Losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a challenging journey. Many individuals find themselves overwhelmed by the multitude of diets and weight loss programs available, often lacking the personalized support from healthcare experts necessary for sustainable success. This article provides a detailed overview of medical weight loss programs, including the In Shape Medical Weight Loss program, prescription weight loss medications, and other strategies for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Understanding Medical Weight Management
Medical weight management is a comprehensive approach to weight loss and maintenance that emphasizes building daily habits for a healthy lifestyle, without resorting to surgery. Unlike dieting alone, medical weight management provides a team of experts to guide, support, and hold you accountable. This team typically includes a doctor and a dietitian, and may also involve nurses, physical therapists, and psychologists depending on individual needs.
Who is a Good Candidate?
Good candidates for medical weight management include individuals who have struggled to maintain lifestyle changes, those with a high body mass index (BMI), and those who may not be suitable for bariatric surgery due to medical or psychological conditions.
The In Shape Medical Weight Loss Program
The In Shape Medical Weight Loss program is designed to provide a safe and medically supervised approach to weight management, tailored to individual wellness goals. It recognizes that weight is a critical factor in overall health and can impact conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The program utilizes evidence-based treatments to ensure safe and sustainable weight management.
Key Features of the In Shape Program
- Personalized Approach: The program is uniquely suited to each individual, recognizing that a weight loss program won’t work unless it works for you.
- Expert Care Providers: Care providers use the best evidence-based treatments for safe and sustainable weight management.
- Comprehensive Support: The staff is unmatched, working with you and for you, offering support beyond visits through 24/7 chat.
- Focus on Habit Change: The program focuses on changing your daily routine by adding and breaking habits that can affect your weight.
Weight-Loss Medications: An Overview
Prescription weight loss medications can be a valuable tool in a medical weight management program, working best when combined with a balanced diet and regular exercise. These medications can help lower your set-point body weight, addressing the physiologic responses to weight loss through hormonal changes.
Read also: Weight Loss Clinics in Bristol: A Comprehensive Look
How Medications Work
Medications can address the physiologic responses to weight loss by using hormonal changes to lower your set-point body weight. This means the brain stops defending a higher weight and is comfortable at a lower weight. Instead of having hunger going up and metabolism going down, medicines can use hormonal changes to address the physiologic responses to weight loss.
Types of Weight Loss Medications
- GLP-1 Agonists: These medications, such as semaglutide (Wegovy) and liraglutide (Saxenda), cause your stomach to empty more slowly, increasing feelings of fullness and reducing hunger.
- Combination Naltrexone and Bupropion: This combination includes an antidepressant (bupropion) and a medication used for opioid and alcohol use disorder (naltrexone).
- Metformin: Clinicians may prescribe Metformin as a weight-loss drug with which other members have found success.
Important Considerations
- Eligibility and Prescription: All medications require eligibility and a prescription.
- Insurance Coverage: Your care team will help you with insurance coverage for medications, if applicable.
- Side Effects: The most common side effects are nausea, constipation, or other gastrointestinal discomfort. Your Care Team will advise you on the best ways to minimize side effects.
- Long-Term Use: GLP-1s are indicated for long-term use, much like other medications to treat chronic conditions. However, the effects stop immediately if you stop taking the medication, and it is likely in most cases that some weight regain will occur.
WeightWatchers Clinic and Medications
WeightWatchers (WW) offers a clinic program that integrates weight-loss medications with their Points® program. This combination has been shown to result in significant weight loss.
WW Clinic Membership
- Membership Requirement: WW Clinic membership is required, starting at $25.
- Commitment Plans: Get your first month for as low as $25 with a 12-month commitment Clinic plan purchase. After the first month, membership continues for as low as $74 per month for a 12-month commitment. Other Clinic commitment plans are $49 for the first month.
- Medication Costs: Programs do not include the cost of GLP-1 medications.
Medications Offered Through WW Clinic
- Zepbound®: Available as an injectable pen or single-dose vial, with costs varying depending on insurance. Cash pay starts at $349/month for the single-dose vial.
- Generic Bupropion-Naltrexone: The cost of medication is included with membership.
Weight Loss Results with WW
Members on prescription weight-loss medications lose up to 54% more weight when pairing meds with the Points® program.
Additional Strategies for Weight Loss
Beyond medical weight management and medications, several other strategies can contribute to successful weight loss and maintenance.
Lifestyle Changes
- Dietary Adjustments: A weight loss diet typically includes less refined carbs and more fiber-rich food and lean meats. It’s important to remember that no food is “bad” or completely off-limits.
- Regular Exercise: Most people will benefit from a combination of cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises.
- Mindful Eating: To lose weight (and keep it off), it’s important to address your attitudes and emotions related to food.
The Mayo Clinic Diet
The Mayo Clinic Diet is the official weight-loss program developed by Mayo Clinic experts. The program focuses on eating delicious healthy foods and increasing physical activity. It emphasizes that the best way to keep weight off for good is to change your lifestyle and adopt new habits that you enjoy and can stick with.
Read also: Comprehensive Guide to Heart Health
Key Components of the Mayo Clinic Diet
- Healthy Eating: The program makes healthy eating easy by teaching you how to estimate portion sizes and plan meals. It doesn't require you to be precise about counting calories.
- Physical Activity: The program recommends getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day and even more exercise for further health benefits and weight loss.
- Habit Formation: The program focuses on lifestyle habits that are associated with weight. You learn how to add five healthy habits, break five unhealthy habits and adopt another five bonus healthy habits.
Park Nicollet’s Bariatric Surgery and Weight Center
The program has been updated and is designed to help you reshape your lifestyle by adopting healthy new habits and breaking unhealthy old ones. It focuses on changing your daily routine by adding and breaking habits that can affect your weight. Simple habits, such as eating more fruits and vegetables, not eating while you watch TV, and moving your body for 30 minutes a day, can help you lose weight.
Common Questions About Weight Loss Medications
- What medication do you prescribe? The exact medication that your Clinician will prescribe depends on your medical history, biology, and insurance coverage.
- Is medication included in my membership fee? It depends on your treatment plan. For GLP-1 medications, your medications are not included, but your Care Team will work with you to get your medication covered by insurance.
- Are there generic options for GLP-1s? Currently, there are no generic options for GLP-1s.
- What are the most common side effects of GLP-1 medications? The most common side effects are nausea, constipation, or other gastrointestinal discomfort.
- Do you need to have diabetes to take GLP-1s? No. Saxenda (liraglutide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) are both GLP-1 medications that are FDA-approved specifically for the treatment of obesity.
- How long can you stay on a GLP-1 medication? GLP-1s are indicated for long-term use, much like other medications to treat chronic conditions.
Read also: Understanding Med Spa Coverage