HOW MEDICAL WEIGHT LOSS DIFFERS FROM OTHER WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS

Do you wonder how medical weight loss is different from other weight loss plans? Good question!

A Personalized Approach With The Ability To Diagnose

First, unlike one-size-fits-all weight loss plans, a medically based weight loss program tailors to each patient’s needs and health circumstances. For instance, a medical weight loss program will be able to make clinical diagnoses of underlying health conditions. Two common conditions include a slow thyroid or polycystic ovary syndrome, (PCOS). Both of these conditions impact the metabolism rate.

A medical weight loss plan starts with a medical workup or assessment that answers such important questions as:

• Are hormonal levels in balance?
• Is there possibly an underlying medical condition causing the weight gain?
• Are the medications this patient takes for other medical conditions playing a role?
• Could a food sensitivity be to blame?
• Are there genetic factors at play?
• Does the patient have behavioral patterns that need to change?

Treat Your Underlying Condition And Your Weight At The Same Time

Secondly, after making a diagnosis, a medical weight loss provider can write prescriptions where necessary to address the underlying condition. As every patient is unique, not all types of medications work for everyone depending on personal or family medical history. You should take possible safety issues with other medications into account. These prescriptions include the popular GLP-1 weight loss medications like semaglutide. While there may be the perception that GLP-1 medications are easy to take, there are some safety and usage concerns that every patient should discuss with a medical provider trained in medical weight loss.

The Most Holistic Type Of Weight Management Program

A medical weight loss program is also able to address each patient more holistically than other types of programs. It marries the clinical aspects with the necessary behavioral and lifestyle changes to achieve not only initial weight loss goals but successfully keep it off for life. Behavioral changes consist of the ability to increasingly make healthier choices about nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management over time. Cognitive behavioral counseling asks patients to practice making better decisions until they fully adopt them as part of a healthy lifestyle.

One-On-One Long-Term Monitoring

A fourth difference is the amount of ongoing support, monitoring, and one-on-one individual attention a medical weight loss program provides before, during, and after a patient sheds the excess weight in a safe and controlled way. Routine check-ups once the program is successful assure that any future weight gain is caught and addressed early before it becomes a threat to the patient’s health and well-being.

Coordinated Care With Other Providers

Finally, for patients who carry excess weight in addition to suffering from other chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, a medically supervised program provides close connection and communication between the medical weight loss provider and all of the other medical professionals the patient may see. They can communicate about the patient’s overall health management plan, assuring that it’s all working together toward the goal of improving the patient’s health now and in the future.

When all of these factors are taken into account, it’s clear that a medical approach to weight loss provides advantages unavailable with any other weight management plan and can succeed where other weight loss programs often fail.