Some people are able to lose weight quickly and easily, without much trouble. For the other 99 percent of us, though, weight loss can become a difficult struggle. For a few of us, it can even be dangerous. If you have experienced difficulty losing weight in the past, it’s possible that you have an underlying health condition that is complicating your efforts.

Since there are many ways that you can go wrong with your diet and exercise habits, consulting with a weight loss physician is the best way to set safe and attainable goals. There are many benefits to seeking medical guidance for weight loss. Your doctor can:

1. Rule out underlying health conditions that could be causing a struggle with your weight
2. Check for conditions that could make calorie restriction or intense exercise dangerous
3. Assess your risk for hereditary or weight-linked conditions, so that you fully understand the importance of losing a few pounds
4. Help you set goals that are realistic and attainable for your body type
5. Help you address the underlying cause of behaviors that caused you to gain weight in the first place
6. Offer new strategies to help you gain control over your habits
7. Help you decide what type of diet will work for you
8. Talk to you about safe exercise techniques
9. Show you how to assess the nutritional values of foods you eat, how to measure appropriate portions, how to count calories, and more
10. Clarify how various supplements may boost your metabolism and help you lose weight
11. Answer any questions you may have about weight loss

We all live in a world in which a sedentary lifestyle is often rewarded with a higher salary. We’re expected to meet various social demands that keep us too busy for exercise, and we’re surrounded by temptation in the form of vending machines, fast food drive-throughs, and TV commercials for junk food. To make matters worse, many of us have lost touch with reality where food is concerned: We don’t even know appropriate portion sizes or how to tell if a food is nutritious!

It’s no wonder so many of us struggle with our weight. But a good weight loss physician understands all of these complicated social factors, and helps his patients develop strategies to overcome their challenges. If you’re ready to stop yo-yo dieting and lose those extra pounds forever, schedule an appointment with a weight loss physician today.