Weight Gain....Confronting a Difficult Week

First, I hope your 4th was a very happy and relaxing day for you and your loved ones.

Oftentimes, we have patients at our weight loss centers who cancel their followup appointments when they have a difficult week previously in losing weight. Whether it be a holiday, a birthday week, a vacation, etc., if the person knows they have gained some weight, there is frequently a compulsion to cancel his/her appointment. Why? It would seem that this would be the exact time to follow-up , get "refocused" and start moving the scales down again.

I believe this phenomenon has to do with a psychological issue of not wanting to "disappoint" the doctor or be looked at as some sort of "failure". Additionally, perhaps there is also some fear of being "admonished" for "bad behavior".

In reality, the team and I NEVER are disappointed, judgemental or in any other way upset with any of our patients for gaining weight. We are here to support your efforts in losing weight and realize there will always be weeks much more challenging than others. NO ONE goes through our program and does not have several weeks in which some weight gain occurs.

Okay, let's bring up some gender/style differences that may play a psychological role in the perceived response on our part to a week in which a patient gains weight. I, being the gray haired white coat stethoscope bearing doctor, am probably more apt to be looked at as a "father" figure (no jokes about grandfather figure) and perhaps I will be more intimidating to see than Linda and Elizabeth, or may be perceived as more nurturing and supportive in their roles. When a patient has a weight gaining week and I walk into the room, I often hear a sigh from the patient, nervous laugh and perhaps a joke such as "oops....I was hoping it wouldn't be you".

I truly never get upset, disappointed or in any other way, look at a person who has gained weight that week as some sort of "failure". I am THRILLED they have come back to allow us to get them refocused, back on course and into the "zone" again. I certainly see it as my role to find out what factors may have caused the weight gain, help them analyze the situation(s) in order to futuristically navigate around difficult weeks without gaining weight. I realize that in the big picture, a patient's time with us is miniscule, and for the majority of their lives, they will be in the position of monitoring and reacting to their weight issues on their own. We need to help the person be successful by helping them learn new patterns of eating and self-accountability.

On the "In case you are wondering note but you probably are not" note: Played real well on the clay courts yesterday!!!