to think this GP is a total idiot!!!

[ButterflEi]

hello

so i went to see one of the GPs in my practice today as i am wanting to take control of my weight issues and was looking for advice.

the GP asked me general questions about lifestyle etc and what i eat on an average day which i answered thinking to myself that finally i was going to get somewhere (i have struggled with my weight since i was about 15, im now 27). he said he would refer me to a dietician but that could take a matter of months for that referral to materialise.

the conversation went as follows:

me: so can you help with what i should do in the meantime??
idiot GP: i would sggest restricting your diet as much as possible
me: ok...meaning what??
GP: dont eat
me: huh? you mean eat less??
GP: no dont eat
me: dont eat??
GP: yes dont eat. excercise and dont eat.
me: is that not called ANOREXIA??
GP: no it is a medically sanctioned diet plan
me: no it is called anorexia...thanks for nowt.

i then stormed out in a bit of a huff and went home. i have since called the surgery and made another appointment with a different (nice lady) doctor for later today!!

i just wondered if IABU to think that doctor is a complete incompetent arse or is my fat addling my brain??

ButterflEi do you geniunely not know what to eat to eat heathily? do you really think that biscuits and crisps and things like that are good for you?
I find it extrodinary that so many people claim they don't know how to eat healthily when there is so much information out there. Even my local Tescos has signs up demonstrating how much fruit is one portion etc.

I can't bear all of this self indulgent thinking and musing about 'self esteem' and 'complex psychological problems underlying weight gain'. It casts the overweight person as a helpless victim of circumstance.

Also, talk changes nothing.
As someone said on here, nothing changes if 'nothing changes^.

So here is the paln of action:

Mouth-open less frequently
Arse-move more frequently

Also if you want to go down 'self esteem' route, consider if you will that your self esteem will soar if you lose weight, not that it has to soar before you are ready to lose weight.

I bet Hippo can vouch for that.

Libras that's exactly what I mean about healthy habits. Everyone with half a brain cell knows that crisps etc are not going to help you eat healthily. The thing is with some people, giving up crisps/biscuits is not actually going to help them lose weight. Specially someone like the OP who has a thyroid disease one of the symptoms of which is weight gain. Other habits, (such as for example eating late in the evening, snacking in the evening even on healthy things, skipping breakfast, or eating just a bit too much of even healthy food on your plate on a daily basis, or having one extra cuppa a day with one sugar, or having semi skimmed instead of skimmed milk etc) are going to have such a cumulative effect that giving up a bag of crisps is NOT going to make a difference

some people need lots and lots of educating and practical strategies to help them realise what is and isn't having an effect.

It really isn't so silly as people not knowing not to eat biscuits

the mean and condescending and un-generous attitudes on this thread about this issue have astounded me.

thank god you're here moondog

what the fuck would people do without your genius on this issue? Gosh!

lol at moondog's diet plan!
I raised the self esteem issue - it's quite hard to make significant changes in your life when you feel crap about yourself. Just suggesting the GP maybe should have born that in mind instead of taking the piss

I know.
I am too good to you all Slow.

Seriously, I wish you would say no more moondog. We get your nice and simple message; thanks for your contribution.

Now there are others who understand this issue more and have a profound understanding of the subleties that underlie your over-arching premise

naff right off now, there's a dear

I'll stick around thanks.
Someone needs to counter the hapless victim spiel.

Im wiht doggy

it's not hapless victim, it's also not crime of the century. He's in the same league as the MW who told my friend (been in labour for 3 days, not progressing, upset and fed up) "well labour is meant to hurt you know"
Insensitive and a bit of a buffoon

I'm afraid your lack of understanding of the issues involved and your latent nastiness about it are just embarrassing to read on this issue but obviously it's a free board.

If the OP was a heroin addict she would have received more help. She wants to change her diet, but perhaps needs a bit of help. Absolutely nothing with that.

Over weight people is a huge issue for the NHS, and would have thought the OP could have been helped a bit more, even if something like, 'have you tried a food diary?' Or counting calories, or taking pictures of your daily food consumption?

