Is Medical Weight Loss and Weight Management Right for Me?

You’ve heard it a lot: eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise can do wonders for your health. And it’s true. Finding a diet and exercise routine that works for you can improve your health in many ways. You’ll have more energy and feel better—especially since many chronic health issues are linked to, or worsened by, excess weight.

If you’re overweight or obese, the health benefits of losing weight are clear. With more energy, you can do more: walk that extra mile, play longer with your kids, and maybe start that hobby you’ve wanted to try. You may also notice benefits like better sleep, improved mental health, and less joint pain or stiffness.

Your risk of serious diseases and health conditions is significantly increased if you’re overweight or obese. Conditions that may be brought on or worsened by obesity include:

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High cholesterol
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone in your joints)
• Sleep apnea and breathing problems
• Many types of cancer, including kidney, liver, colorectal, and endometrial cancer
• Mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression
• Body pain and difficulty with physical functions

If you’re concerned about weight-related health problems, talk to your doctor. They can recommend the most appropriate treatments and help you get to a healthier weight. Consider these other tips when starting your weight loss journey:

• Set realistic exercise expectations. Creating time in your schedule is often the biggest hurdle. Start with 15 minutes a day and increase.
• Make meal and snack planning a part of your routine. Check out our partners LiveWell Frederick for food guidelines, healthy eating tips, tasty recipes, and more.
• Keep a food journal. Writing down everything you take a bite of can help you stay on track with your diet.
• Stay hydrated. Drinking water before meals and throughout the day can help curb your appetite.
• Don’t lose hope. Even a weight loss of 10-15 percent can improve your health significantly.

But sometimes, changing your diet and starting an exercise routine isn’t enough to get you to your goal. Or, you may struggle to be consistent with your diet and exercise. Don’t get discouraged—you might just need some extra support. That’s when medical weight loss may be an option.

Medical weight loss means you’re not alone on your weight loss journey. Your physician and other specialists work with you to manage your diet, fitness, and healthy behaviors with a personalized plan. They track your health closely and support you every step of the way to a life of better health and wellbeing.

Nutrition & Weight Management at Frederick Health

At Frederick Health Medical Group Nutrition & Weight Management, we have various options to help you lose weight. From nutrition counseling to weight loss programs and bariatric surgery, we offer personalized solutions that work for you.

Our dietitians are skilled at helping patients with special dietary needs. We work with health and lifestyle improvements, food allergies, eating disorders, cancer patients, and more.

Frederick Health offers two weight loss program options. Both include weekly weigh-in and group education sessions, behavioral assessment and coaching, and a navigator to help you stay on track.

• Very Low-Calorie Diet program: This program is for those who have 40 or more pounds to lose. It uses a nutritionally complete beverage as your sole source of nutrition. This option requires medical monitoring. (Check out this success story from a patient who completed the program.)
• Low-Calorie Diet program: If you have less than 40 pounds to lose but need medical assistance in getting to your goal, this program might be for you. It incorporates a combination of healthy foods, meal replacement beverages, and snacks.

If you have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher, you may be a candidate for one of the three bariatric procedures performed at Frederick Health:

• Adjustable gastric band (lap band, which restricts food intake with an adjustable band around the stomach.
• Vertical sleeve gastrectomy, in which 80 to 85 percent of the stomach is removed.
• Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RNY), which decreases food intake with an inflatable band around the top of the stomach.

Some may think bariatric surgery is the “easy way” to lose weight. There is no easy way to lose weight. There is also no guaranteed method, including surgery, to produce and maintain weight loss. Whichever weight loss method you choose, you must commit to changing your pre-existing habits around diet and exercise and be willing to continue this for the rest of your life. If you are considering bariatric surgery or any other form of weight loss, Frederick Health is here to assist you in reaching your goals. We’re committed to helping our patients live better, healthier, and longer. To schedule your medical weight loss consultation, call us at 240-215-1474.