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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 with 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.
Prevention Alternative medicine

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References
  1. Defining overweight and obesity. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/defining.html. Accessed Feb. 14, 2011.
  2. Still CD, et al. Obesity. In: Rakel & Bope: Conn's Current Therapy. 60th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/117958748-3/0/1621/295.html#4-u1.0-B978-1. Accessed Feb. 15, 2011.
  3. Bray GA. Etiology and natural history of obesity. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 16, 2011.
  4. Kushner RF. Obesity management. Gastroenterology Clinics of North America. 2007;36:191.
  5. Duval K, et al. Health-related quality of life in morbid obesity. Obesity Surgery. 2006;16:574.
  6. Hainer V, et al. Treatment modalities of obesity: What fits whom? Diabetes Care. 2008;31(suppl 2):S269.
  7. Understanding adult obesity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/understanding.htm. Accessed Feb. 15, 2011.
  8. Bray GA. Overview of therapy for obesity in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 16, 2011.
  9. Svetkey LP, et al. Comparison of strategies for sustaining weight loss: The Weight Loss Maintenance Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2008;299:1139.
  10. The practical guide: Identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/prctgd_c.pdf. Accessed Feb. 15, 2011.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. Jones D, et al. Surgical management of severe obesity. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 16, 2011.
  14. Meridia (sibutramine): Market withdrawal due to risk of serious cardiovascular events. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm228830.htm. Accessed Oct. 8, 2010.
  15. Najm W, et al. Herbals used for diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Primary Care. 2010;37:237.
  16. Cho SH, et al. Acupuncture for obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Obesity. 2009;33:183.
  17. Completed safety review: Xenical/Alli (Orlistat) and severe liver injury. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm213038.htm. Accessed Feb. 16, 2011.
DS00314 May 6, 2011

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