Frequently Asked Questions
About Weight Loss

Featured Question

The Question is From Elaine Gibson
Southlake, Texas.
Elaine asked:

Is there anything I can do for snacking? I get hungry around 3pm everyday and eat stuff ususally loaded with sugar. Help!

Dr. Smith wrote:

Lots of dieters fight mid-day hunger. Instead of me going into a complicated physiologic explanation, try what my mom always did...brush your teeth.

When you're hungry, brush your teeth and that seems to take care of the urge to eat. Hope that helps Elaine.

P.S. How is Southlake, Elaine. I used to live there a few years ago. Take care.

Dr.Smith

1. Don't genetics affect weight?
Yes, but not to the extent of 100 pounds overweight. Your genetics may predispose you to a few extra pounds but that's it.

There is some evidence showing that your resting metabolic rate(RMR)decreases with age to about the same amount as everyone else. This means, that genetics may not play a role in the initial weight gain seen in adults.

The time in our lives starts the weight gain potential for the rest of our lives.

2. What if medication makes me gain weight?
"Some people truly have a medical reason for weight gain. If you have to take medication, or if you have a biological disorder that causes you to gain weight, the best you can do is manage it. Learn to be at peace with it," from Dr. Phil during a recent episode.

I would just add to talk with your physician. There might be different medications that can be tried that don't cause weight gain. You might not have to learn to be "at peace" with it.

3. What about "magic" diets that promise quick results?
Quick weight loss is bad for you! Study after study shows that the faster you lose it, the faster you put it back on.

This "yo-yo" effect is harmful to your health. It is time for the exploitation of this market to end. Losing weight is hard work, every minute of every day. There are no magic pills.

4. My friend lost weight; why didn't her strategy work for me?
Everyone has different challenges, different resources and different gifts.

Consequently, people must develop different strategies to accommodate their schedules. Find out what gives you results -- and don't quit if it doesn't seem apparent right away.

5. What if I just really like food?
I love food! If done right, you can enjoy it all. Moderation. Wow, there's a concept.

It's not easy but it works. Control the quality and the amount of what you eat.

6. How is it that I can like everything about myself except the fat?
Very common feeling for all of us. We have it made in some many areas of our lives but were fat. It can be depressing.

And that's ok. Allow yourself to feel what it feels. Work on improvements and let the fat be your motivation.

7. I can't seem to get my appetite in check. What's wrong?
"If you're overweight, then you're out of control. That's not a natural place to be. You're out of control with your impulses, your life or your schedule.

Evaluate your behaviors, anticipate your personal challenges and restore balance, " another one from Dr. Phil.

Sorry Dr.Phil, but the first advice is to evaluate your nutritional status. If your deficient in vitamins and minerals, your appetite will be uncontrollable.

Your body is starving for nutrients. Whole foods is going to solve the problem.

8. Why do I keep slipping into my old habits?
You can't break habits without forming new ones. If you take something out of your life, there's a void. And when there's a void, it's easy to drift back to what you used to do.

You need to replace the bad habit with new, incompatible behavior that will crowd the bad behavior out.

9. How can I heal poor body image?
Don't let low self-esteem be an excuse to not live your best life. Get over it!

Stand up and use the gifts you have. Require more of yourself than what you have been requiring.

Just because you aren't proud of yourself every minute doesn't mean that you don't get to participate in life.

Get specific and define what low self-esteem means to you. Then, behave your way to success.

And help someone else. Low self-esteem is not about you, believe it or not.

It's your lack or failure of giving that rolls back on you as low self-esteem. We are social creatures and are meant to participate in life, give and receive.

Giving more fixes the imbalance and corrects a ton of problems!

Give your time (not money) for one month and refuse to accept any payment or gift. You will be a new person.

10. I've always dealt with difficulties using food, but now I've solved my problems. Why am I still fat?
You're holding on to the response that you associated with your problems. Although the problem has been solved, the behavior -- in this case, overeating -- remains.

When you solve a problem in your life, you must also stop "dealing" with it in negative ways.

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