Didn’t Reach Your Goal Weight? You’re Healthier for Trying
Loose clothing. Living a healthier lifestyle helps you gain muscle, making it easier to zip up your jeans and button your jacket.
Better focus. A healthier lifestyle is known for sharpening attention and concentration.
Losing weight is not easy. And sadly, there’s a good chance you may not achieve your weight loss goals. In fact, it’s very common. Most of my patients who begin a diet don’t achieve their desired results and/or gain back the weight they lost.
But their efforts aren’t in vain.
Weight loss involves a lot of behavioral changes. When you begin a weight-loss journey, you need to take a hard look at your lifestyle habits. I tell my patients that it’s an opportunity to do some soul searching to figure out how and why you’ve developed these unhealthy routines.
When you’re ready to begin losing weight, you’ll probably adopt a (or update your current) workout routine, eat healthier and cut calories. These habits help you achieve better overall health, even if they don’t show on the scale. Additional efforts such as managing stress, getting more and better sleep and reducing alcohol consumption also have a positive effect on your weight and wellness.
But think about it -- if these efforts become a part of your daily routine, you’ll still experience benefits, even if you don’t see the scale move. For example, you’ll probably notice that your body composition has improved. This is more important than your weight in pounds. Your body composition is the percentage of fat, bone, water and muscle your body. The higher the percentage of muscle, the better. Our muscle mass supports movement, metabolism, mental health, bone health — and it can even help us burn more calories while taking up less space.
Moreover, when you live a healthy lifestyle and try to lose weight, you inadvertently achieve other health goals, such as:
- More endurance. Exercise helps make everyday tasks easier because it improves your strength and endurance.
- Lower risk of heart disease and diabetes. These diseases aren’t just linked to weight, but to lifestyle too.
- Lower risk of depression. A healthier lifestyle helps lower the risk of depression.
- Improved sleep. Exercising, controlling your stress and drinking less alcohol helps improve sleep habits.
- Stronger joints. Good nutrition and exercise can help ease achy joints.
- Looser clothing. Living a healthier lifestyle helps you gain muscle, making it easier to zip up your jeans and button your jacket.
- Fewer medications. Exercise, good nutrition, adequate sleep, managed stress and less alcohol help lower blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. If you’re taking a statin, type 2 diabetes and/or medication, you may be able to lower your dosage.
- Clearer skin. Weight loss efforts like eating a healthy diet and drinking more water but less alcohol can improve your skin health.
Of course, adopting healthier habits, whether the intention is to lose weight or just be healthier, is not easy. While you may not reach your intended goal, just making modest changes in your health habits and weight can improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels and risk for chronic conditions.
Keep in mind, you shouldn’t embark on a wellness journey alone. You should work with your primary care doctor.
As an MDVIP-affiliated physician, I partner with my patients to help them achieve many of their health goals. I begin by offering the MDVIP Wellness Program, a comprehensive battery of advanced screenings and tests that are not covered by insurance. The program helps me assess your individual risk factors, rule out underlying medical causes, and develop a personalized plan that's safe and effective for your situation.
If you don’t have a primary care physician, consider joining an MDVIP-affiliated practice. MDVIP-affiliated physicians have more time to help you in your pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. Find a physician near you and begin your partnership in health »
One of the biggest critiques I have of modern medicine is that despite the awe‐inspiring breakthroughs we achieve on a daily basis, the human being often gets forgotten. My goal as your private doctor is to get to know the whole you so I can help you live your best life rather than simply addressing issues as they come along.
As one of the few family medicine doctors in Huntsville offering this personalized healthcare approach, I am committed to serving my patients and working together to help them achieve their personal goals. My MDVIP-affiliated practice also offers services, including comprehensive, advanced health screenings and diagnostic tests, that go far beyond those found in concierge medicine practices.
My practice is located in Huntsville, Alabama, and serves patients from Athens, Gurley, Harvest, Huntsville, Laceys Spring, Madison, Meridianville, New Market, Owens Cross Roads and Tennessee. In addition to being a primary care physician, I am also a diplomate of the American Board of Clinical Lipidology and a certified specialist in clinical hypertension. My practice focuses on heart health and preventive care in addition to all aspects of primary care, and I am affiliated with Huntsville Hospital and Crestwood Hospital.