In which stage of change is a client who feels weight loss is pointless and expresses doubts about making weight loss work?

A client who feels that weight loss is pointless and expresses doubts about making it work is in the precontemplation stage of change. In this stage, individuals are typically not considering change and may be unaware of their issues or believe that their behaviors are not problematic. The feelings of futility and doubt indicate that the client is not yet ready to take steps towards change, which is characteristic of precontemplation. This stage is often marked by a lack of motivation to engage in the change process, and clients may need more understanding and information to move toward recognizing the possibility and benefits of change.

In contrast, clients in the contemplation stage have started to acknowledge the benefits of change but are still ambivalent about taking action. The preparation stage involves clients who are ready and planning to make changes soon, while clients in the action stage are actively working on making those changes. Therefore, the expression of hopelessness and doubt clearly aligns with the characteristics of the precontemplation stage.