Achieving a healthy weight transcends fleeting diet trends; it necessitates embracing a lifestyle that champions overall wellness. Total Care & Weight Loss, with locations like the one in Bridgeton, MO, offers a comprehensive suite of services, including wellness programs, weight loss solutions, and hormone therapy, all designed to help individuals attain their best selves. This article delves into the details of the Total Care weight loss program, exploring its various facets and benefits.
Understanding Healthy Weight Loss
At Total Care Family Center, experts underscore that effective weight loss hinges on understanding your body’s functionality. Weight loss is achieved when you consistently expend more calories than you consume, prompting your body to tap into its fat reserves for energy. This principle is known as creating a caloric deficit. Factors such as age, gender, muscle mass, and hormonal balance significantly influence your metabolism, dictating how your body processes calories. Aiming for a weight loss of 0.5 to 2 pounds per week is generally considered healthy, promoting sustainable results rather than the fleeting outcomes of crash diets.
The Science Behind Weight Loss
Weight loss occurs when you consume fewer calories than you expend, resulting in your body burning stored fat for energy. This concept is known as a caloric deficit. Your metabolism, influenced by factors such as age, gender, muscle mass, and hormonal balance, plays a crucial role in how your body utilizes calories.
Setting Realistic Expectations
A healthy weight loss goal is typically between 0.5-2 pounds per week. This rate may seem slow, but it’s more likely to result in sustainable weight loss. Crash diets and quick fixes often lead to weight regain. Total Care Family Center offers expert solutions with a focus on gradual, consistent changes that promote long-term weight loss success.
Benefits of Maintaining a Healthy Weight
The advantages of maintaining a healthy weight extend beyond mere aesthetics, positively influencing various facets of life.
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Physical Health Improvements
Maintaining a healthy weight translates to tangible physical enhancements, including improved mobility, reduced joint discomfort, and enhanced sleep quality. Furthermore, it bolsters cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels, thereby alleviating strain on the heart.
Mental and Emotional Benefits
Beyond physical well-being, maintaining a healthy weight yields significant mental and emotional benefits. Effective weight management positively influences mood, self-esteem, and confidence, fostering overall psychological well-being. Research suggests that maintaining a healthy weight can prolong lifespan and enhance the quality of life in later years.
Assessing Your Current Health Status
The initial stride toward a healthier lifestyle involves evaluating your current health status, encompassing various measurements beyond just weight.
Understanding Key Health Measurements
Calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI) is a common method for categorizing individuals into different weight categories, though it’s important to acknowledge its limitations, especially for athletes or those with high muscle mass. Additional health markers like blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and resting heart rate offer a more comprehensive health overview.
Knowing When to Seek Professional Help
It’s crucial to seek professional medical guidance if you experience rapid weight fluctuations, extreme fatigue, or concerning symptoms. Total Care Family Center’s medical professionals conduct thorough health assessments to evaluate overall health before recommending weight loss strategies.
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Creating a Sustainable Weight Loss Plan
Total Care Family Center emphasizes tailoring weight loss plans to individual needs, emphasizing the importance of setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals to establish clear objectives.
Setting SMART Goals
To achieve successful weight loss, it’s crucial to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals. This framework helps you create clear objectives, such as losing a certain amount of weight within a specific timeframe.
Tracking Progress Effectively
Tracking progress is essential for maintaining motivation and adjusting plans as needed. Total Care Family Center’s approach to accountability and support bolsters adherence to weight loss plans. Incorporating these strategies and maintaining flexibility enables individuals to overcome obstacles and achieve their weight loss goals.
Nutrition Fundamentals for Weight Loss
A comprehensive understanding of nutrition fundamentals is essential for achieving weight loss.
Balancing Macronutrients
Meals should incorporate a variety of foods, including protein, fat, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates, to ensure a balanced nutritional intake.
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Portion Control Strategies
Managing serving sizes without constant measuring is crucial for successful weight loss. Practical strategies include using visual guides, smaller plates, and mindful eating techniques.
Reading Food Labels
Understanding nutrition labels is vital for making informed food choices. Key components to check include serving sizes, calorie content, added sugars, sodium, and fiber.
The Power of Protein, Fat, and Vegetables
Total Care Family Center emphasizes the significance of balancing protein, healthy fats, and vegetables for successful weight loss.
Optimal Protein Sources
Protein plays a crucial role in preserving lean muscle mass during weight loss and promoting satiety, reducing cravings and unnecessary snacking. Aim for optimal protein sources, such as lean meats, fish, eggs, and plant-based options like beans and tofu.
Healthy Fats Selection
Not all fats are created equal. Healthy fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds, are beneficial for your eating plan.
Incorporating More Vegetables
Vegetables are nutrient-rich additions to your diet. Aim to eat about 2.5 cups of vegetables daily. You can incorporate more vegetables into your meals by using various preparation techniques that enhance flavor while maintaining nutritional value.
Increasing Fiber Intake for Weight Management
Total Care Family Center underscores the importance of fiber intake for sustainable weight management.
Fiber-Rich Foods
Fiber moves slowly through the digestive tract and can help you feel fuller for longer, supporting weight loss. Incorporating fiber-rich foods into your diet is easier than you think. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, breads, and legumes are excellent sources of fiber. For example, aim to eat 2 cups of fruit and 6 oz of grains daily. Many vegetables and legumes also contain a significant amount of fiber.
