Dr. RichardRichard Kowalsky, MD Ask a question

Board-certified obesity medicine physician in Boynton Beach, Florida

Ask the hard questions about weight. Get honest, medical answers.

Dr. Richard Kowalsky helps adults with obesity and weight-related conditions build a plan that works: nutrition, activity, behavior and, when it makes sense, modern medication.

Request a visitHow the program works
AskEvaluatePlanAdjustMaintain
An abstract illustration of the care journey: ask, evaluate, plan, adjust and maintain.

People often ask

  • Board certifiedAmerican Board of Obesity Medicine
  • FACOGWomen’s health background
  • Since 1970More than five decades in medicine
  • English & SpanishSe habla español

The four pillars of weight care

Lasting results rarely come from one change. Your plan draws on four areas, weighted to what you need.

  • Nutrition

    A way of eating that fits your culture, budget and medical needs, with enough protein and no forbidden foods list.

    How it works

  • Physical activity

    Movement prescribed like a medicine, starting where you are, protecting muscle and joints.

    How it works

  • Behavior and sleep

    Habits, stress, sleep and emotional eating, addressed with practical, judgment-free tools.

    How it works

  • Medicine

    FDA-approved anti-obesity medications when appropriate, plus a review of medicines that may add weight.

    How it works

What brings you in?

Pick the sentence that sounds most like you. Each one goes straight to the answer that fits.

How the program works

Five steps, each one a conversation. You always know what comes next.

  1. Step 1

    Ask and listen

    Your history, your goals and your questions: weight over the years, what you’ve tried, medications, sleep, stress and what matters most to you.

  2. Step 2

    Medical evaluation

    Review of weight-related conditions, current medications that can affect weight, and recent labs. Additional tests are suggested only when they would change your care.

  3. Step 3

    Your plan, written down

    A plan across the four pillars, with realistic first steps. If medication is appropriate, you’ll talk through benefits, side effects and alternatives.

  4. Step 4

    Follow-up and fine-tuning

    Regular check-ins to see what’s working, manage side effects and adjust. Guidelines suggest checking medication response and safety closely in the first months.[4]

  5. Step 5

    Maintenance for the long run

    A plan to protect your progress, because the body adapts to weight loss. Maintenance is part of the program, not an afterthought.[8]

See the full program

Myths, meet the evidence

Open a card to read what research and clinical guidelines actually say.

MythWeight is simply a matter of willpower.Show the fact

FactBody weight is regulated by hormones, brain signaling, genetics, sleep, stress, medications and environment. After weight loss, appetite hormones shift in ways that push weight back up, which is biology, not a lack of effort.

MythAnti-obesity medications are a shortcut.Show the fact

FactGuidelines recommend medications as an add-on to nutrition, activity and behavior support for adults who meet medical criteria. They treat a chronic disease, the same way blood pressure medicines do.

MythIf you stop a GLP-1 medication, you keep the results.Show the fact

FactIn the STEP 1 extension, people who stopped semaglutide regained about two-thirds of the weight they had lost within a year. A maintenance plan matters whatever treatment you use.

MythSmall amounts of weight loss don’t matter.Show the fact

FactLosing about 5 to 10% of body weight can improve blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and other weight-related conditions. Health gains start well before any “goal weight”.

MythYou have to exercise for hours to make a difference.Show the fact

FactActivity helps most with health and with keeping weight off. A realistic, regular plan you can sustain is worth far more than an intense one you abandon.

MythObesity care is only about the number on the scale.Show the fact

FactGood care tracks what matters to you: energy, mobility, sleep, lab results, blood pressure, medications you may be able to reduce, and how you feel day to day.

Sources: Endocrine Society and AGA guidelines, the STEP 1 extension and the AACE/ACE obesity guidelines.[4][6][7]

Treatment options, side by side

Obesity care is layered. Most people start with the foundations; medication or a surgical referral is added when it’s medically appropriate. This overview is general, not a recommendation for you.

