I'm with those who feel that this was perhaps a waste of the GP's time but also that he was unnecessarily harsh. I suspect that what he really meant was: 'I've made a referral for you. There is plenty of information out there on healthy eating and weightloss. Go and look for it or ask the Practice Nurse so that I can deal with the swine fluees'. Perhaps he should have just said that. It wouldn't occur to me to see anyone other than a Practice Nurse for advice on losing weight/stopping smoking etc.
I agree with the advice on portion sizes. My IL's eat HUGE portions of everything but moan about their weight and go on strange diets (e.g. Atkins) every so often. I think some people just don't realise what consitutes a 'normal' sized portion. Not feeling you have to clear your plate is a good strategy, as is eating slowly because it makes you aware, sooner, of when you are full and helps you avoid getting that hideously bloated feeling after meals.
slowreadingprogress I absolutely agree with your posts about the little things that add up (e.g. semi/skimmed milk) and the importance of emotional problems. I think more overweight people could benefit from CBT or counselling; and here GPs might indeed have a role in referring patients. Overeating because of emotional or psychological factors is no different from suffering from anorexia or bulimia. Some posters here could be more open-minded about the idea of eating disorders being at either end of the spectrum.
Other than a brief period about 10 years ago, I have never (luckily for me, and largely thanks to my genes) been overweight and yet I have certainly binged on food at times, as well as going to the other end of the scale, and I have also been obsessive about exercise in the past. For me, the whole thing is about control issues which may well sound like psycho-babble to some but which makes perfect sense to me and helps me to manage my psychological shortcomings. Just trying to illustrate that overeating can certainly be part of a larger psychological landscape and any Health Professional should be aware of this.
Some great advice here about exercise; I have gone from being a complete non-exerciser (for 10 years!) to regular running, cycling and weight training. I have found it a great stress-reliever, mood-enhancer and self-esteem booster (as well as helping me manage my weight) and, aged 31, I am finally proud of my physique and have a new-found respect for my body. I also control my portion sizes and avoid alcohol, on the whole, which helps a great deal.
OP: look to the Food wheel* for some good ideas about how to plan and manage your diet:
www.juvela.co.uk/pdf/wheel_of_health.pdf
Plan a week's meals and make a list. Do your shopping online and get only what's on your list but DO be realistic and kind to yourself and allow yourself one or two little treats for the week (e.g. a couple of glasses of wine one night, a bowl of popcorn or bag of crisps on another night). Couple this with regular, proper exercise (30 or more minutes, 3 times a week of something that makes you out of breath and raises your pulse). Set yourself manageable targets and build it up gradually. You'll FEEL better within a week, which is more important than losing weight.
Good luck with your weight loss and continued good health, OP.
*I was surprised (but probably shouldn't have been) to recently discover that there are different food pyramids for different continents and regions (e.g. Mediterranean, Asian). We would probably all benefit from using the Asian food pyramid ourselves since it represents an extremely healthy diet. Read up on the Okinawans of Japan whose fantastically healthy lifestyle has them all living into their 90s and beyond, with virtually no cancer, heart disease or Alzheimer's.