Self Motivation is the First Step for Weight Loss

By: Sameer Shetty, MD

Obesity is a growing epidemic. More than one third (about 78 million) of U.S. adults are obese. This number is spiraling upwards so it is important for everyone to know the medical impact of this disease. Obesity can lead to heart disease, diabetes and joint disease and it can even reduce life expectancy.
Obesity has been a hot topic for many years with a lot of information available. If you ask a health care professional, he or she will drown you in a plethora of words which sometimes make it more confusing. We all, however, acknowledge that this is a problem which impacts everyone in some form or another. We ask our health care providers about losing weight but we hear the same advice; eat healthy and exercise. As we see our physicians for our annual physicals, we make this an annual ritual. We all make New Year’s resolutions which are forgotten by the end of the first week of January. We let time go by and fail to lose weight, until it becomes a gigantic problem.
Yes, some of us are able to make better choices in our lifestyles regarding food and exercise but the majority fall through the trap of our stressful lifestyles. I have been overweight and have worked very hard on my weight. As a physician, I have all the resources and knowledge at my disposal and yet I find it hard to tackle this issue. It all comes down to the daily choices I make; getting 30 minutes of exercise a day, avoiding that delicious pie on the dinner table, drinking water instead of soda.
I have come to believe that the most important thing is to acknowledge, educate and self-motivate. My goal with patients is to first, acknowledge there is a problem. Obesity management is a lifestyle change and that motivation for change can only come from the inner self. Most patients’ weight loss success stories have one common thread; they were all motivated to make a change in their lives. They all experienced resistance or challenges in their path, but they stuck to their goals. There is no magical solution which will take all the weight away.
If you are ready to get serious about losing weight, a medical weight loss program can provide a safe, reliable and non-surgical option. Medical weight loss is a physician-directed weight management program which combines FDA-approved medications and healthy lifestyle strategies to target the root causes of obesity and weight gain. These strategies, along with continuing support from your health care providers, friends and family, can help you achieve and sustain a healthy weight. But as I mentioned, the most important person in the whole process is you, the individual, who has decided to lose that weight.


Dr. Sameer Shetty is a board certified Internal Medicine physician who takes special interest in managing obesity related conditions. His office Premier Primary Care and Wellness is located in Suite 203, Medical Arts Building, 3 Hospital Plaza, Old Bridge, NJ. Call 732-210-8165 or visit www.sameershettymd.com to make an appointment or for more information.