If you have ever tried to lose weight you know how hard in can be to do it on your own. You have all seen those “before and after” pictures, of a formerly obese person holding up a ginormous pair of slacks that are now bigger than their entire bodies.

But what those dramatic pictures do not show, is just how difficult that journey from point A to point B can be!

Many people who are obese or overweight need outside help, especially when excess weight affects their health. Medically supervised weight loss is often a better option than any kind of self-monitored diet plan to get you back on the road to good health.

What Is Physician Guided Weight Loss?

Medical weight loss is an approach to managing obesity that focuses on doctor-supervised plans that involve FDA approved medications, diet, exercise, supplementation, behavior modification and lifestyle changes, all with the goal of helping you to achieve and maintain your ideal weight for optimal health.

Medical weight management programs provide treatment in a clinical setting with a licensed healthcare professional. A typical medical weight loss program is designed to include nutrition and health coaching and ways to track and monitor your progress as you work towards achievable weight loss goals.

Medical weight loss is often the best option for people who have tried and failed with other weight loss programs, because in physician guided weight loss, every patient is treated like the unique individual he or she is.

In a medical weight loss program, each patient gets a customized program, with input from the center’s entire team of professionals, which could include dietitians, lifestyle coaches, even psychotherapists and emotional counselors as needed.

Specific aspects of a medical weight loss program could include:

Prescription Appetite Suppressants

Medical weight loss usually involves the use of FDA approved medications that have been clinically proven to safely and effectively help to suppress your appetite, and limit your caloric intake.

Fat Burning Amino Acids and Nutritional Supplements

In addition to FDA approved medications, most medical weight loss programs will use amino acids and other nutritional supplements that have been shown to boost metabolism and help to burn fat. These often include vitamins D and B-complexes, as well as multivitamin and multi-mineral formulas customized to your individual needs in order to help accelerate your weight loss.

Health and Nutritional Counseling

Your own personal fitness coach will help you set and achieve your weight loss goals by recommending exercise, dietary and practical lifestyle changes that will help you to lose weight and keep it off.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Often, as part of your medical weight loss program, you may also be prescribed a course of testosterone replacement therapy, and/or growth hormone replacement therapy. Declining levels of both testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH) contribute to weight gain and difficulties with weight loss. If, during your complete physical exam, your hormones are found to be low, hormone replacement therapy may be part of your medical weight loss program.

Not All Medical Weight Loss Programs Are Alike

A word of warning when choosing a medical weight loss program. There is no federal regulation over the term, so a lot of places will call themselves a “Medical Weight Loss Center,” that actually aren’t.

“Medically supervised” can take on a wide range of meanings, so be careful when you’re searching for a weight-loss program. There are lot of people who might say they are “medically supervised” or “physician guided,” But you want to get someone who’s a specialist in weight loss, and has a proven track record.

At Michigan Integrative Health, our medical weight loss program is trusted by over 20,000 satisfied patients. It includes FDA approved weight loss medications, nutrition, health coaching, hormone replacement therapy, and an easy-to-use web application where you can track your calories, exercise, and weight loss goals.