I weighed in at 200. Usually it's about 5 or more pounds higher there so I was ok with it. She won't do pills. Says I'm on the right track and am not "obese enough". I guess 200 pounds for 5'4" is ok to her.

I went shopping. Got lots of veggies and some stuff to throw together some awesome salads. I'm actually pretty excited!

I forgot to mention she told me to stop skipping meals. I hardly ever eat breakfast. She said some days I'm probably getting less than 1200 calories a day and that slows things down. Ooops!

I used to lose weight by hugely restricting calories - two things always happened:

1. I would restrict too much and eventually binge, feel like a loser, give up and start eating my normal way which made me heavy
2. I would actually reach a goal weight and then start eating my normal way which made me heavy

I used to think, "If I can cut some calories and lose SOME weight, I can cut a LOT of calories and lose a LOT of weight" - for me, this was a very bad way of thinking.

I could always lose weight, I could never keep it off. I dieted my way from 140 lbs to 200 lbs. This time, I was very committed to long term weight loss which meant learning new habits, new coping mechanisms, new recipes, new ways of cooking...basically new everything. I had to lose weight by living the way I would live my entire life, which meant no more awful hungry days and eating nothing but plain chicken and rice krispies/skim milk. No more skipping meals - I had to eat in a way that made me happy and I could stick to forever.

I agree with the doc. Skipping meals is telling your body that there's a food shortage and then guess what? It clings tighter to fat, eats the muscle, causes damage to organs with long termitis, and makes it harder to lose weight. Even if you don't have time, or an appetitie, a pice of whole wheat toast with some peanut butter will send a message to your brain that food is around. You could eat that and drive, have an apple to! Actually, ok I eat that alot for breakfast if I'm busy that day. But, it works, and it helps hold me over until next time to eat. I try and keep a schedule, every 3-4 hours, I eat SOMETHING, even if its some carrots with dressing, or celery with cheese, something to keep the hormones level and the messages to the brain coming that food is plentiful, let go of the fat!

I agree with Glory87 and Angihas2. The important thing is that your plan should be sustainable--meaning something that you can do indefinitely, that has a good balance of different foods, and that won't be starvation.

I don't think your dr. is "OK" with 200 lbs at 5'4"--but most decent drs. don't want to give anyone diet pills. As you can see from my progress bar, I was close to your weight (and I'm the same height), and I haven't used any pills to lose. I also try never to go below 1200 cals for very long, and I exercise almost every day.

Good luck!

Jay

When my doctor said that to me ("you're not obese enough") I nearly hit the roof. I said "Well, what IS obese enough? I'm 178 at 5'3" & a 1/2! Would 210 pounds be obese enough? How about 240?" I was LIVID. I explained to him that I needed HIS HELP. He said "Exercise more; eat less." That's when I found another doctor.

My current doctor DID give me Adipex. But not with the snap of a finger. I had to go thru multiple tests to make sure I WAS HEALTHY ENOUGH for it. After determining that I was healthy enough for it, I only got a prescription per month. Meaning I had to see her once a month, get my blood pressure checked, perform multiple tests AGAIN, etc. I was only on the Adipex for 6 months. I was dieting/exercising during all that. I lost 40 pounds. I kept it off a little over 8 months. Then I reinjured my shoulder, couldn't exercise for 12 weeks, got depressed, started eating crap again, & regained that 40 pounds, and generally felt like **** for it.

I don't "disagree" with diet pills. But I do think too many patients, AND DOCTORS, give them out like they're candy sometimes - without taking into consideration all else that truly matters - your heart rate, blood pressure, sugar level, age, habits (smoke, drink?) etc. My doctor went thru it all with me - step by step, and I lost the weight with her help. But I gained it back alllllll by myself.

And again, on the losing track. Adipex is a helper. Not a doer. Exercise & diet are the doers. Just so I'm clear on that point!