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For many people, weight control has been an elusive, self-punishing struggle for which there seems to be no answer — No matter what you do, the pounds won't come off. Poor choices, bad habits, wrong thinking and emotional over-eating are often the likely culprits of weight gain, but there are certain medical issues, such as problems with individual biochemistry and metabolism, that can pack on the pounds. Of the 65 percent of the population who is overweight, there is a group of people who are weight-loss resistant. If you are in this situation, know that these medical conditions are studied, and there are ways to correct them.
Use the following profile to determine if you may possibly be weight-loss resistant. This profile is not meant to take the place of a thorough medical checkup by your physician; it should be used only as a first step toward identifying weight-loss resistance.
Answer the questions by checking Yes or No. Choose If you are unsure of your answer, leave it blank, but try to answer all seven questions as accurately and honestly as you can. Too many "yes" responses may mean that you are trying to hunt for excuses for being overweight, and that you would rather pin your weight problem elsewhere, because you do not have the conscious resolve to change your lifestyle and behavior. If you truthfully answered yes to two or more of these questions, this quite possibly indicates that you are weight-loss resistant. The only way to find out for sure is through thorough, extensive medical assessments and testing. Tell your doctor that you cannot lose weight, especially if you have been gaining weight or have not been able to lose weight despite a focused program of diet and exercise. It is your responsibility to supply the evidence that will steer your doctor in the right direction.
If your doctor is thorough and methodical, he or she will ask you key questions about your health when assessing you for medical problems. One of the questions may focus on medication you are taking, because there are more than 100 prescription medicines with the common side effect of weight gain. Some of these medicines include antidepressants, high blood pressure drugs, steroids, diabetic medications, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and anti-seizure medications. Bring your doctor a list of all the prescribed and non-prescribed medications you are taking. If medications are ruled out, there may be a hormonal or metabolic problem that your doctor can determine with further testing.
If you know with certainly that you are in the category of weight-loss resistance, this doesn't mean you're off the hook. It means that you must begin to do different things in terms of your diet, your lifestyle and the medical management of your condition, to prevent your weight and your health from getting totally out of control. Finding out that you are weight-loss resistant does not sentence you to a lifetime of obesity. It indicates only that your body has changed in some medically significant way. With the knowledge you have acquired through medical testing, you must now do something different in order to manage your weight. There is a remarkable power you can wield against weight-loss resistance, if you are willing to work with your physician and comply with the proper treatment.
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