Are you ready to start your weight loss journey?

How did you get here?? 

I don't mean how did you get to this website, but how did you get to the place in your life that you're at right now as you read this blog post? 

The good news is that where you are at now is NOT where you have to stay. 

The bad news is that it will take hard work - lots of it - to change where you are at... just like anyone who has set out to learn a new skill and do it well - it takes practice, repetition, assistance from those who have learned the particular skill successfully, and most importantly a true desire to succeed. Think of your role models, whether they are actors, athletes, musicians, or anyone else. I am confident no one you are thinking of has acheived success at something without significant lasting effort. 

So, the journey to lose weight will be an incrediby difficult one. To succeed, you will need to be ready to make massive changes. I am sure many of you have tried to make small, temporary changes and consequently only recieved small, temporary results. Do you think for a second that Tom Brady or Lebron James became the world-class athletes they are by anything but complete dedication and a ton of work day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year? 

If you are ready, then I can help. Call for an appointment today at either my Columbia or Sumter location. If you aren't ready yet - that is ok too. I will still be here when you are ready!

The most important first step is not picking a diet or weight loss plan but instead mentally preparing yourself for the task ahead. 

As part of this mental preparation, you will need to honestly explore what habits and behaviors have lead to you getting to the current state of health you are in. Whether or not you are trying weight loss for the first time or the 90th time, there are negative behaviors that have resulted in you getting to your present day weight.

Since you have tried dieting before, you know how challenging weight loss can be. When trying to lose weight, you often feel hungry and irritable because your body isn’t getting what it needs. Worse yet, you may lose the weight but often regain it weeks or months later. Without reframing the problem, without acknowledging the fact that you are constrained by your habits, you simply can't solve the fundamental issue. Addressing the problem requires you to change your habits over the long-term to truly bring about a lifestyle change.

In my next blog, I will dive in to some specific steps you can do to change your habits - so stay tuned!

Author

Jason Leonard, MD, FAAFP, DABOM Dr. Leonard has been practicing medicine in central South Carolina since 2007 and holds board certifications in both Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine. He was received numerous honors including being named as a Top 10 Family Medicine physician in South Carolina and serving on the South Carolina Medical Board as a expert reviewer for medical and ethical cases.