Struggling with weight can feel overwhelming, especially when it begins to impact your health and quality of life. For many, traditional methods like diet and exercise might not lead to the results they need, which is why options like bariatric surgery and medications have become tools on the path to health. INTEGRIS Health offers a range of weight loss programs designed to address individual needs and provide comprehensive support for lasting change.
Understanding the Need for Weight Loss Programs
Being obese comes with a long list of health risk factors that include diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, lung disease, and 13 types of cancer. The number of children who suffer from it has more than tripled since 1980, leading to diseases traditionally reserved for adults, such as type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. For those considering weight loss, both surgical and medical options present viable paths to success.
INTEGRIS Health Weight Loss Center: A Second Lease on Life
The INTEGRIS Health Weight Loss Center offers patients a chance to reclaim their lives. According to Hamilton Le, M.D., a bariatric surgeon and the center’s medical director, "Weight loss surgery is a challenging journey. The life of our patients is often a struggle. They wake up every day with a lot of pain. They take medications related to diabetes and high blood pressure, so surgery is an opportunity for me to make a major impact on someone’s life and hopefully, give them their life back."
Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Common and Effective Procedure
For many patients, the best approach is laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, a procedure that removes 75-80 percent of the stomach. “The stomach is divided into two parts,” Le explains. The procedure is the most common bariatric surgery performed today and can provide a jump start for the more than 6 out of 10 Oklahomans who struggle with being overweight or obese. “The sleeve gastrectomy reduces the size of the stomach and decreases a hunger hormone called ghrelin,” Le adds.
Comprehensive Screening and Support
Before undergoing bariatric surgery, patients at INTEGRIS Health go through several screening measures to ensure the procedure is safe. This includes consultations with a therapist to address the mental health side of losing weight, as well as evaluations by a heart doctor and a respiratory expert.
Read also: Weight Loss Guide Andalusia, AL
Polly's Inspiring Transformation
Nancy “Polly” Hall, who had struggled with her weight from a young age, found herself praying for a sign. At her highest weight of 495 pounds, Polly struggled with mobility issues and couldn’t drive. She often found herself staying at home while her husband, Danny, and their daughter would go out to do things together. Feeling like she was missing out on her own life and that of her family, Polly was highly motivated to explore her options.
After undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, Polly experienced a life-changing transformation. She no longer needs to take her diabetes or blood pressure medicine, and her A1C is now in a healthy range. Ashley Sale, a physician assistant with the INTEGRIS Health Weight Loss Center, has worked closely with Polly since the surgery. “Over the past three years, I have witnessed Polly completely transform her life, shedding an incredible 250 pounds since beginning her journey. Since the surgery, Polly has worked hard to keep up with her diet and lifestyle changes that have made for a lasting impact. “Polly’s journey has been nothing short of inspiring, marked by resilience and a commitment to positive change,” Sale says. “Despite facing numerous challenges along the way, Polly’s dedication to improving her life has been unwavering."
Full Plate Living: A Sustainable Approach to Healthy Living
Full Plate Living offers a simple and sustainable approach to healthy living, empowering individuals to achieve lasting well-being. The nutrition program focuses on adding more whole, unprocessed fiber foods to your existing diet.
Free Membership and Resources
Online membership includes access to a seven-module core program, two bonus courses on weight loss and diabetes, informative workshops, a member newsletter, and more - all offered at no cost.
Small Steps, Big Outcomes
Full Plate Living emphasizes small, manageable changes that lead to significant results. One participant shared, “Just returned from the doctor. I am jumping for joy. All of my cholesterol related numbers are markedly improved. I lost 6 pounds. And my blood pressure was so good the doctor is reducing my medication! I am 68 and nothing has budged me in quite a while. Always ate a decent diet, but these tweaks really made the difference."
Read also: Beef jerky: A high-protein option for shedding pounds?
Programs for Clinicians
Full Plate Living offers 8-session, 4-session, and 1-session SMA programs for clinicians, making it easy to share Full Plate Living principles with your patients and bill insurance for your time. Full Plate Living is a program supported by extensive research.
Changing Your Weighs Program
Changing Your Weighs, sponsored by INTEGRIS Community and Employee Wellness, is a down-to-earth weight loss program with particular emphasis on eating healthier and increasing physical activity. This course is designed for adults (18+) who are ready to make lifestyle changes.
Total Wellness Program
The Total Wellness program provides FREE comprehensive weight loss classes to help prevent diabetes and heart disease. Classes meet one hour every week for eight weeks and are offered four times a year (typically starting in January, April, July, and October). A free (optional) finger-stick health screening is offered twice during the Total Wellness program. Volunteer opportunities are also available to help improve the health of the community.
Vitalis Metabolic Health: Addressing the Obesity Crisis
Vitalis Metabolic Health was founded in 2019 to address the growing obesity crisis-a time when nearly 35% of Oklahomans and nearly 40% of Americans qualified as having a diagnosis of obesity. The goal of the clinic is to focus not necessarily on weight loss alone, but on weight loss as part of an overall healthy lifestyle change, as well as to treat obesity as the medical disease that it is. Vitalis understands the impact that excess weight can have on quality of life, co-morbid medical conditions, and lifespan. That’s why the clinic uses evidence-based treatments to help patients achieve their goals. Vitalis is Latin for “life-giving.” That’s their goal: to guide patients toward improving quality of life, one step at a time.