It's easy enough to give the OP slogans, but a bit of practical help goes a very long way.

A friend of mine from India said that they base their portions on the size of one's palm, and that's all your body needs. I don't know if that's true or not, but makes sense.

Oh FGS, GP speaking sense now equals evil pain spurnin MW. I don't think so.

I am also going to counter bizarre assumption that people do not know how to eat healthily. We are engulfed by tv programmes, magazines and magazines that go on and on and on and on and on about diets and healthy eating ad infinitum.

Unless you have a learning disability, there is no way in the world that you don't get this stuff. Just in case, here's my list to stick on your fridge.

Lay off the sweets
Lay of the biscuits
Lay off the cakes
Lay off the pies
Lay off the fried food
Lay off the booze

Get into brown bread and rice
Get into vegetables
Get into fruit
Get into plainish chicken, fish and meat

i think that altho the OP would get more help wiht heroin there is no comparison
asn heroin users on the whole never kick the habit

meat the size of a playing card

a match box size piece of cheese is 2 and a half ww points ( out of a daily allowance of 18)

the op needs to eat less
not endlessly examining why she and most of us are just greedy pigs

But how many times have you seen diets based around the fact you can have a fried breakfast every day? Or a kitkat and 6 jelly babies?
It's not that hard but neither are a lot of things in life - sometimes you just need someone to spell it out practically for you rather than take the piss. Or at least I do - maybe I'm slow.
Oh and afaik labour does hurt. She wasn't lying, just opening mouth and inserting foot. So much for the caring profession.

even if something like, 'have you tried a food diary?' Or counting calories, or taking pictures of your daily food consumption?

Great advice. Does it need a GP to say it? No

'base their portions on the size of one's palm, and that's all your body needs.'

Great advice. Does it need a GP to say it? No

The NHS is under massive strain. People have to use their common sense and take personal responsibility for their health issues.The GP told her what she will be told by anyone else, whether it is a Hollywood fitness trainer, a PE instructor, a dietician or the bloke on the till at Aldi. That is the point.

saying something along those lines (or suggesting she talk to the nurse) would have taken the same energy and effort as his idiotic 'joke'. And given he should be encouraging her in making immediate improvements in her lifestyle, why choose to belittle her?

I think the way many people on Mumsnet talk about and to fat people is actually quite yuck.

ButterflEi, the best way to lose weight is with lots and lots of exercise (and I am saying an hour each time, really heavy breathing/sweating at least 6 times a week, but you might want to warm up to this by doing alternate days to start with), both cardio and resistance. Once you are exercising a lot, your body will tell you what it wants.

Best way to start is with portion control, so have a serious look at your portions. Try eating half of what you normally would and really think about whether you are full or not. Eat only until you are full.

Next have a look at what you are eating. I personally don't eat much in the way of grains and sugar, and very few "modern" foods at all. Mostly chomp through a huge amount of non-starchy veg (as much as you like), plenty of meat, and some fruit.

Talk to a different GP, it is so hard asking for help with this and for him to behave in such a manner can really knock you down again.

Don't not eat and for god's sake don't diet, I can't say it enough, exercise, exercise, exercise - it can be hard to find the time but you will if you really want it.

and it's a bit ironic given GPs get paid to refer people to exercise programmes that they can't be bothered to respond appropriately when asked a straightforward question.

thast what moondog said!!#

her ppint was does she NEED the doctor to say " yes you are fat eat less"

no she bloody KNOWS htat herself! hence she didnt get the head tilty " ah yes you would still be fat if you starved for 40 years" thing she got" eat less"
so she is going back to soft nice "lady dr"

no she got "don't eat"
not the same thing

this is what I mean though moondog

Of course people know what's healthy and don't need your ever-so-generously-and-kindly-meant list.

If there were not more complex issues at play then everyone in the world would be thin and that is not about being learning disabled (nice) or about being a victim it's about being a human being struggling with a complex issue and needing some help. Just because you can't understand the complexity, doesn't mean it isn't there. The evidence is in half the population of the country fgs.

If we were all in a prison camp, on minimum rations we would ALL LOSE regardless of issues or other stuff.