The goal of obesity treatment is to achieve and maintain a healthier weight. The amount of weight you need to lose to improve your health may be much less than what you feel you need to lose.

Treatment for obesity will be most successful if you create a long-term plan with your doctor. A reasonable goal might be to begin making lifestyle changes by increasing physical activity and limiting calories.

Your initial goal should be to improve your health, not to achieve an ideal weight. Although the "formula" for weight loss-to burn more calories than you take in-is not complicated, it is often hard to achieve and maintain. Along with lifestyle changes, medicines and surgery may be options for some people. The treatment you need depends on your level of obesity, your overall health, and your motivation to lose weight.

cognitive-behavioral treatment manual for obesity, this volume presents an innovative therapeutic model currently being evaluated in controlled research at Oxford University. From leading clinical researchers, the approach is specifically designed to overcome a major weakness of existing therapies: posttreatment weight regain. The book details powerful ways to help patients not only to achieve weight loss, but also to modify the problematic cognitions that undermine long-term weight control

Any good diet plan will include exercise. It helps to increase metabolism and is one less opportunity to eat during the day. You should exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5 times a week. Regular exercise also helps your heart and lungs and lowers triglyceride levels that can cause heart disease. It also increases the HDL ("good cholesterol") levels. Even simple measures such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator and short walks eventually add up to a lot of calories burned.

It best for the individual then to consult expert medical or credible fitness/diet specialist before taking any physical training or medical treatment for obesity. Asking the support of qualified health care providers doesn’t only help you in acting on your condition immediately but it also assures that you are taking the correct and safe measures in dealing with the disease. As your goal is to become better, then you would also have to find better remedies if not the best.

Orlistat (brand name Xenical) is a medication approved for obesity management and is available in most countries, including the U.S. It should be used as an adjunct to diet and exercise in the treatment of obesity. When one eats a "normal" meal, one consumes carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. Many people who are obese consume a diet that is relatively high in fat. In fact, the body's ability to convert carbohydrates or protein to fat is limited in that the conversion process requires a significant proportion of the energy that is contained in the food.

Diet Therapy

Lifestyle modifications such as increasing physical activity and decreasing calorie intake are recommended instead of "dieting." Crash diets should definitely be avoided. The best approach to changing your diet is to talk to your doctor to find out what is best for you. Your doctor can provide you with dietary guidelines or refer you to a dietician for further help. Dietary guidelines will differ for each person depending on height, weight, concurrent health conditions, and desired amount of weight loss. A diet must be established that will allow for weight loss and be easy to comply with. Maintenance of your program is the key to keeping the pounds off.