Weight
Loss FAQ
Have a question about weight? Dr. Phil has the answer.
Browse the 10 most commonly asked questions here.
1. Don't genetics affect weight?
Absolutely, but you have to manage your weight within
that. Work with the hand you've been dealt; for example,
being big-boned is no excuse for being 100 pounds
overweight. Accept that you have some extra challenges
-- and that you'll probably never be stick-thin --
but don't let that be your excuse.
2. What if medication makes me gain weight?
Some people truly have a medical reason for weight
gain. If you have to take medication, or if you have
a biological disorder that causes you to gain weight,
the best you can do is manage it. Learn to be at peace
with it.
3. What about "magic" diets that
promise quick results?
Make no mistake -- the billion-dollar diet industry
tells you what you want to hear. But losing weight
is hard work, every minute of every day. How hard
are you willing to work? Do it right once, and you'll
reach your goals much quicker than "seven pounds
in seven days."
4. My friend lost weight; why didn't her
strategy work for me?
Everyone has different challenges, different resources
and different gifts. Consequently, people must develop
different strategies to accommodate their schedules.
Find out what gives you results -- and don't quit
if it doesn't seem apparent right away.
5. What if I just really like food?
Just about everybody likes the taste of food, but
you have to develop the maturity to balance your intake.
Control the quality and the amount of what you eat.
6. How is it that I can like everything about
myself except the fat?
You don't feel 100 percent good about yourself. You
can't be completely happy with yourself unless you're
happy about everything that makes you who you are.
7. I can't seem to get my appetite in check.
What's wrong?
If you're overweight, then you're out of control.
That's not a natural place to be. You're out of control
with your impulses, your life or your schedule. Evaluate
your behaviors, anticipate your personal challenges
and restore balance.
8. Why do I keep slipping into my old habits?
You can't break habits without forming new ones. If
you take something out of your life, there's a void.
And when there's a void, it's easy to drift back to
what you used to do. You need to replace the bad habit
with new, incompatible behavior that will crowd the
bad behavior out.
9. How can I heal poor body image?
Don't let low self-esteem be an excuse to not live
your best life. Get over it! Stand up and use the
gifts you have. Require more of yourself than what
you have been requiring. Just because you aren't proud
of yourself every minute doesn't mean that you don't
get to participate in life. Get specific and define
what low self-esteem means to you. Then, behave your
way to success.
10. I've always dealt with difficulties using
food, but now I've solved my problems. Why am I still
fat?
You're holding on to the response that you associated
with your problems. Although the problem has been
solved, the behavior -- in this case, overeating --
remains. When you solve a problem in your life, you
must also stop "dealing" with it in negative
ways.