A three step treatment of obesity that works

Obesity is rampant in the U.S. In fact one of every three of us is overweight, with an astounding 60% of overweight people considered obese. If you are obese and need to lose a considerable amount of weight, you need to address the problem in a three step program. Dieting alone does not often produce the desired weight loss. Once you've committed to losing weight, your first move should be to make an appointment with your physician.

Speak frankly with the doctor. How long have you been in the obese state? Did the pounds creep on after having children? Do you have a longstanding problem in controlling your appetite? Was your weight gain sudden piling on the pounds in a matter of months? Are you depressed over your condition? All of these factors are clues to your doctor, who can help direct you to the best treatment of obesity for your specific case.

Unless you find the cause of your obesity, you can diet until you're blue in the face and still may not achieve your objective. Obesity might be a medical condition, such as a thyroid problem which decreases your metabolic rate. Your doctor can run tests to see if this is the case and refer you to an endocrinologist to determine what medication and dose is appropriate. If you're a woman going through menopause, this may cause you to gain inordinate amounts of weight. Here again, medications to restore hormone imbalances may be an appropriate first step in the treatment of obesity. Another common factor in obesity is water retention, possibly signaling a cardiovascular condition.

Psychological aspects must also be considered, being among the most common causes of obesity. If none of the medical conditions described above apply in your case, but you simply can't control your appetite, you may be overeating to satisfy a psychological need. Ask your doctor if you might benefit by seeing a psychologist who specializes in eating disorder, to make this determination. If this is the case, the psychologist can work with you to uncover the psychological components. Knowing why you overeat can be another effective step in your treatment of obesity.

Now that you've found the cause, you're much better prepared to deal with the diet aspect. Ask your doctor to refer you to a nutritionist, or simply buy a good reference book on nutrition. While you certainly realize that fatty foods and sweets will cause you to gain weight, you may not realize the health benefits provided by healthy foods. You can actually design your own diet for a successful treatment of obesity. Focus on foods you enjoy eating - and which are healthy. Lean meats, fruits and veggies, low fat dairy products and whole grains are a good place to start. Don't obsess over your weight, with daily weigh-ins. You can go several days without losing a pound and then suddenly drop 3-5 pounds. Get on the scale just once a week and keep a weekly log of your progress.

Drinking plenty of water, preferably those eight glasses (8 ounces), has been shown to modestly increase your metabolic rate and also to help, significantly, in flushing your system of accumulated waste and toxins, resulting in less water retention and healthy function of your digestive system.

The last step in your treatment of obesity won't be a newsflash exercise. Take daily walks, ride your bike, do aerobics or whatever form of exercise that appeals to you and that you know you can stick with for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

This three step approach to the treatment of obesity works! You will get good results.