Honest About Your Lifestyle:
   • Share details about your diet, physical activity, sleep, stress, and emotional well-being. Your doctor needs this information to tailor a weight-loss plan to your needs.
   • You can initiate the discussion by saying:
     • “I’ve been thinking about my weight lately and would like to get to a healthier weight. What goal(s) should I set to achieve that?”
     • “I’m worried about how my weight is affecting my health. Can you help me with that?”
     • “I’m interested in making lifestyle changes to improve my health and weight. What suggestions, resources, and weight-loss programs do you have for me?”
3. Set Realistic Weight-Loss Goals:
   • Your provider can help determine a safe and achievable weight-loss goal based on your age, sex, and lifestyle.
   • A general guideline is to aim for losing no more than 1-2 pounds per week or 5-10% of your body weight within six months. Even a small amount of weight loss can have significant health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes risk.
4. Discuss Weight-Loss Tools:
   • Your doctor can guide you on effective strategies and tools for losing weight, such as:
     • A balanced eating plan that is low in calories, fat, sugar, and salt, and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and fiber.

Remember, your doctor is there to help you improve your health and quality of life. Be open, ask questions, and work together to create a personalized weight-loss plan.