Weight loss can be a discouraging journey. In the world of fad diets and crazy health trends, it’s easy to think you’ve tried everything to shed stubborn pounds. You pour countless hours into gym workouts but still aren’t seeing the numbers on the scale fall. You may be thinking that medical weight loss is the only viable solution to start seeing the results you want.
Could it be an option for you? Here’s what you need to know about medical weight loss and how you can determine your eligibility.
Before we jump into specifics, it’s important to clear up any misconceptions about what medical weight loss actually is.
It’s not surgery, nor is it an option for those wanting to shed a few vanity pounds. It’s not a popular diet you see on TV or social media, nor is it a specially branded “food system” that requires you eat only food available for purchase from the provider.
Medical weight loss is a one-of-a-kind program designed and supervised by a physician, nurse practitioner, dietician, or qualified fitness trainer. Programs center on developing healthy eating habits and exercise, along with lifestyle changes tailored to the individual and eliminate the behaviors that contributed to your weight gain. Some programs may also include approved weight loss medications to support program specifications.
Each program is specific to the individual, taking into account your current eating and exercise habits, health profile, and other contributing factors. The purpose isn’t just to lose weight, but also adjust your life so you can keep the weight off for good.
Medical weight loss presents myriad benefits over other weight loss programs and diet pills. Take a look at a few of the advantages you can expect:
Medical weight loss programs are personalized for each person, giving you the best road map for your lifestyle. The doctor or program supervisor looks at your weight, health, exercise routine, and other lifestyle factors to create a program that gives you your best chance of success.
Unlike traditional diet programs, medical weight loss is supervised. Your program supervisor monitors your food, exercise, and other healthy habits to ensure you’re sticking with the program. There’s a higher level of accountability that makes it difficult to fail.
Anyone can build up enough determination to follow a weight loss fad for a few weeks, but most people go back to their old eating habits and gain back the weight they lost. But when you can target the root causes of your weight issues and reduce or eliminate them from your life, you stand a better chance of retaining your weight loss results for the long term.
It’s difficult not to see results with medical weight loss, but this program isn’t right for everyone. It may be too expensive and intensive for those looking to drop a few extra pounds.
Only your doctor can determine if you’re a good candidate for medical weight loss. If you have the drive to lose weight for good but aren’t sure where or how to start, talk to your doctor to see if they recommend you for a medical weight loss program. It just might change your life.
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