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changes in your eating and
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Lifestyle and home The initial treatment goal is Jump-start Your Weight Loss for 2016
remedies usually a modest weight loss — 3 to 5 percent of your total The Mayo Clinic Handbook for Happiness
weight. That means that if you weigh 200 pounds (91 kg) and are
Alternative medicine Mayo Clinic on Healthy Aging
obese by BMI standards, you would need to lose only about 6 to
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Coping and support 10 pounds (2.7 to 4.5 kg) for your health to begin to improve. action plan
However, the more weight you lose, the greater the benefits. Mayo Clinic Diet Book & Journal combo
Prevention
All weight-loss programs require changes in your eating habits
and increased physical activity. The treatment methods that are
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right for you depend on your level of obesity, your overall health
and your willingness to participate in your weight-loss plan.
Other treatment tools include:
Dietary changes
Exercise and activity
Behavior change
Prescription weight-loss medications
Weight-loss surgery
Dietary changes
Reducing calories and practicing healthier eating habits are vital
to overcoming obesity. Although you may lose weight quickly at
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Free E-newsletter first, slow and steady weight loss over the long term is considered
the safest way to lose weight and the best way to keep it off
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at least a year to boost your odds of weight-loss success.
There is no best weight-loss diet. Choose one that includes
healthy foods that you feel will work for you. Dietary changes to
treat obesity include:
Cutting calories. The key to weight loss is reducing how
many calories you take in. You and your health care providers
can review your typical eating and drinking habits to see how
many calories you normally consume and where you can cut
back. You and your doctor can decide how many calories you
need to take in each day to lose weight, but a typical amount
is 1,200 to 1,500 calories for women and 1,500 to 1,800 for
men.
Feeling full on less. The concept of energy density can help
you satisfy your hunger with fewer calories. All foods have a
certain number of calories within a given amount (volume).
Some foods — such as desserts, candies, fats and processed
foods — are high in energy density. This means that a small
volume of that food has a large number of calories. In contrast,
other foods, such as fruits and vegetables, have lower energy
density. These foods provide a larger portion size with a fewer
number of calories. By eating larger portions of foods that
have fewer calories, you reduce hunger pangs, take in fewer
calories and feel better about your meal, which contributes to
how satisfied you feel overall.
Making healthier choices. To make your overall diet
healthier, eat more plant-based foods, such as fruits,
vegetables and whole-grain carbohydrates. Also emphasize
lean sources of protein — such as beans, lentils and soy —
and lean meats. If you like fish, try to include fish twice a
week. Limit salt and added sugar. Stick with low-fat dairy
products. Eat small amounts of fats, and make sure they come
from heart-healthy sources, such as olive, canola and nut oils.
Restricting certain foods. Certain diets limit the amount of a
particular food group, such as high-carbohydrate or full-fat
foods. Ask your doctor which diet plans have been found
effective and which might be helpful for you. Drinking sugar-
sweetened beverages is a sure way to consume more calories
than you intended, and limiting these drinks or eliminating
them altogether is a good place to start cutting calories.
Meal replacements. These plans suggest that you replace
one or two meals with their products — such as low-calorie
shakes or meal bars — and eat healthy snacks and a healthy,
balanced third meal that's low in fat and calories. In the short
term, this type of diet can help you lose weight. Keep in mind
that these diets likely won't teach you how to change your
overall lifestyle, though, so you may have to keep this up if you
want to keep your weight off.
Be wary of quick fixes. You may be tempted by fad diets that
promise fast and easy weight loss. The reality, however, is that
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Obesity Treatments and drugs - Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/basics/treatment/...
there are no magic foods or quick fixes. Fad diets may help in the
short term, but the long-term results don't appear to be any better
than other diets.
Similarly, you may lose weight on a crash diet, but you're likely to
regain it when you stop the diet. To lose weight — and keep it off
— you have to adopt healthy-eating habits that you can maintain
over time.
Exercise and activity
Increased physical activity or exercise is an essential part of
obesity treatment. Most people who are able to maintain their
weight loss for more than a year get regular exercise, even simply
walking.
To boost your activity level:
Exercise. People who are overweight or obese need to get at
least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical
activity to prevent further weight gain or to maintain the loss of
a modest amount of weight. To achieve more-significant
weight loss, you may need to exercise 300 minutes or more a
week. You probably will need to gradually increase the amount
you exercise as your endurance and fitness improve.
Keep moving. Even though regular aerobic exercise is the
most efficient way to burn calories and shed excess weight,
any extra movement helps burn calories. Making simple
changes throughout your day can add up to big benefits. Park
farther from store entrances, rev up your household chores,
garden, get up and move around periodically, and wear a
pedometer to track how many steps you actually take over the
course of a day.
Behavior changes
A behavior modification program can help you make lifestyle
changes and lose weight and keep it off. Steps to take include
examining your current habits to find out what factors, stresses or
situations may have contributed to your obesity.
Everyone is different and has different obstacles to managing
weight, such as a lack of time to exercise or late-night eating.
Tailor your behavior changes to address your individual concerns.
Behavior modification, sometimes called behavior therapy, can
include:
Counseling. Therapy or interventions with trained mental
health or other professionals can help you address emotional
and behavioral issues related to eating. Therapy can help you
understand why you overeat and learn healthy ways to cope
with anxiety. You can also learn how to monitor your diet and
activity, understand eating triggers, and cope with food
cravings. Therapy can take place on both an individual and
group basis. More-intensive programs — those that include 12
to 26 sessions a year — may be more helpful in achieving
your weight-loss goals.
