The Truth About Living With Excess Weight
Real science, real stories
Each person has a unique story, but those living with excess weight may share common experiences. Hear from real people to learn more about what’s actually needed for continued success in managing weight.
After learning how appetite hormones change following weight loss, Reneé made a plan for weight management.
When I went to the doctor and I learned that obesity was a disease and I couldn't believe it. I thought that having obesity was my fault. When I heard that the hormones played a big part of our appetite, the way our body just reacts and and hold onto weight, that was a big game changer for me. I think people need to change their views around obesity knowing that it is a disease. What I was suggest others to ask of their health care provider, first of all be honest with yourself. Knowing that you're struggling, you have to let them know, I'm struggling with this, what can I do? It's a journey. I have to make that journey work for me tomorrow and keep going and going until I'm able to just be okay with who I am. And I think that's what it is, having confidence in who I am and what I do. The advice I would give to someone who's struggling with their weight even to this day is to advocate for yourself. There's a big chest of tools that you can choose from and choose one that's best for you.
Patty explains how learning about the science behind weight loss changed her outlook.
I've had obesity since I was a child, but what really hurt was the bias and the stigma I faced, all the teasing and bullying. It's very hard to speak out when you have been the subject of such ridicule and stigma and blame. I eventually got tired of living that way, so I started looking for an obesity medicine specialist. He helped me learn more about what I don't control in my body, and how your body fights back against weight loss. Understanding the disease of obesity changed my life. I stopped blaming myself. An obesity diagnosis and its treatment if diagnosed has to be individualized. Some of it was little changes, some of them were bigger, but they added up to a successful plan for me. Be kind to yourself. Start appreciating where, who you are, where you're at now, and take positive steps to improve your health, which may include treatment for obesity.
Lisa explains what motivated her to form a weight-management plan.
My mother passed away at 47. And the contributing factors was diabetes, obesity. Over the years, I had looked for a physician that would understand and not just dismiss or diminish my concerns. After going through 4 to 5 physicians, and just getting the same information of just exercise and eat right, that wasn't enough for me, because I was doing those things. That's when I started my journey to find the right physician. She said, well, one thing is that you are obese. I can help you, if you're willing to do the work. Today, my approach to manage my weight is that I'm still currently on medication. I exercise every day. If my mother was here, she would be so proud, 'cause she would say, you did it and you didn't let no one stop you. If you love life, you love your life, you wanna live your life, and you have medical conditions, now I'm talking anything, ask questions.
Once Donna discovered obesity is a disease, she was able to make changes that worked for her.
For as long as I can remember, I have always been hungry. Weight has been an issue for me all of my life. I didn't look for jobs because I was sure I was gonna be judged based on my weight, and I just put myself out of the running before I got rejected by somebody else. I went to a medical conference in 2016 and for the first time, I learned that obesity was actually a disease. I had never heard that before. It was a huge relief for me to learn that this wasn't something that I had to handle on my own, and that if it became a problem for me again, that there were other options available for me that could help me to manage it. I think that any change that you make that allows you to become more active and more fit is gonna be positive. And being healthy doesn't necessarily mean that you have to look a certain way. It's really just about making the changes that are gonna allow you to live the kind of life that you wanna live. This is a personal decision, and you're going to have to make it on your own, but you need to be educated and know that this is something that you can take control of, and that it is a disease and it's not your fault.
It's time to make a change
Losing weight and maintaining it is hard because of how the body reacts to weight loss. But together with a health care provider, there are ways to keep the weight off.
