Making Good Choices

This Obesity Epidemic is getting way out of hand. I had a patient come in to the doctors office for a regular visit. She was about 5' 2" and was probably pushing close 300 lbs (that's just a little over what she should have been). I really wanted to help her because she didn't seem happy with her current health situation so I proceed to talk with her about her diet and exercise. Here is how our conversation went.

Me: Tell me a little bit about your diet and exercise?

Patient: Well, I know that I need to lose weight. I try to make good choices for what I eat, but it's really hard, ya know. I try to eat more vegetables so I went to a Chinese buffet for dinner because they have vegetables (!?!), but you need to be careful of those sauces, there are lots of calories in there.

Me: Uhhh (thinking: yeah, it's not the sauces that you need to worry about, it's the five helpings)

Patient: I had a really hard day last week and my daughters wanted to take me out to Carrabba's for dinner, but I said, 'No, I should be good.'

Me: Good for you

Patient: So we went to Golden Corral instead.

Me: Oh.

- I was dumbfounded. This lady is lugging around an extra 160 lbs (which is an entire extra person) everywhere she goes, and her "good choices" are going to a chinese buffet for vegetables and going to Golden Corral (another buffet) instead of Carrabba's Italian Restaurant!!

Me: Ummm...so...need any refills on your medications?