Often when people come to subscribe to my medical weight management program, they feel they have tried everything, and nothing has helped. If some weight came off, it was quickly regained. Some people try to lose weight and feel like they’ve done everything right with little to no success. These people often feel defeated, and they are now looking for a miracle or medication.

A better approach to the weight-loss process is to come with an open mind and a sense of curiosity. Be prepared to learn, to accept new information, and to see from a different perspective. There is a lot to learn in order to understand why we eat what we eat and why our bodies process food and calories the way they do.

Weight loss is both simple and complex. When you burn more calories than you take in, you lose weight. However, the process is more complicated because there are many factors that go into what we eat, how much we eat, and how often we eat. External factors can affect your calorie intake, such as whether you are eating with one person or ten people or what kinds of foods are you surrounded by at home, work, or a birthday party. If there are no healthy foods in the house, you may find yourself snacking on unhealthy foods or ordering takeout. Other external factors that can affect how much you eat include culture. Were you taught to eat everything on your plate? Are there foods you are expected to eat on holidays?

There are also internal factors such as how you feel and how stressed you are—eating makes us feel better by reminding us of happy times, temporarily relieving stress, and triggering a release of dopamine that makes us feel better.
There is no miracle for weight loss, but I believe that learning about and understanding the science behind how our minds and bodies work is the key to making progress. This is where I can help if you let me.