Getting a Doctor's Advice is Key to Healthy Dieting and Exercise - kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and Killeen

(KCEN) -- Aaron Gustafson begins his day with a visit to the doctor.

He said, "Today I came in because I wasn't feeling that great."

Is it the nasty flu bug that's going around or something else?

Gustafson recently started a new weight loss plan. He's using a free app called My Fitness Pal to track how many calories he's eating each day.

He wants to make sure this change isn't the reason he is feeling under the weather.

Gustafson said, "I was worried about malnutrition."

It's a very common concern for many who use the calorie counting method to lose weight.

That's why it's important to talk with your doctor when making these changes.

Dr. Tim Martindale with the Providence Family Medicine Clinic said, "If you have medical conditions that require special concerns, medicines that you should know about whether they could cause a problem with the diet or exercise program."

Not having this conversation can result in serious medical problems including gout, kidney stones and dehydration among others.

Martindale says not overwhelming yourself is key.

"Many times when you over-do it, you find yourself giving up quickly. That's the whole scheme that happens. People last January, maybe February, and they are done for the year," he said,

That is exactly what happened to 34-year-old Bonnie Ambrose.

She said, "I tried for so many years to workout and do all these different things and nothing caught me. Nothing grabbed me and kept me coming."

That is until she joined T-3 boot camp in Temple a little more than a year ago.

Since then she's lost more than 60 pounds and lifts the same amount of weight as the men in her boot camp class.

In order to be successful when trying a new diet plan or exercise routine, it's important to set realistic goals for yourself and remember slow and steady wins the race..

Gustafson said, "Every time I look at that and I see that I am actually beating my calorie count and I am eating healthy in general, it helps me wake up the next day and continue to track the food."

He is pretty excited about his progress so far. 

Gustafson said, "I've had to buy three belts now."