I have been privileged to have seen many patients helping them along their weight loss journeys. On many occasions, very successful patients have heaped lots of praise on me, thanking me for their achievement in shedding lots of weight. My usual response goes something like this: “ I greatly appreciate your kind words but all I have done is provided you with some tools and YOU have done all of the great WORK”.
So let’s examine the concept of “tools” and “work” as these relate to weight control. Weight loss medications, supplements, dietary plans, apps to count activity and other components utilized for weight control should be looked at as “tools”. They are NOT, individually or collectively, the reasons why people can successfully control weight. These are “adjuncts: that may help a person’s efforts but stand alone, they will not produce long term weight control.
The “WORK”: These are the efforts put in by YOU to allow the “tools” to help your efforts. An app counting steps requires YOU to take those 10,000 or more daily steps. Yes, medications may help appetite and/or cravings, but unless behavioral modification steps are taken, the meds will have no chance of inducing long term weight control.
Successful weight control requires LOTS of “work”: Planning meals, exchanging short term gratification for long term gratification, carving out exercise time, shopping for the right foods, and many other action items are required to shed that weight and keep the weight off.
Please try to commit to the work required to provide a better state of health and happiness for yourself. Tools without work simply won’t suffice.
And one of my favorite opening songs to a movie….Enjoy “Let The River Run” from “WORKING GIRL”.
