Arey yeh rahi hamaari gol matol!”
“Aa gaya baby elephant!”
“Thoos thoos ke moti ho rahi hai!”
“Kabhi Sheeshe mein dekha nahin kya – kuch to Dhyan do!”
A few of those commonly heard comments from people – which initially in childhood start as benign, funny comments but later evolve into heartbreaking and demeaning comments due to someone’s body weight! All our life we are made to think it is just “our own” fault that we are this size or shape by society and medical fraternity alike 😥
Here is what I want you to understand now and forever – “Obesity” is not a “character flaw” or your “inability to control or take care”! It is defined as a chronic disease condition with “MULTIFACTORIAL” reasons which contribute to it.
Genetic reasons have a significant role to play – they determine how we perceive food, how our body processes the food we consume, how it gets stored or metabolised in the body, how that excess weight affects other organ systems in our body. It is a complex interplay of different neurotransmitters in the brain which regulate other hormonal processes as well.
There are environmental factors which affect our body weight too – this includes factors like air quality, elevation at which you stay, cultural practices in the area etc etc
And yes lifestyle factors! The reason why there is always a lot of discussion about these is because these are the “ONLY MODIFIABLE” factors which have influence on our weight! This is the only thing which we can really “work” on or is “actionable”. How an individual responds to lifestyle modifications depends on their “genetics” also.
When we have this strong effect of genetics, we need some help from outside in terms of medications to help with hormonal regulation and some specific weight loss medications which can help push us in the right direction. These medications are also not foolproof – every individual responds differently to them! Just because “my sister lost 18 kg” does not mean I will also have same results – it could very well be more or less or none at all! Different weight loss medications work differently and we, as physicians assess which one is likely to work better for you and proceed accordingly.
As I just mentioned some people might not have the desired weight loss change with medications also in which case depending on the amount of excess weight and medical conditions related to that, we recommend Bariatric or weight loss surgery. This is something which even as a “physician”, I recommend my patients to keep an open mind about! It can be a life changing surgery for a lot of our patients who are struggling with their weight. Even with the new approved weight loss medications being available now, Bariatric surgery still is the “GOLD STANDARD” treatment for weight loss for most people with BMI above 35. It still has the “best” weight loss and long term weight maintenance results so far compared to medications.
But yes, each individual is different and has different needs and different contributory factors. So we have to see what is working and decide accordingly 👍
Embracing Self-Love and Healthy Lifestyle Practices: The Key to Long-Term Well-being
Yes, there is no substitute to healthy lifestyle modifications irrespective of whichever route we take. –
- Early to bed and early to rise
- Light early dinner
- Diet rich in antioxidants aka raw veggies and fruits
- Zero processed foods**
- Good sleep
- Stress management
- Embracing ourselves with love irrespective of our size 🤗
Love yourself first 🤗👍👍
Dr Hemi’s DOT Clinic Endocrinologist & Obesity Medicine Physician
