Doing Your Homework Before Losing Weight

Well, here we are, one week into the New Year. Are you sticking to your resolutions? If you have weight loss or health goals, I bet you are, based on the amount of people at the gym these days. Good for you! My question for this blog is “Did you do your homework?”

I was at the gym on New Year’s Day, getting work on my goals for 2010 and noticed a commotion on the other side of the room. It turns out an older gentleman started to feel ill while doing his workout, possibly working on his own goals for the New Year. Long story short, an ambulance was called and they took him to the hospital for tests. This experience caused me to wonder about something I ask every single one of my clients: are you under the care of a physician?

I’m sure many of you have seen the warnings on the treadmills and other equipment, but may just look over it, telling yourself that you think you are healthy enough for what you are doing. While there is a great value in using your body’s cues how you are feeling, there are other indicators that are equally if not more important. These other indicators can be diagnosed by your physician. Things includes are: heart health, blood pressure values, diabetes, joint issues, back pain, lung health, pregnancy, cancer, etc. Other factors that may influence your ability to participate in certain types of exercise are age, gender and your medical history, particularly if it includes heart or pulmonary issues. Your physician can help to find any special health circumstances that may require a more individualized, monitored approach to weight loss.

It’s important to include your physician as part of your weight loss team, as they will have their own role in helping you achieve your weight loss goals. In most cases, dropping some weight makes you healthier on the inside, which may ultimately be more important than the changes you see on the outside. The way you approach weight loss should be something that helps you to achieve your goals, rather than cause issues.

Check in with your physician, and I’ll see you at the gym!