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Coping and support

By Mayo Clinic staff

Talk to your doctor or therapist about improving your coping skills, and consider these tips to cope with obesity and your weight-loss efforts:

  • Journal. Write in a journal to express pain, anger, fear or other emotions.
  • Connect. Don't become isolated. Try to participate in regular activities and get together with family or friends periodically.
  • Join. Join a support group so that you can connect to others facing similar challenges.
  • Focus. Stay focused on your goals. Overcoming obesity is an ongoing process. Stay motivated by keeping your goals in mind. Remind yourself that you're responsible for managing your condition and working toward your goals.
  • Relax. Learn relaxation and stress management. Learning to recognize stress and developing stress management and relaxation skills can help you gain control of unhealthy eating habits. Try such stress reduction techniques as meditation, yoga or tai chi, if your doctor says it's OK.
Prevention Alternative medicine
References
  1. Defining overweight and obesity. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/defining.htm. Accessed Jan. 26, 2009.
  2. Ogden CL, et al. Obesity among adults in the United States - No statistically significant change since 2003-2004. NCHS data brief no 1. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2007.
  3. Still CD, et al. Obesity. In: Rakel & Bope: Conn's Current Therapy. 60th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/117958748-3/0/1621/295.html#4-u1.0-B978-1. Accessed Feb. 20, 2009.
  4. Bray GA. Etiology and natural history of obesity. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 26, 2009.
  5. Kushner RF. Obesity management. Gastroenterology Clinics of North America. 2007;36:191.
  6. Duval K, et al. Health-related quality of life in morbid obesity. Obesity Surgery. 2006;16:574.
  7. Hainer V, et al. Treatment modalities of obesity: What fits whom? Diabetes Care. 2008;31(suppl 2):S269.
  8. Understanding adult obesity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/understanding.htm. Accessed Jan. 26, 2009.
  9. Bessesen DH. Update on obesity. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2008;93:2027.
  10. Bray GA. Overview of therapy for obesity in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 26, 2009.
  11. Svetkey LP, et al. Comparison of strategies for sustaining weight loss: The Weight Loss Maintenance Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA. 2008;299:1139.
  12. The practical guide: Identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/prctgd_c.pdf. Accessed Feb. 25, 2009.
  13. Donnelly JE, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Appropriate physical activity intervention strategies for weight loss and prevention of weight regain for adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2009;41:459.
  14. Sacks F, et al. Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;360:859.
  15. Mun EC, et al. Surgical management of obesity. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 26, 2009.
  16. Hensrud DD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 2, 2009.
  17. Anderson CA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 3, 2009.

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