Lose That Weight Now! You know you want to.

Here is some good advice from another doctor who is on the cutting edge in the treatment of obesity, Dr Phil.

He talks to patients about how their weight is contributing to medical problems and encourages them to aim for a modest weight loss by making simple changes such as cutting out fruit juices and Cola or other high-calorie beverages and walking in five- to 10-minute increments several times a day. "I encourage patients to lose 5% to 10%, see where they are and then try for another 5% to 10%," he says.

He and his staff, which includes other physicians, dietitians and behavioural psychologists, insist that patients keep good food journals, which the health professionals review. "A lot of time they aren't eating the wrong foods, but they are just eating too much," he says.

Most 90% of people can lose weight with diet, exercise and behaviour modification. The longer people keep food logs, the better they do, he says. When people get off track, it's because they are often no longer keeping food journals and they're not being weighed weekly.

He believes primary-care doctors could make great strides in helping patients lose weight by inviting them to come into the office every week to be weighed: "That helps keep them focussed and accountable."

Achieving steady weight loss is not easy, because it means a change in your lifestyle or behaviour and most patients know it, he says. "Despite some patients being prompted and guided to do all the right things, their minds are completely resistant to the necessary behavioural change required, and therefore they experience less or no weight loss."