What is your ‘why’?

One of my favorite questions for patients, who schedule a consultation with me is, what is your ‘why’? Why do you want to lose weight? Why are you taking the first step towards weight loss surgery?

Here are some of my favorite ‘whys’ I’ve heard through the years.

I want to be able to keep up with my children. I want to be able to play with them in the park without getting out of breath. I want to be there for them as they get older into their teen and adult years.

Is there anything more important than being there for your loved ones?

I want to look good in a variety of clothes, and I want to feel confident. I want to be able to like what I see in the mirror.

I love the refreshing honesty here. This is a great ‘why’!

I feel like I’ve yo-yo-ed with my weight numerous times over the years. I’ve tried every diet out there, I’ve done Weight Watchers, I’ve tried weight loss pills. No matter how much time, effort, and money I’ve spent, I find myself back at square one time and time again.

This is an answer that many of my patients will recognize. Traditional methods of losing weight often can be temporary, and over the years, can be a very frustrating trend. This patient recognized that she needed help, and could not do it on her own.

We all know that the BMI is a crude measure of health status. One can certainly be obese but metabolically healthy. In my case, however, I was battling hypertension, arthritic knees, sleep apnea, and general aches and pains. My cardiologist told me that losing weight would actually help extend my life expectancy.

For many people, weight loss surgery can solve multiple health problems, such as asthma, fatty liver disease (liver steatosis), heartburn or reflux, sleep apnea, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and many other health conditions.

As you contemplate your options, we encourage you to really think hard and sharpen your ‘why’. Get specific with your examples – what about your life would be different with weight loss?

Do any of these ‘whys’ resonate with you?

When you are ready to take the next step, call us at (909) 252-7182 (Chino) or (909)-206-5364 (Placentia) to schedule a consultation.

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