Evidence-Based and Individually Tailored Medical Weight Management
At Vitalis Metabolic Health, the approach is always rooted in evidence-based & individually tailored medical weight management. That means they won’t be injecting you with unproven hormones that make you GAIN more weight in the long run. They won’t be putting you on a pill that is falsely advertised as able to fix everything. Study after study shows that by focusing on four primary areas-what they call their “four pillars of care”-you can, and will, see long term results. Obesity is a “chronic, relapsing, multifactorial, neurobehavioral disease”.
Read also: Inspiring Health Transformation
The Four Pillars of Care
Vitalis Metabolic Health focuses on four primary areas to achieve long-term results:
- Medical Management: Addressing the underlying medical factors that contribute to obesity.
- Nutrition: Focusing on more than just counting calories, exploring the behavioral mechanisms of weight management.
- Exercise: Encouraging physical activity to improve overall health and well-being.
- Behavioral Health: Providing support for the mental and emotional aspects of weight loss.
The Role of GLP-1 Inhibitors
A Message from S. Blake Kelly, MD: Injectable medications are now being used all over the country to improve the health and fitness of individuals. A lot of diabetics need these medicines, but unfortunately, there is a scarcity in the market. However, by substituting the generic forms of these drugs, Semaglutide and Tirezatide, and taking them weekly, it is possible to reduce 3-5 pounds in a week and up to 20% of body weight within 6-12 months. With almost half of the US population suffering from obesity, this new medication class, known as GLP-1 inhibitors, can be a blessing. It was initially created to combat Type 2 diabetes, and these drugs can reduce hunger and cravings while increasing the metabolism and the body's resistance to insulin. People who do not have diabetes can also take this medication safely.
Semaglutide: A Personal Success Story
S. Blake Kelly, MD, shares his personal experience with Semaglutide: "I had been attempting to shed weight for five years without success before I began using Semaglutide. This medication enabled me to lose 40 pounds in just four months, which has made me passionate about helping others with their weight loss objectives."
Nutrition: A Cornerstone of Weight Loss
Nutrition is more than just counting calories; it involves understanding the nutritional value of foods and their impact on your body. Here are some key aspects of nutrition to consider:
Mindful Eating
Mindful eating is the idea that a slower, more thoughtful way of eating may help us to enjoy our food more, choose more healthful foods, and make us less likely to overeat.
Intuitive Eating
The idea behind intuitive eating is this: eat what you want, as much as you want, whenever you want. No foods are restricted or off limits. According to its adherents, food becomes something to enjoy, not something to constantly measure, regulate, and evaluate.
The Flexitarian Diet
The flexitarian diet is one of the more recent trendy diets to pick up interest, largely in part due to a movement toward plant-based foods compared to the traditional meat options.
Low-Carb Alternatives
Instead of outright removing snacks and treats from your diets, there are many low-carb alternatives on the market to help appease your cravings without feeling guilty.
High-Protein Diet
If you have tried the Keto Diet, the Paleo Diet, the Atkins Diet, or any of the others that call for a high protein intake, you may have wondered just how much protein is too much.
Importance of Vegetables and Fruits
Eating more veggies and fruits is never a bad idea, just be sure to incorporate enough complete proteins. Without them, you might feel sluggish and lose muscle mass.
The Energy Density Approach
This eating philosophy is also sometimes referred to as the energy density approach. It’s all about evaluating foods based on nutrition, calorie density, and fiber content. Foods with a lower calorie density contain fewer calories per gram than high-calorie-density foods. Fiber content is something to pay attention to because fiber keeps you feeling full.
Incorporating Protein
There are changes to make when shopping to make adding more protein into your diet easier. Whether it’s revamped products that feature more protein or existing products that are healthier alternatives, consider these swaps the next time you’re at the store.
The Importance of Physical Activity
Regular exercise offers numerous benefits, including improved mood, better sleep, decreased incidence of diseases like type 2 diabetes and some cancers, and maintained mobility as you age.
Finding Alternatives to the Gym
Between membership fees, childcare, crowded workout areas, and drive time, gyms are not for everyone. The good news is, you don’t need a gym membership or fancy equipment to stay healthy and fit. Working out at home can be a great alternative to help maintain your fitness goals without breaking the bank.
The Benefits of Swimming
Swimming is an amazing cardio workout, it’s known for its calming, meditative effects, and it’s a remarkably efficient way to burn calories. Since water supports about 90 percent of your body weight when you’re swimming, it’s often possible to continue to exercise while recovering from an ankle sprain or other injury.
Mental and Emotional Well-being
Maintaining mental health requires a consistent routine and good health-hygiene habits. Coping with change is hard, and stress can affect your body in ways you never realized.
Managing Stress
Stress shows up in more ways than we expect. It can cause headaches, upset stomach, sleep problems, and more. When stress builds up, it affects your body and your mood. But here’s the good news: the kitchen might help. Certain foods help your body handle stress. They support your brain, calm inflammation, and give your body the nutrients it needs to feel better.
Building Resilience
Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficulties - the capacity to successfully adapt to a challenging life experience.
Mindfulness Meditation
In today's fast-paced world filled with constant stimuli, distractions, and stressors, the practice of mindfulness meditation is a way to discover your true inner self. Mindfulness meditation offers a journey toward inner clarity and balance, one that embraces the power of the present moment and deepens self-awareness.
Self-Care
Participating in self-care Sunday is a great way to reset and recharge for the upcoming week. It's all about dedicating a day to relax and replenish your body and mind.