What is Medical Weight Loss and Who Should Consider It?
Most of us understand that poor diet and lack of exercise contribute to weight gain. We may not always realize how much our behaviors and habits make losing weight difficult. With medical weight loss, Dr. Cobbinah develops a comprehensive program to help you achieve your weight loss goals. You will also have the accountability and guidance you need to stay on track and make steady progress.
What is Medical Weight Loss and Who Should Consider It?
Medical weight loss is a field of medicine that focuses on helping people lose weight in a healthy way. Dr. Cobbinah is board certified in Obesity Medicine and bases the medical weight loss program on the four most important factors in weight loss:
- Nutrition
- Physical activity
- Medication
- Behavior modification
Anyone struggling to lose weight on their own may benefit from medical weight loss. This includes people who have unsuccessfully tried to lose weight with diet and exercise, as well as those who have medical conditions that make it difficult to lose weight. Adding the medication and behavior modification aspects of weight loss to the treatment plan dramatically improves results and helps weight loss last.
As childhood obesity grows, the medical weight loss program accepts patients as young as nine. At this age, family involvement is vital, and the entire family learns behavioral modification techniques to model a healthier lifestyle. Learning new habits at a young age sets children up for healthier lives as adults.
How Does Medical Weight Loss Work?
Medical weight loss is a process that is supervised by a medical professional to help you lose weight safely and effectively. Dr. Cobbinah will work with you to develop a customized weight loss plan based on your individual needs and goals. This plan may include lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise recommendations, and medical treatments, such as prescription medications.
You will have ongoing support and monitoring to help you stay on track and achieve your goals. By working with a medical professional, you can be confident that you are taking the best possible approach to medical weight loss. Medical supervision improves immediate and long-term results and helps hold you accountable to stay motivated to meet your goals.
What Causes Weight Gain?
The most fundamental causes of weight gain are an excess of calories and lack of physical activity. Other factors affecting weight gain that you may not know about include:
- Depression and other mental health issues
- Eating in response to stress or anxiety
- Genetic factors
- Lack of sleep
- Hormonal imbalances
- Certain medications
Genetics and hormones can influence how the body stores and metabolizes fat. Some people are more likely to store fat in their abdomen, while others are more likely to store it in their hips and thighs. Some people may be more efficient at burning calories than others. All of these factors can make it harder for people to lose weight, even if they’re eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise.
What are the Health Risks of Being Overweight?
Dr. Cobbinah has found that the most common health problems she sees are related to obesity. Being overweight or obese can trigger many medical issues, including:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Depression
- High cholesterol
- Gall bladder conditions
- Sleep apnea
- Cancer
Carrying excess weight can lead to a host of health problems, including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Losing weight can help reduce your risk of developing these conditions and improve your overall health. For example, weight loss can help lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels. It can also reduce the strain on your joints and improve your breathing. In addition, weight loss can increase your energy levels and help you sleep better.
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Why Does Medical Weight Loss Work Better?
Medical weight loss has more success than other weight loss methods because it addresses all four of the factors most effective in promoting weight loss. While nutrition and physical activity are vital components, they will not succeed unless people learn to make behavioral changes to maintain weight loss. Habits often sabotage our weight loss attempts, so the monitoring and accountability Dr. Cobbinah provides make you more likely to succeed. Medications assist with weight loss and can help people see results faster and feel more motivated to continue with their efforts.
To complement the medical weight loss program, Essential Med Aesthetics offers truSculpt® iD treatment. This gentle, effective treatment uses radiofrequency energy to heat and break down fat cells. This body sculpting treatment even works on people with a BMI above 30, helping you contour and sculpt your figure as your weight loss progresses. People can see up to 24% fat loss in stubborn areas of hard-to-remove fat. This treatment can address areas of fat that refuse to budge even when you follow your nutritional and activity plans.
How Safe is Medical Weight Loss?
Attempting to lose weight without medical supervision rarely succeeds because even very motivated people need to learn how to make meaningful behavioral changes. Some weight loss programs pose a danger to your health. Many currently popular diet plans involve cutting out or eating more of certain food groups, which can lead to poor nutrition. Other plans restrict the hours of the day you can eat, which may cause health problems for some people with pre-existing medical conditions. All fad diets have the same problem: they can become almost impossible to maintain over time, and people do not learn new behaviors related to eating and activity.
Medical weight loss works more safely than other methods because a doctor monitors you every step of the way. You will have weekly appointments at first and spread them out as you become more comfortable with your behavioral changes. Medications are carefully monitored and can be discontinued at any time. Medical weight loss will encourage steady, healthy weight loss while helping you make changes that will make your new habits stick.
What Results Will I See With Medical Weight Loss?
People who consistently follow their medical weight loss plan and meet with their doctor should begin to lose weight. This can take weeks or months, depending on your metabolism and how quickly you can adapt to lifestyle changes. When losing weight without help, many people “hit a plateau” where weight loss seems to stall. This can be very discouraging, but with the support of your doctor, you can implement strategies to break through and keep making progress.
Take the Next Step
If you have further questions about medical weight loss, please call us at (210) 568-7555 or complete our online contact form, and one of our trusted staff members will reach out to you. Essential Med Aesthetics is located in San Antonio, Texas.