Daily Fiber Recommendations
The daily recommended intake of fiber varies by age and gender. Generally, adult men need about 30.4 grams per day, while adult women require around 24.2 grams. To avoid digestive discomfort, it’s advisable to gradually increase your fiber intake.
Physical Activity for Effective Weight Loss
Physical activity plays a vital role in effective weight loss by burning calories and boosting metabolism.
Cardio Workouts
Cardiovascular exercises, such as walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming, are effective for burning calories during the activity.
Strength Training Benefits
Strength training is crucial for building muscle mass, which not only enhances your physique but also increases your resting metabolic rate.
Creating a Balanced Exercise Routine
A well-rounded exercise plan should include a mix of cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises. The proportions of each can vary based on individual goals and fitness levels.
Mindful Eating Practices
Mindful eating is a powerful tool for weight management that focuses on the quality of eating experiences rather than restriction.
Recognizing Hunger vs. Cravings
It’s essential to distinguish between physiological hunger and emotional triggers that lead to non-hungry eating. Total Care Family Center recommends recognizing the signs of emotional eating, such as eating when stressed, bored, or sad.
Savoring Meals
Eating slowly and savoring your meals can help you enjoy your food more and reduce overeating. Try putting down your utensils between bites, eliminating distractions, and practicing gratitude for your food. Total Care Family Center’s behavioral health specialists can provide additional support for those struggling with emotional eating patterns or disordered eating behaviors.
Additional Support and Services
Total Care offers a range of support and services to aid in your weight loss journey.
Telehealth Services
Recognizing the demands of modern life, Total Care offers telehealth services for weight loss, hormone therapy, and lifestyle counseling, enabling individuals to embark on their journey from home with remote monitoring and progress tracking tools.
Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy is available to optimize health and energy levels, addressing issues such as fatigue, weight gain, and low libido. Options include testosterone pellets (Testopel) for steady testosterone release, alongside support for fertility and natural testosterone production.
Supplemental Options
- B12 Injections: Boost metabolism and enhance fat breakdown.
- Metformin: Assists with insulin resistance, commonly for PCOS and prediabetes-related weight challenges.
- Hydration and Energy-Boosting IV Infusions: Provide immune support, detoxification, and recovery options, as well as anti-aging and stress relief formulations.
Weight Loss Medications
FDA-Approved Weight Loss Medications (semaglutide): A weekly injectable that reduces appetite and supports sustained weight loss.A short-term appetite suppressant (Schedule IV controlled substance).
Comprehensive Support
Personalized meal planning and lifestyle counseling, body composition analysis and metabolic testing, and emotional and behavioral support for stress and emotional eating are all offered.
Additional Absolute Total Care Benefits
Absolute Total Care members have access to a suite of benefits designed to support their overall health and well-being:
- 24/7 Nurse Advice Line: A free service connecting members to a registered nurse at any time.
- Breast Pump Program: New mothers can receive an electric breast pump at no cost, with eligibility extending from 12 weeks before delivery to 30 days after delivery (90 days for NICU babies). Call 877-394-1860 for more information or complete the Breast Pump Member Request Form.
- SafeLink Program: Provides free talk, text, and data for qualifying members, facilitating communication with healthcare providers, care managers, and the 24/7 nurse advice line.
- Dental and Vision Care: The state collaborates with DentaQuest and other providers to offer dental care benefits (diagnostic, preventive, restorative, and surgical services for members under 21) and vision care services (eye exams and glasses for members under 21).
- My Health Pays Rewards Program: Rewards members for focusing on their and their baby's health, with opportunities to earn up to $50 annually. These rewards can be spent at Walmart on personal care items, diapers, and healthy food.
- Over-the-Counter (OTC) Products: Members can receive up to $60 annually for OTC products per household.
- Sports Activity Fee Coverage: Absolute Total Care covers the sports activity fee for members aged 5-18 years old.
- Non-Emergency Transportation: The state works with ModivCare to provide transportation to doctor visits, dialysis, and counseling sessions.
- Interpreter and Translation Services: Provided free of charge for medical visits and other needs. Contact Member Services at 1-866-433-6041 (TTY: 711) for assistance.
Why Choose Total Care?
Total Care distinguishes itself through its patient-centered approach, Missouri-compliant services, and comprehensive support system.
Patient-Centered Approach
Total Care empowers clients by providing the tools, support, and education necessary to achieve their goals. The Burleson/Crowley office, located at the intersection of Crowley Road and Renfro Street, offers routine checkups, vaccines, men's and women’s health services, pediatric services, sick visits, allergy shots, weight control medications, and more. Evening and weekend appointments are available, and walk-ins are welcome.
Missouri-Compliant Services
Licensed Nurse Practitioners operate under collaborative practice agreements, adhering to all Missouri guidelines and DEA regulations for prescribing controlled substances, including testosterone and phentermine.
Getting Started with Total Care
Total Care offers an initial consultation for $20, during which a medical provider will assess your vitals and discuss the various programs available. These programs include benefits such as a calorie-tracking app, fat-burning injections, and a diet coaching plan, all available on a cash-pay basis.
Program Costs and Insurance Coverage
The Total Care program costs $199 for 3 months, renewable as long as you remain in the program. This fee covers access to medications, pre-authorizations, customized education and nutrition programs, professional guidance, and discounted medical supplementation. While insurance may cover the cost of weight loss visits for overweight or obese individuals with qualifying medical issues, the $199 fee is not typically covered.