Obesity: A Struggle for 1 in 5 Children

Today I’m going to get a bit personal. September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month ( learn more at CDC ), and this is a topic I’m very passionate about.

By the end of high school, and early into college, I’d lost most of the weight and was in good shape. But it was hard.  Really hard – and took four years. My doctor put me on a high-carbohydrate, low fat diet. (We didn’t know this wasn’t the best advice back then.) I worked out 1-3 hours a day, every day – and kept myself to a strict 1200-1500 calorie-a-day diet.

As I moved on to grad school, I started to struggle with my weight again – and found myself back up to 205 pounds. This time, my doctor told me I was pre-diabetic. That was the tipping point for me. I got intense about exercise again, and learned a lot about nutrition. With my new found discipline and diligence, I lost 60 pounds and was back in shape.

This journey has been a life-long discovery, and I’ve learned a lot about myself along the way. When I help make recommendations for patients dealing with obesity, I understand their struggles. I understand the challenges with self-confidence, embarrassment and guilt. I understand feeling tired and struggling through exercise when it seems so easy for those around you. I understand how easily those pounds can slip back on when you’re not paying attention. At the same time, I appreciate my journey because I learned that I can accomplish anything I want to. I learned that I was a good athlete. I learned to make a plan; to stick with it; to push myself and succeed. I’ve taken these lessons and applied them to other areas of my life, and have found my happiness – comfortable in my own skin.

As healthcare providers, we understand so much more than we did when I was a kid. Of course, there’s no magic bullet (not yet) – but there is help, and there are lots of things you can do. Just ask. Ask your doctor, ask your pediatrician, ask me. We’re here to help.