Lifestyle strategies for the obese patient

By adding a lifestyle transformation program to your chiropractic toolkit, you can offer a comprehensive, natural and sustainable approach to holistic wellness that fits seamlessly into your practice and your patients’ lives.

Obesity is one of the most pressing health concerns of our time. With more than 40% of Americans experiencing some form of obesity, obese patients are showing up more and more in chiropractic offices. While chiropractic care can relieve pain and improve function, these benefits are often temporary or minimized if the patient’s lifestyle remains unchanged. If you are committed to true wellness, helping obese patients requires more than adjustments; it requires a holistic, structured approach to lifestyle transformation.

The unique challenges of the obese patient

Obese patients are more likely to experience pain. Obesity is linked to an increased risk of various pain conditions, including osteoarthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia, headaches and chronic, widespread pain. Since even a relatively small weight gain can significantly increase the load on joints, with a 10-pound weight gain potentially adding 30-40 pounds of pressure on the knees, obesity can impede progress and even cause repeated exacerbations of pain.

Obese patients often experience chronic inflammation, fatigue, joint pain, metabolic dysfunction and emotional burnout from failed weight-loss attempts. Add to that a higher risk for diabetes, heart disease and mobility issues, and it’s clear they need more than a standard care plan.

DCs are often the first wellness professionals these patients trust. But too often, providers feel unequipped to go beyond spinal care into sustainable weight management. Simply advising a patient to “eat better and move more” isn’t enough; it takes guidance, accountability and a proven system designed for their specific needs.

The power to influence change for the obese patient

The chiropractic philosophy has always been rooted in healing from within. Our work naturally aligns with preventive, nonpharmaceutical solutions. That makes you uniquely positioned to help patients address the root causes of obesity through lifestyle change; if you have the right tools. The most successful lifestyle interventions for obese patients include:

• Low glycemic nutrition to stabilize blood sugar and reduce inflammation.
• Support for adrenal and hormonal balance, especially cortisol regulation.
• Gentle movement strategies that start where the patient is physically.
• Hydration, detox support and gut health; often overlooked but essential.
• Mindset coaching and progress tracking, which increase compliance and long-term success.

These changes are powerful but implementing them requires more than handing over a food list. Since most DCs are already busy dealing with musculoskeletal issues, it’s tempting to push weight loss management to the side or assume your patients get enough of that information elsewhere. In the meantime, patients are under a constant barrage of misleading information about shots, pills and trendy diet fads. Unfortunately, most of the advice they are receiving comes from social media influencers. Becoming the weight loss expert in their lives helps them see measurable change and builds long-term loyalty to you and your practice.

What to look for in an effective weight-loss system

It is important to adopt a comprehensive, natural and sustainable approach that fits seamlessly into your practice and into your patients’ lives. The most effective systems share several key principles:

• A low-glycemic food plan avoiding extremes, such as starvation, prepackaged foods or unrealistic restrictions. Clients are often overwhelmed with what is packaged as healthy food. Most don’t have the practical knowledge to make the right food choices.
• Targeted nutritional supplementation to support fat metabolism, control cravings, protect healthy muscle mass and enhance energy.
• A coaching and accountability model providing education, support and personalized encouragement.
• Tools for tracking progress and maintaining compliance, which keep patients engaged and motivated.
• A turnkey framework requiring minimal staff training but delivering maximum results.

These systems allow you to support real transformation while building a profitable wellness service aligned with your core mission.

Real results, real impact

Practices using this type of structured, natural weight loss program report patients losing 20–35 pounds in as little as six weeks—safely and sustainably. More importantly, patients experience improved mobility, reduced inflammation, lower blood sugar and a renewed sense of hope. That means better chiropractic outcomes, stronger loyalty and more referrals.

Final thoughts

Your patients trust you to guide their health journey. With obesity now a major factor in the chronic pain and dysfunction you treat daily, adding a lifestyle transformation program is no longer optional; it’s essential. And with your leadership, you can help patients take control of their health and finally achieve lasting change.

Marty Nalda, DC, is the cofounder and director of Clinical Protocols for Inspire Weight Loss, where she develops and oversees evidence-based systems that are licensed by healthcare providers and wellness professionals nationwide. A published author and experienced clinician, she also owns and operates an Inspire Weight Loss center in Orlando, Florida. Nalda earned her doctor of chiropractic degree from Life University, and in Marietta, Georgia, has been recognized for her leadership in advancing safe, natural and sustainable approaches to weight management and metabolic health. For more information, contact martynalda@gmail.com.