Unfortunately, many people struggle with their weight. Researchers estimate that, over the last quarter century, the obesity rate has ballooned to an astounding 42 percent In America. Furthermore, the problem often contributes to potentially life-limiting illnesses such as cardiovascular problems, diabetes, cancer, and a host of immune system disorders.
In response, impacted subjects desperately search for and partake in various weight loss methods hoping one eventually produces favorable results. An emerging initiative is an effort known as medical weight loss.
Medical Weight Loss Overview
As the practice’s name might indicate, those undergoing medical weight loss participate in programs overseen and endorsed by healthcare providers.
Several facets comprise this health practice including:
The Use Of Medications
Individuals meeting certain weight and body mass criteria may be optimal candidates for prescription drug weight control. These substances perform various functions including appetite suppression, the reduction of cravings, and decreasing the collection and accumulation of fats within the body.
Diet
Diet in terms of weight loss involves not only consuming the right foods but the proper amounts of said edibles. During participation in a medical weight loss program, doctors and other healthcare providers like nutritionists create efforts like:
Individualized Meal Planning
Medical professionals assist participants in planning dietary schedules out days and perhaps weeks at a time. Additional undertakings might also involve meal diary maintenance and careful calorie counting.
Nutrition Planning
Healthcare providers get directly to the crux of the issue. The participant and their medical team discuss pertinent issues including:
- The reasons one consumes food excessively
Specific individuals, events, or circumstances that trigger heavy or binge eating
Learning how to distinguish real hunger from eating out of boredom or as an emotional or negative response to an event
Learning how to read the fine print on menus and ingredient listings
Participants will also receive instruction on topics like stress management, understanding the need to meet their body’s basic metabolic needs, understanding nutritional needs, and balancing one’s own nutritional needs with those of close relations like family members.
Medication Review
Occasionally, over-the-counter or prescription drugs might contribute to weight gain. Certain preparations increase appetite while others precipitate bodily reactions leading to elevated body weight. Those enrolling in medical weight loss programs can have the medicines they use reviewed, in addition to their dosage altered, or changed completely if need be.
Metabolic Rate Testing
An individual’s metabolic rate is the speed at which their body burns calories. Several factors play into this important vital statistic such as:
- Age
Current weight
Fitness levels
Body conditioning factors like muscle and bone mass
Fluid retention
One’s general health also plays a crucial role. Numerous ailments influence one’s body weight and ability to properly process nutrients.
Exercise
The successful use of exercise to lose weight and improve one’s physique depends not only on the specific exercises one engages in but the manner in which said movements are performed. Healthcare providers can evaluate a patient’s fitness needs and desires and tailor a plan most befitting these aims.
Success Rates
It is not always easy to quantify success rates. Such figures are often determined by the participant’s intended goals and desire to reach them. That said, many people who partake in medical weight loss programs might expect to lose an average of 10 to 15 percent of their body weight.
Reasons Successful Outcomes Occur
Proponents of medical weight loss maintain that successful outcomes are attained in a solid percentage of cases because such efforts are individually focused and not created to meet a one-size-fits-all approach, are overseen by healthcare providers, which can protect the health and safety of the participant through careful monitoring and the insertion of necessary adjustments should the need dictate.
How Does The Process Work?
Before any specific plan is put into action, the prospective participant will undergo an initial evaluation. During this process, the attending medical team will review the patient’s medical history, review their diet, medications and lifestyle habits, and assess their fitness goals.
Once this information is attained, healthcare providers can formulate the most appropriate medical weight loss plan and offer step-by-step instruction governing the manner in which it should be carried out.
Contacting Us
Those believing a medical weight loss program might best serve their health and fitness goals are urged to contact the team of highly skilled and experienced team employed at Vital Force Therapy and Wellness. We look forward to offering interested parties an evaluation and, if they are a good fit, formulate a plan most tailored to serve their needs.
To learn more about us, please visit at our medical weight loss clinic or call 205-352-9141