Medical Weight Loss Doctor Questions and Answers

Medical weight loss is a weight management program performed under the supervision of a doctor and other health professionals for safe and effective weight loss. Medical weight loss strives to not only help patients lose the weight and keep it off, but also to educate patients on healthy lifestyle habits which include proper nutrition, exercise, and healthy behaviors to deal with triggers that can lead to unhealthy habits. The program will be unique to each individual and will be based on their age, height, lifestyle, overall health, and any existing medical conditions that can affect their weight. Medical weight loss programs will often involve the completion of comprehensive metabolic testing and medical diagnostics as weight loss, particularly in obese patients, will have effects on these statistics as well. A full physical exam, as well as a questionnaire about the patient and their current lifestyle and habits, will be completed at the beginning of the process for the team to fully understand what the patient’s current physical and mental health state is in order to build out the right weight loss program for that individual. Additional testing might be needed to diagnose untreated medical issues that could also be interfering with their current weight loss plan and goals. Medical weight loss typically has a higher success rate than a self-managed weight loss program due to the ongoing support and accountability, as well as following a program that is tailored specifically to you, instead of a cookie-cutter program.

There are many reasons to seek the assistance of your doctor with a weight loss program. If you are obese or have existing health conditions such as heart or lung issues, you should always seek medical advice before starting a weight loss program. Following along with fad diets or exercise trends is popular, and while they may provide quick results, losing weight too fast can be dangerous for your health and is not often sustainable. Most weight loss programs will specifically say to consult your doctor prior to starting the program, whether it be a diet or exercise plan, to ensure that you are medically able to proceed. Starting any new exercise program, particularly if you aren’t following one already, has risks of injury if the exercises aren’t performed correctly or if the participant pushes themselves too far and too hard, too fast. Your doctor can help determine what changes you need to make to lose weight and can ensure you don’t have any physical injuries or underlying health conditions that will be aggravated by engaging in a weight loss program. Your doctor can also help you understand the difference between healthy and dangerous weight loss and provide guidance on what you should expect from a healthy weight loss program.

A successful weight loss program is more than just following a diet and exercise plan. It is a comprehensive program focused on the overall health and well-being of the participant and providing them with the tools they need for long-term success with weight management. Weight loss management programs should take into account your complete medical history, your age, current weight, weight loss goals, lifestyle and any other factors that can play a part in your weight loss success. Weight loss is more than just what size clothes you fit into, and following a medical weight loss program will look at all facets of your health from the start of the program to the end. These will include measurements such as weight, body fat percentage, and body mass index (BMI) but will also look at more insightful data such as your circumference measurements, body water percentage, muscle mass, and cardiovascular tests, among other things to get a more holistic picture of your health and the positive changes to your body as a result of the weight loss program you are following. There are so many improvements to your health that are not visible, as they are part of the internal systems.

If you have more questions about medical weight loss, call us and talk to or professionals. We serve patients from Newton MA, Watertown MA, Waltham MA, Needham MA, Belmont MA and Brookline, MA.