Support groups. You can find camaraderie and
understanding in support groups where others share similar
challenges with obesity. Check with your doctor, local hospitals
or commercial weight-loss programs for support groups in your
area, such as Weight Watchers.
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Obesity Treatments and drugs - Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/basics/treatment/...
Prescription weight-loss medication
Losing weight requires a healthy diet and regular exercise. But in
certain situations, prescription weight-loss medication may help.
Keep in mind, though, that weight-loss medication is meant to be
used along with diet, exercise and behavior changes, not instead
of them. If you don't make these other changes in your life,
medication is unlikely to work.
Your doctor may recommend weight-loss medication if other
methods of weight loss haven't worked for you and you meet one
of the following criteria:
Your body mass index (BMI) is 30 or greater
Your BMI is greater than 27, and you also have medical
complications of obesity, such as diabetes, high blood
pressure or sleep apnea
Before selecting a medication for you, your doctor will consider
your health history, as well as possible side effects. Some
weight-loss medications can't be used by women who are
pregnant, or people who take certain medications or have chronic
health conditions.
Commonly prescribed weight-loss medications include orlistat
(Xenical), lorcaserin (Belviq), phentermine and topiramate
(Qsymia), buproprion and naltrexone (Contrave), and liraglutide
(Saxenda).
You will need close medical monitoring while taking a prescription
weight-loss medication. Also, keep in mind that a weight-loss
medication may not work for everyone, and the effects may wane
over time. When you stop taking a weight-loss medication, you
may regain much or all of the weight you lost.
Weight-loss surgery
In some cases, weight-loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery,
is an option. Weight-loss surgery limits the amount of food you're
able to comfortably eat or decreases the absorption of food and
calories or both. While weight-loss surgery offers the best chance
of losing the most weight, it can pose serious risks.
Weight-loss surgery for obesity may be considered if you have
tried other methods to lose weight that haven't worked and:
You have extreme obesity (BMI of 40 or higher)
Your BMI is 35 to 39.9, and you also have a serious weight-
related health problem, such as diabetes or high blood
pressure
You're committed to making the lifestyle changes that are
necessary for surgery to work
It doesn't guarantee that you'll lose all of your excess weight or
that you'll keep it off long term. Weight-loss success after surgery
depends on your commitment to making lifelong changes in your
eating and exercise habits.
It doesn't guarantee that you'll lose all of your excess weight or
that you'll keep it off long term. Weight-loss success after surgery
depends on your commitment to making lifelong changes in your
eating and exercise habits.
Common weight-loss surgeries include:
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Obesity Treatments and drugs - Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/basics/treatment/...
Gastric bypass surgery. In gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y gastric
bypass), the surgeon creates a small pouch at the top of your
stomach. The small intestine is then cut a short distance below
the main stomach and connected to the new pouch. Food and
liquid flow directly from the pouch into this part of the intestine,
bypassing most of your stomach.
Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). In this
procedure, your stomach is separated into two pouches with
an inflatable band. Pulling the band tight, like a belt, the
surgeon creates a tiny channel between the two pouches. The
band keeps the opening from expanding and is generally
designed to stay in place permanently.
Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. This
procedure begins with the surgeon removing a large part of
the stomach. The surgeon leaves the valve that releases food
to the small intestine and the first part of the small intestine
(duodenum). Then the surgeon closes off the middle section of
the intestine and attaches the last part directly to the
duodenum. The separated section of the intestine is
reattached to the end of the intestine to allow bile and
digestive juices to flow into this part of the intestine.
Gastric sleeve. In this procedure, part of the stomach is
removed, creating a smaller reservoir for food. It's a less
complicated surgery than gastric bypass or biliopancreatic
diversion with duodenal switch.
Other treatments
Vagal nerve blockade is another treatment for obesity. It involves
implanting a device under the skin of the abdomen that sends
intermittent electrical pulses to the abdominal vagus nerve, which
tells the brain when the stomach feels empty or full. This new
technology received FDA approval in 2014 for use by adults who
have not been able to lose weight with a weight-loss program and
who have a BMI of 35 to 45 with at least one obesity-related
condition, such as type 2 diabetes.
Preventing weight regain after obesity
treatment
Unfortunately, it's common to regain weight no matter what
obesity treatment methods you try. If you take weight-loss
medications, you'll probably regain weight when you stop taking
them. You might even regain weight after weight-loss surgery if
you continue to overeat or overindulge in high-calorie foods. But
that doesn't mean your weight-loss efforts are futile.
One of the best ways to prevent regaining the weight you've lost
is to get regular physical activity. Aim for 60 minutes a day.
Keep track of your physical activity if it helps you stay motivated
and on course. As you lose weight and gain better health, talk to
your doctor about what additional activities you might be able to
do and, if appropriate, how to give your activity and exercise a
boost.
You may always have to remain vigilant about your weight.
Combining a healthier diet and more activity in a practical and
sustainable manner are the best ways to keep the weight you lost
off for the long term.
Take your weight loss and weight maintenance one day at a time
and surround yourself with supportive resources to help ensure
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your success. Find a healthier way of living that you can stick with
for the long term.
Tests and diagnosis Lifestyle and home
remedies
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June 10, 2015
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See also
Alli weight-loss pill
Bariatric surgery
Gastric bypass surgery
Gastric bypass surgery
Glycemic index diet
Weight-loss surgery
Intragastric balloon
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