The problem of carrying unwanted weight on your frame is unfortunately common. While some people simply are unhappy with the way that their clothes fit, others are clinically obese. Obesity is linked to a wide range of health issues, including diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and even various types of cancer. As damaging as obesity can be to your health, it can also affect your self-image and confidence level. These factors can lead to issues with your personal and professional lives. Clearly, the issue of obesity is a factor that requires your full attention, but many obese individuals have tried numerous types of diets and exercise regimens over the years with minimal or no results. If you are included in this group and are frustrated by and even concerned about your current weight situation, you may benefit from participating in a medical weight loss program.
Finding the Program Right for You
Medical weight loss programs are popular because they can produce great results when the individual’s own efforts have failed. There are numerous weight loss programs that you can pursue, but you should spend ample time researching the options to find the right one for you. With many of these doctor-assisted programs, you must meet specific requirements. For example, you may need to have a certain BMI, or body mass index. Some programs also require you to have one of the conditions that may be linked to obesity, such as diabetes. You may need to spend ample time researching the options online, and you may even need to attend a few consultations to learn more about the various programs in greater detail before deciding which programs you are most interested in. Remember to read reviews and ask for information about the results that the programs can realistically provide.
A Specialized Food Plan
A hallmark of most medical weight loss programs is a specialized food plan. Even when your program includes a prescription medication and other substantial efforts, you cannot expect to lose a profound amount of body fat if you continue to eat as you have been. After you lose the weight that you desire, you cannot revert back to your current eating habits. To maintain weight loss, you must make legitimate and substantial lifestyle changes. Because of this, many medical weight loss programs require you to work closely with a nutritionist so that you can learn more about healthy eating habits. This aspect of a typical program may also provide you with healthy versions of recipes that you may enjoy. When you learn how to prepare healthy food at home, you may be more likely to continue on with your new dietary plan to maintain your weight after you reach your goal.
Prescription Medications
Because this type of weight loss program is medically assisted, your physician may provide you with a prescription for a weight loss medication. Unlike over-the-counter diet pills that you may have tried, these prescriptions are FDA-approved. More than that, they may have been clinically shown to provide exceptional weight loss results. There are currently more than two dozen weight loss medications that your doctor may prescribe. In some cases, the first medication that your doctor may prescribe may not provide the profound level of results that you desire. You may need to try several medications before you find the one that works best with your body. Some of the newer prescriptions available for weight loss include Belviq and Saxenda. Belviq targets the area of the brain that controls your appetite. It can help you to feel full so that you consume less food throughout the day. Saxenda, on the other hand, is not an appetite suppressant like Belviq is. Instead, Saxenda works by helping the body to control blood sugar levels and insulin production. It can also facilitate the digestion of food.
Medical Procedures
Medical weight loss procedures are an option that may be available to you if you struggle with severe obesity, and it most often recommended for morbidly obese individuals who have serious health conditions as a result of their weight. One type of surgery restricts the size of your stomach so that you consume less food, and the lap-band is the most common types of these surgeries. There are also malabsorbtive surgeries that could alter how your body digests foods. A newer alternative involves implanting a medical device in the body, and this device controls nerve signals that communicate between the brain and the stomach.
Medical weight loss can be very effective for some people, and it can provide life-changing results. However, it is not suitable for everyone, and it should not be considered before other types of weight loss programs have proven to be ineffective. You may speak with your doctor about the options to determine if one of these solutions may be right for you.
