I lost 115 lbs two years ago and have kept it off. Obesity is a multifaceted disease that if left unchecked will kill you and your loved ones…and serious weight loss takes a whole lot more then simple willpower as others on this thread have suggested. I had a whole team including my family, nutritionist, endocrinologist, primary care, and psychologist. If it were just willpower, 1/2 our country wouldn’t be overweight/obese, spending $$$$$$ on weight loss gimmicks. Looking back, I appreciate the concern my parents and husband showed regarding my health. It hurt to hear aloud, but it did help, because it was said out of love.
In regards to the OP’s son…you are right to be concerned. I was a 3 sport athlete and played D1 volleyball in college. After graduating, I began to put on 7-10 lbs per yr…mutiplied by x # of years and you get the picture. If your son doesn’t hear these concerns from you, a person who loves him unconditionally…he certainly won’t hear positive loving constructive feedback from the world around him. It’s mich easier to start making healthy decisions now while 20 lbs overweight then waiting until 50, 75 or 100+ lbs overweight.
No, all you haters out there. Thyroid screens are very cheap and insurers are happy to pay for at least one a year because so many turn up positive. Obesity is a disease that if you don’t treat, can cause diabetes, hypertension, joint disease and the like which are very costly to treat, and better to prevent or catch early. Thyroid screens are very cost effective. And yes, they taught me this too in med school and beyond, for all you horse people.
Disagreeing with someone doesn’t make them a hater (which is a term I haven’t heard in quite a bit).
And once again, NO ONE said do not go in. In fact, most of us said that a PCP visit isn’t a bad idea. We’re just not speculating about possible problems based on literally one thing.
<<as they="" like="" to="" teach="" medical="" interns:="" when="" you="" hear="" hoof="" bears,="" think="" horses="" not="" zebras.="">> I think this is from the dog person.
I guess this is why attendings seem to know more than interns. My horse comment was in regard to this misguided comment. Hey, I’m just taking a page from our President and a President before that (Clinton) who likes to say he gives as good as he gets.
According to Google, more than 12% of the US population will develop a thyroid condition in their lifetime. So, the probability of being overweight here for the OP’s son is what others have said like @ucbalumnus in the above quote.
okay, so anything larger than 1/2 of 1 percent is considered signficant. The fact that 12% of people will develop a thyroid condition is an absurdly high number, hence the advisability of thyroid screening.
Additionally, females are much more likely to have thyroid problems than males - estimates are anywhere between 5-10x more likely, and age is a factor, making the statistical chance for a young male much less than the 12% rate mentioned.
If it were my son, I would want him screened. Rather than dispute and tear down other posts and new ideas, rather why not make your own points and contribute new ideas to the discussion?
In terms of a thyroid problem, there’s a whole bunch of other symptoms besides weight gain, like mood swings, constipation, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, dry cracking skin, etc.
not necessarily, and you forgot the most common such as anxiety and intolerance to heat or cold. But again, move on. Don’t dispute and tear down my advice, just move on with your own.
Wow, there’s a lot of misinformation in this thread. Whenever people (mainly coworkers) ask how I lost the weight…their eyes begin to glaze over after I state there was no surgery and then describe my process because it sounds like work (it was & still is) Then I begin to hear the excuses of why losing weight just doesn’t work for him/her. And like clockwork, the “thyroid” comes up. Until I point to my neck where I have a 7 inch scar from when I had my entire thyroid removed (cancer). And get this…my thyroid was removed prior to my losing weight. Oh, AND I was asymptomatic before my cancer diagnosis . I did not suffer from brittle hair/skin, pain, fatigue, etc. Again obesity is a disease. I believe getting a complete physical including thyroid screening is necessary prior to changing one’s lifestyle. And definitely from a healthcare provider who recognizes obesity as a disease, because there are some unenlightened out there… But there is no magic pill, including synthroid, thats going to be the end all, be all solution.
^^^LOL^^^ Shocking that before staring a weight loss lifestyle that one should get a physical? Really? Ok. Even my gym suggests a physical prior to commencing on a serious exercise regime. Yet it makes no sense to consult a health provider prior to embarking on a weight loss journey? It is neither safe or responsible to suggest otherwise. But what do I know?
Along those lines, should it be recommended to consult with a physician before *stopping/i exercise, since that can lead to increased risk of obesity, diabetes, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, blood lipid disorders, some cancers, etc.?
I can only answer based on my own experiences. From past experiences when I’ve gone from working out and mindfully eating to cold turkey, none of the above…my health suffered more when I chose not to use my health care providers. And the longer I waited to swallow my pride and get help, the worst the situation became. But again…what do I know.
It seems that advice that differs from others in this thread is taken negatively or ridiculed. So I’m out, have a good evening.
The probability of a thyroid problem is extremely low. And assuming there are no other symptoms, whether listed in a quick Internet post by me or not, a thyroid issue is even less probable. The OP’s son is a young male and wouldn’t be the first college student to gain weight in college due to lack of exercise and poor eating habits. Go get a thyroid scan, but the thyroid “diagnosis” in all likelihood is wrong.
Whenever people (mainly coworkers) ask how I lost the weight...their eyes begin to glaze over after I state there was no surgery and then describe my process because it sounds like work (it was & still is) <<<<<<<<
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This makes me LOL, IME the very overweight people I know who knew me pre and post weight loss (1.5 years, no overnight miracles) don’t even ask. They are seeking echo chambers, not boring stories of calories and sweat and the ongoing process. I think OP’s son has heard about his mum’s weight loss ad nauseam by her own description. That is not healthy. My kids see me sweat. And eat chocolate.
No, he hasn’t heard about it (my weight struggles) ‘ad nauseum’. Now that I think about it, I shouldn’t have said, “a LOT over the years.” It has only been “a lot” for two periods since DS was born, and I’m sure he was pretty oblivious the first time, as he was about 8 years old IIRC when I was actively trying (and succeeding) at losing weight the first time. Since I don’t cook much, and DH makes all of our dinners from scratch, DS heard every day our exchanges where I’d ask DH what was in the food so that I could log it, and I’d also comment on how many calories I’d ‘earned’ from exercise or how many calories a specific food or meal had. For the rest of his short life, it was just periodic comments about how my weight was up or down a few pounds, until two years ago, when I rather suddenly put on about 12 lbs. and got very upset with myself. By then, however, DS was not at home, so he would only occasionally hear me comment about how frustrating it was to not have the motivation to lose, or when I did try, how frustrating it was to not get anywhere. (With three menopausal or post-menopausal women - me, my sister and my mother - in the same household, it’s kind of hard to avoid women’s ordinary kvetching about their weight, I think!)
Anyway, I’m not talking to him about his weight. I don’t think he has any kind of thyroid problem, or needs to see a doctor. If he continues to gain, those will be things to think about, but I don’t think he’s there yet. IF he brings up the subject again, I’ll mention the medical angle in case HE feels that something is ‘out of whack’. But as I see it, the gain is not at all unexpected given his food choices and lack of activity, both of which he freely admits. Oh, and he doesn’t drink alcohol (but he DOES drink soda, which I personally think is awful and undoubtedly a factor).
And it seems this thread has devolved into some kind of debate between different schools of thought on weight issues, so I’ll probably not comment again. I do appreciate the different opinions and thoughts on the matter.
