From The Doc: The Benefits Of Medical Weight Loss

Curious about medical weight loss? If you’ve only tried traditional diet plans in the past, medical weight loss will be an entirely different approach for you — for all the right reasons.

Medical weight loss is a great option for people who have found traditional diet plans to be ineffective. It’s an approach that combines a doctor’s expertise, your individual health profile, and advanced testing to produce results that are tailored uniquely for you.

In short, medical weight loss is customized for each person and based on science. Most diet plans today are quite the opposite — they’re a general plan for everyone and are based on the simple concept that eating fewer calories is the answer. (And counting calories doesn’t always work.)

What is medical weight loss?

Medical weight loss is exactly what it sounds like — a medical approach to weight control, not a one-size-fits-all restricted calorie diet.

While traditional commercial diet programs dictate that you eat smaller portion sizes and fewer calories, we all know that this strategy rarely works over the long term. Quite often, a person will lose weight in the short-term with this generic approach, but then gain it all back because the small portions and tight restrictions are difficult to maintain.

Medical weight loss treats weight control like a complex, unique health issue — because that’s exactly what it is. Our epidemic of overweight and obesity is much more complicated than people simply eating more or exercising less. Medical weight loss takes a comprehensive, medical approach to weight loss to help each individual lose weight in a way that’s healthy and effective for them.

Losing weight and keeping it off requires an in-depth approach from a physician who is trained to diagnose and treat metabolic issues and other factors that can influence weight. Medical weight loss looks at your unique, individual makeup and tailors an approach that will work specifically for you.

How does medical weight loss work?

Many diet plans offer a one-size-fits-all approach. And the reason they don’t work for most people is that this approach simply doesn’t take into account each person’s unique health factors.

When you get started with a medical weight loss program, your physician will look at several different aspects of your health. They may draw blood or conduct other tests that will give them a clearer picture of what is happening inside your body. Seemingly unrelated health issues such as sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, genetic factors, hormone levels, and a family history of certain health issues can all have an impact on how and why you lose weight.

These health clues provide background information that helps your physician build your medical weight-loss plan.

The role of DNA in medical weight loss

Did you know that your DNA plays an important part in how and why you lose weight? You can’t control what genes you were born with. But, knowing these intricate details can make all the difference in your weight-loss success. That’s because your DNA can control:

• How your body handles and stores fat
• Whether you have a genetic predisposition to a slower metabolism
• How your hormones may control food cravings and hunger levels
• How your body responds to exercise
• Whether your brain is getting the right signals of “fullness” after eating

There are numerous genetic markers that can have an impact on body weight, and getting a complete picture of them is a game-changer — especially if you’ve struggled with other diet plans in the past.

Hormones and weight loss

Our body runs on hormones — and their balance affects our health in more ways than we can count.

You may already know that hormones play a key role in a person’s ability to lose weight. That’s why a comprehensive medical weight loss plan should take hormones into account and offer options to balance them when needed.

Many women find that after menopause, extra pounds sneak up on them and refuse to budge, even though they haven’t changed their eating or exercise habits. They may also have lower energy levels, difficulty concentrating, sleep issues, and lower sex drive. These problems are usually due to a decline in certain hormones.

Addressing hormonal imbalances, along with the other parts of your customized plan, can give you the boost you need to lose weight and start feeling like yourself again — which is the goal of a medical weight-loss program!

Using supplements to your advantage

If you have a deficiency in certain nutrients, you may struggle to lose weight. This is another area where medical weight loss can excel over traditional diets.

Personalized information about your nutritional or chemical imbalances can help you succeed in your weight-loss journey. The right supplements can help counteract health issues that may lead to a sluggish metabolism, low energy, difficulty sleeping, and other factors that can make weight loss difficult.

Is medical weight loss safe?

When medical weight loss is conducted under the guidance of an experienced weight-loss physician, it can be a safe and highly effective way to lose weight. People who want to get the most out of a medical weight-loss program must follow the plan as directed and check in with their physician as recommended.

In fact, I’d argue that medical weight loss is even safer than traditional diets. This is because you’re working with a physician who has in-depth knowledge of your body and your unique nutritional and hormonal needs. You simply don’t have that level of expertise with standard calorie-counting plans. Many people attempt traditional diets on their own, without any medical guidance — and sadly, many people don’t even tell their doctors about their efforts. That means you could be putting a lot of effort into something that just isn’t right for your body, and then end up getting frustrated by a lack of results.

Medical weight-loss programs also typically include a great deal of nutrition education and other resources to help patients maintain their results once they have completed the program — another area where commercial weight-loss programs often fall short.

At Garcia Weight Loss, our patients lose an average of 15.86 pounds during their first month on the program. Learn more about our typical patient results.

Is medical weight loss covered by insurance?

A healthy, effective weight-loss plan is one of the best investments you can make in yourself.

Coverage for weight-loss plans varies depending on individual insurance policies. But, even if your insurance doesn’t cover medical weight loss completely, there are ways you can pay for this service in a budget-friendly way.

If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) through your employer, you may be able to use these tax-free funds to pay for medical weight loss. If you don’t already have an FSA, ask your employer if you have the option to enroll in one for the next calendar year.

Take control of your health with medical weight loss

Are you ready to take control of your health? At Garcia Weight Loss and Wellness Centers, our medically supervised weight-loss programs are custom tailored to help address your biggest health challenges and meet your goals. Schedule your no-cost consultation today!