Comparison of obesity treatment approaches
ApproachWhat it involvesOften considered whenKey point
Intensive lifestyle programNutrition, physical activity and behavior support with regular follow-upEvery adult with overweight or obesityRecommended for adults with a BMI of 30 or higher (USPSTF, grade B)[3]
Anti-obesity medicationFDA-approved medication added to the lifestyle plan, with monitoringBMI of 30 or higher, or 27 or higher with a weight-related conditionUsed long term, like other chronic disease medications[4][5]
Metabolic and bariatric surgeryReferral to a surgical program for evaluationHigher BMI or serious weight-related conditionsDiscussed when appropriate; Dr. Kowalsky’s care is non-surgical[7]
Maintenance careOngoing visits, habits and, for some, continued medicationAfter any weight lossThe body works to regain lost weight, so maintenance is planned[8]

Obesity is common, and it’s treatable

National data and landmark research put the numbers in perspective.

Statistics describe populations and study groups, not individual results.[1][2]

Meet Dr. Richard

Richard Kowalsky, MD, is a physician certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine, with more than five decades in medicine.

He earned his medical degree at Temple University School of Medicine in 1970 and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Today his work is obesity medicine: evidence-based, respectful care for adults whose weight is affecting their health.

The idea behind Ask Dr. Richard is simple. Weight care goes better when people can ask anything and get a straight, evidence-based answer, in English or Spanish.

About Dr. RichardRequest a visit

Why you can trust these answers

Weight is a sensitive, high-stakes topic. Every page follows the same editorial standards.

  • Written by a physician

    Every page is written and reviewed by Dr. Kowalsky, a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.

  • Grounded in guidelines

    Statements follow Endocrine Society, AACE, AGA and USPSTF guidance and major clinical trials, cited on the page.

  • Dated and reviewed

    Medical pages show when they were last updated and are re-checked when guidance changes.

  • No sponsorship

    No paid placements, no product promotion, no pricing claims and no before-and-after promises.

  • Respectful language

    People first, never defined by their weight. Obesity is discussed as the chronic disease it is, without blame.

  • Clear limits

    Each answer says when to see a doctor and which symptoms need 911 or the emergency room.

Read the editorial policySee all references

Credentials and verification

You can check a Florida physician’s license and an obesity medicine diplomate’s board status yourself, at no cost.

Specialty
Obesity medicine (medical weight management for adults)
Board certification
Diplomate, American Board of Obesity Medicine (DABOM)
Fellowship
Fellow, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FACOG)
Medical degree
MD, Temple University School of Medicine, 1970

Physicians in Florida are licensed by the Florida Board of Medicine through the Florida Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance.

From the answers library

Plain-language answers to the questions patients ask most, with every source cited.

Browse all answers

Sources and references

  1. Emmerich SD, Fryar CD, Stierman B, Ogden CL. Obesity and severe obesity prevalence in adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023. NCHS Data Brief, no. 508. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2024. View source
  2. Knowler WC, Barrett-Connor E, Fowler SE, Hamman RF, Lachin JM, Walker EA, Nathan DM; Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. N Engl J Med. 2002;346(6):393-403. View source
  3. US Preventive Services Task Force; Curry SJ, Krist AH, Owens DK, et al. Behavioral weight loss interventions to prevent obesity-related morbidity and mortality in adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2018;320(11):1163-1171. View source
  4. Apovian CM, Aronne LJ, Bessesen DH, McDonnell ME, Murad MH, Pagotto U, Ryan DH, Still CD. Pharmacological management of obesity: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015;100(2):342-362. View source
  5. Grunvald E, Shah R, Hernaez R, Chandar AK, Pickett-Blakely O, Teigen LM, et al.; AGA Clinical Guidelines Committee. AGA clinical practice guideline on pharmacological interventions for adults with obesity. Gastroenterology. 2022;163(5):1198-1225. View source
  6. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Davies M, Van Gaal LF, Kandler K, Konakli K, et al.; STEP 1 Study Group. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: the STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2022;24(8):1553-1564. View source
  7. Garvey WT, Mechanick JI, Brett EM, Garber AJ, Hurley DL, Jastreboff AM, et al. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology comprehensive clinical practice guidelines for medical care of patients with obesity. Endocr Pract. 2016;22 Suppl 3:1-203. View source
  8. Sumithran P, Prendergast LA, Delbridge E, Purcell K, Shulkes A, Kriketos A, Proietto J. Long-term persistence of hormonal adaptations to weight loss. N Engl J Med. 2011;365(17):1597-1604. View source

Your questions deserve real answers.

Ask about a first visit, a medication you’ve heard about, or a plan that finally fits your life. Se habla español.

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