I currently weigh 330 pounds and my back and knees hurt almost all the time. I want more that anything to exercise and eat healthier…My husband is also a big man and I can not seem to get him interested in eating better or exercise. It seems harder without his support and I don’t know what to do… It seems like every time I bring it up he responds with “if you force this it will not work.”

I’m not married myself, so any advice I could give is speculative at best. But I figure I must have readers out there who are experts at manipulating their spouses. So, how can Susie Spouse get her husband on board with her healthier lifestyle? I know it’s a whole lot easier to make changes when you’ve got the support of the people who live with you.

But I wonder, does anyone really ask their doctor for weight-loss advice?

Many overweight people avoid going to the doctor because they don’t want to talk about their weight problems. They don’t want to see the number on the scale when they’re weighed. They don’t want to deal with it. But if you are ready to do something about a serious weight problem, do you turn to your primary health provider or do you turn to Jenny Craig? Do you read diet reviews on the Internet? It seems more common for people to ask a friend for advice or join a gym and hire a trainer. Why is that?

It’s certainly important to consult your doctor if you have a medical problem that might make it dangerous to exercise, like a bum knee or asthma. But outside of that, I wonder how effective a general practitioner would be in dispensing weight loss advice. They are “general” practitioners after all. They know a little about everything, but I probably read more about the latest weight-loss breakthroughs than my doctor does. (Unless it’s bad news, since we all know I ignore that stuff.) I’ve heard stories of doctors who tell patients to join Weight Watchers, essentially outsourcing the problem.

So, did you consult a doctor before deciding to lose weight? Why or why not?