Dr Steele: So let’s talk about some of the hidden dangers and risks for people trying to lose weight. My name is Dr. Erica Steele. I’m a holistic doctor and family practice. I hold six degrees in my field, all in the natural health care space. And I went to school. So you don’t have to. All right. Obesity. We all know that obesity is a growing problem in many countries around the world. And it’s important to understand that the challenges that people face when trying to lose weight, it’s not just that people are lazy or that they don’t feel motivated. There are so many reasons why a person can’t necessarily lose rates.
So we’re going to discuss some of those dangers and pain points that I’ve seen in my practice with people trying to lose weight. First health risks. One of the biggest dangers of obesity is all the health risks that are posed. We know that. Obesity increases risk of let’s say developing heart disease, diabetes, or even certain cancers. So people are waiting, they have higher risk of developing hypertension, stroke and heart attack, but they could also have underlying issues that could be affecting it, like mold exposure or digestion, assimilation issues.
So it’s not always just again that they’re not able to do it. Sometimes there’s another health barrier that prevents them. Secondly, emotional pain. Losing weight can actually be very difficult and an emotional journey for people, especially if they’ve experienced abuse or sexual trauma. People tend to hold on, wait too. As a means to protect themselves, people who are overweight often face shame, embarrassment, low self-esteem, and these negative emotions can be difficult to overcome, come to terms with, and finally let go.
Additionally, people can find it difficult to stick to a diet or exercise plan based on not fully loving themselves, which can lead to frustration. And disappointment I’ve often seen in my practice. People will choose these really crazy outlandish diets. And then they’ll white knuckling for a short period of time and then crash and burn and fail. And then they’re beating themselves up after the fact.
There’s physical pain. So losing weight can also be physically painful for some people. Especially people who are overweight, they may experience joint pain discomfort, which can prevent them from being able to work out or move their bodies. And so if they don’t have enough physical activity and those let’s say dopamine and epinephrine and norepinephrine is not running through their system, they don’t necessarily feel motivated to get up off of the couch and move their bodies, knees, hips, back, all different muscle tensions.
So then a lot of times those people will resort to those crash diets, which can lead to muscle loss. And again create further physical pain. Yo-yo dieting. We touched on this a little bit, but people have a cycle of losing and gaining weight. And that’s a very big danger that people face when they’re losing, trying to lose weight. This can be frustrating, disheartening, and also has very negative effects on a person’s health. So if one minute they’re doing keto and the next minute they’re going to be a vegan.
And the next minute they definitely can be depleting. A lot of core nutrients that their bodies actually need. I know I’ve seen it in my own personal health journey, and I’ve also seen it in working with other people, just because of a diet. What is touted as the healthiest doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s healthy for you. Yo-yo dieting can also lead to loss of muscle mass.
Some, even in osteopenia, osteoporosis, I’ve seen those connections as well, especially for people that are malnourished with their proteins for years and years on end. There’s also a lot of weight stigma around people trying to lose weight. People who are overweight often face discrimination, negative stereotypes, which can be very emotionally hurtful and damaging to their weight. Stigmas can also make it more difficult for people to asset access, resources and support that they need.
Because the consciousness is that people that have weight they’re lazy, they don’t want to work. They don’t want to do anything. They just sit around and eat that common comment that I’ve heard, which is horrible, is Push yourself away from the table or push yourself away from the plate. It’s not just as simple as that. There’s so many different dynamics that go into a person losing weight.
Cost. So sometimes losing weight can be expensive, many weight loss programs and products such as diet plans, supplements, and gym memberships can be very costly and sometimes just out of reach for a lot of people. Additionally people who are overweight may need to purchase new clothing as they lose weight, which can also add to the cost. So some people economically they’re like, I can’t lose weight because I just have all these clothes and I can’t afford to change them. So those can be some of the barriers to entry, not to mention the cost of food and organic food and natural things sometimes can be a cost that many people can’t bear.
Time constraints, losing weight can also be incredibly time-consuming. Many people struggle to find the time to prepare healthy meals, exercise, attend weight loss, support groups, or even go to the doctor. And so some weight loss methods such as bariatric surgery also can require significant recovery time.
And sometimes people are looking for that quick fix solution, which has other risks later on down the road that they don’t speak about. It’s incredibly important for people to begin to make time for themselves, especially if they’re considering a health journey such as losing weight. Again, that’s definitely a component that many people struggle with as they’re running around, trying to do 25 things and keep everything together.
Social isolation, losing weight can also lead to social isolation if people who are trying to lose weight may feel self-conscious about their appearance, which may make it difficult for them to. To participate in some social activities and events. People who are trying to lose weight may feel this way.
They’re missing out on foods and drinks that they enjoy, and they just don’t want the temptation of going to a party or an event where they’re going to really have to face their fears and their addictions and all of that. Sometimes it’s just easier for them not to go, which can lead to feelings of sadness as well as loneliness.
So losing weight can be a very dangerous as well as painful journey for many people. So it’s important to be aware of the dangers and pain points. And to seek support and resources to help overcome, remember slow and steady is definitely the best practice when it comes to losing weight and make sure that you reward yourself as you’re making progress along the way and don’t be discouraged. Keep pushing forward towards your weight loss goals. I can, I believe in you and if you want to reach out and I can help.
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