Dear Doctors, Nurses, and any Medical staff person who may have stumbled upon this, grab a cup of tea and hear me out for a second. So Full Zest readers, you can listen too...I'm sure you've experienced this.
I've said it here quite often, but I've lost over 50 pounds naturally and without any fad diets or supplements since June of 2016. It wasn't easy and I still struggle to find balance in losing and maintaining weight while still enjoying life. Although I was trying to manage a few personal health issues at the same time, I did not consult or mention my weight loss goals to any of my doctors. A few nurses noticed a change in my body shape over time, but only told me that I looked great, and to keep up the good work.
In December 2016 after losing a good majority of my weight, I went to see my PCP and the first thing she mentioned was my weight loss. She did not say congratulations or you look great, and only asked if it was intentional? I get it, with my extensive medical history there was a huge possibility of this loss being a result of a larger negative situation. But even after informing her that it was intentional and that I was finally starting regain energy and feeling great about my body image she asked me, "Are you sure? Did you lose it slowly, what diet did you do, did you take any pills." I answered: Yes, none and no.
I was confused, did she not see my happiness, why wasn't she beaming with excitement for me? After reassuring her that all was good in my weight loss neighborhood, she finished by saying, OK good, now lets talk about your test results *insert open mouth drop*. Over the course of my bi-monthly visits, the topic of my weight was never brought up again.
That is until July 2017 (only 2 weeks ago). Like the December 2016 appointment, the first thing she mentioned was my weight, instead this time it was a gain....of 10 pounds. She spent a lengthy amount of time questioning me and asking what happened. Please note that this appointment was on a Monday, after a week of endless food events, with an injury that prevents me from working out. I was dumbfounded, and in the nicest way possible I told her: you give me grief and said nothing positive (or at all) when I lost weight and now I'm getting the third degree again when I gain a small amount of weight.
Doctors, while it may not be in the medical books, you need to normalize and make the conversations about healthy weight loss and normal weight gain positive. As a person who struggles and emotionalizes every aspect of her weight loss journey, is frustrating for me to experience otherwise. I am not morbidly obese or malnourished (and even if I was) conversations about a persons weight should be open and without judgement.