Have you ever asked why your friend or relative can lose weight and you cannot?

The answer is: no two people are the same, and often people hit roadblocks and give up on weight loss. Factors that affect patients and doctors alike when dealing with and discussing weight loss include time limitation; a feeling of discomfort talking about weight; and the lack of knowledge on nutrition, activity, and medication options. As mentioned before, there are a number of factors that contribute to weight, the ability to lose weight, and weight regain. For example, genes that contribute to obesity have been identified.

People who have two copies of the FTO gene weight on average six to nine pounds more than those without the gene. Those with one copy have reported increased food intake and decreased satiety (Timpson et al 2008). Physical, social, economic, and environmental factors all contribute to obesity. Physical things such as easy access to transportation as well as exposure to pesticides and pollutants that cause hormonal changes contribute to weight gain. Social factors that influence meal duration, amount of food consumed, and advertisements for food and larger portions all affect the population’s expanding waistline (Apovian, Arrone, and Powell 2015). Additionally, many medical conditions, as well as medication can cause weight gain.

First, you must manage your expectations

Losing weight (and keeping it off) is a tough challenge for the majority of people. That is why it is so important to have realistic expectations when getting started. Weight loss is not a race. It is not even a marathon. It is a continuous process. It is doable, however. When you think of all the problems that weight gain causes, you may be surprised to know that just a small reduction, about 5-10 percent of total body weight (typically around ten to twenty pounds), can have a significant impact on your life and help to slow the progression of the disease. In diabetic or prediabetic patients, blood-sugar levels improve. Cholesterol levels and blood pressure also decrease thereby reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Losing more than 5 percent is a great long-term goal, but focusing on an achievable goal when starting out can have a significant impact on the success of your long-term weight-loss goals.

Second, change your mindset

Getting into the right mindset to lose weight is half the battle. It has been said: get your mind in good shape, and then allow your body to follow. It is important to talk to your doctor before beginning any major weight-loss program or exercise routine. Depending on your unique situation, you may have to start your weight-loss efforts with just walking or a mild biking routine until you are able to and approved to advance to more strenuous exercises. If this is the case, make sure you are committed to what could be a long and slow journey, especially in the beginning when most people are likely to quit.

Having or getting support is extremely important

If you are going to be successful, it is important to have people in your corner encouraging you to keep going. A great place to start is with close friends and family who will be there to push you forward. If you do not have the support of friends and family, ask your doctor about potential weight-loss support groups you might be able to join. Connecting with people going through the same journey and struggle can increase your chances of success significantly.

Work with your doctor

Losing weight, especially if living with medical problems such as diabetes, requires additional attention to your health. Exercise by itself, with or without weight loss, can improve your body’s level of sensitivity to insulin. That is why it is important to keep a record of what you are consuming in terms of calorie intake. Those with diabetes should measure and record blood glucose levels before and after exercise because exercise can lower blood sugar, independent of medications.

When most people think of weight-loss or obesity medicine, they think can take a pill and instantly lose their excess weight, returning them to the way life was prior to their weight gain. We all wish this was true, but when it comes to obesity medication, there are certain rules you should follow to ensure your success.

Here are dos and don’ts of diet medicine:

First, don’t go at it alone

Dealing with obesity can be a lonely and difficult battle. Not looking or feeling like your self can send you into a spiral of negativity that usually increases the actions that are counterproductive to your weight-loss efforts. You grab the bag of chips, and instead of taking a few out, you sit down with the whole bag. Before you know it, the bag is gone, and you feel even worse about yourself and say What the hell, I might as well eat something else.: The feeling of helplessness and depression can get worse if you begin taking diet pills and do not see the results you expect as quickly as you expect them. This is usually when people give up and end up returning to their old habits that led to the weight gain in the first place.

Secondly, do find a respected weight-loss specialist

Like most battles in life, having support drastically increases your chances of success. Having a team of weight-loss professionals in your corner that will help you through the mental, physical, and emotional stress of weight loss will help keep you going, especially when you begin to plateau and lose ambition. If you’re considering diet medication, you need to go to a respected, local weight-loss specialist. You should go over all your opinions with the specialist before proceeding with any type of diet medicine.

Third, do not think a diet pill is the magic answer to weight loss

The solution to weight loss is not attributed to anyone magical diet pill but attributed to the combination of careful planning diligent scheduling, and expert guidance. Simply taking the prescription recommended by your weight-loss specialist is not enough. Weight-loss medicines help to suppress hunger and give you more control over what you eat. You have to include exercise, lifestyle changes (such as removing triggers to overeat), and healthier eating options.

Fourth, do compliment your diet program and medication with proper exercise and eating habits

A weight-loss prescription is only one aspect of a complete and effective weight-loss program. Working on weight-loss goals requires not only the proper medicine but also the appropriate exercise and eating routines. Diet medications will help control appetite and binge eating, to stop you from continuing to gain weight. However, it’s also important to combine your diet medication with complimentary exercise and eating habits such as portion control and choosing healthier options in order to achieve maximum results.

Fifth, do not take over-the-counter diet pills

Unproven over-the-counter diet medications are not the answer. In fact, some of the side effects of over-the-counter diet medicines can do more harm than good. Successful weight-loss solutions involve diet prescriptions and programs that are tested and recommended by medical weight-loss professionals. Weight loss does not come from a magic pill, a quick fix, or a supplement sold on an infomercial.

Sixth, do get a custom weight-loss program tailored specifically to your needs

Everyone is different, so make sure the diet medication you take is tailored specifically to you. Make sure your specific needs and symptoms have been looked at thoroughly by a trained endocrinologist or weight-loss specialist. Remember that all medications have side effects, and you do not want to add a medication that will exacerbate a condition you may already have. Conditions such as hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, low estrogen, Cushing’s disease, low testosterone, and other hormonal imbalances can all play a factor in your ability to lose weight.

TSH is the hormone that is used to determine thyroid status. It is the most sensitive for finding problems with the thyroid and is used to rule out hypothyroidism. Liver function can be tested to evaluate for fatty liver disease and other specific tests, depending on a patient’s disease history and medication use. If screening tests are abnormal, and physical exam reveals certain findings, other endocrine or genetic tests may be indicated.