Many pathways lead to weight gain as our bodies were designed to store weight or “adipose (fat cells)” to prepare for periods of famine and starvation. At a time in human history, it was advantageous and critical for human survival for our body to have mechanisms that promote weight gain and make it difficult to lose weight. Once upon a time ago, humans were very active and physical beings, and the food available was nutrient-dense. Now we have lots of food around, and many of us are sedentary compared to our predecessors (even if we do get enough exercise!).
We have all heard the MANY ways to lose weight, but there is no “one size fits all solution”. Most studies show that there have been “big losers” on every weight loss program, diet or with each tool. The classic story goes like this—- person tries xyz method and loses tons of weight— next they find themselves on billboards because the plan worked for them or they create their own platform to tout their success. So a person watching tries the method, but it doesn’t work for them. Does that mean there is something wrong with them for not being able to lose weight? Nope!
The people who have lost weight are ROCKSTARS, but those who haven’t found success are also still equally amazing, but they just haven’t found the right tools yet to transform their health and well-being.
Why can two people follow the same health plan and have varying results? Why can people start to exercise, eat right, count calories but still regain weight or have a hard time losing weight? It’s because our body has mechanisms to bring us back to our original weight.
What do I mean?
-With weight loss, our bodies will start to “preserve” our energy and burn less fuel. So although we are eating less— we start “shutting down” and start to “burn less energy” (ie: metabolism slows down).
-When this happens, our “primitive brain” will start to raise the alarms that there is danger. Our brain will signal hormones to propel us to eat more, grab the sweets and drive around to the nearest fast food place because our brain fears “we must be at risk for dying because we are starving”. Most people don’t know why they are off the rails and will completely start to eat out of control to feel relief (this is similar to why some may stress eat). Once people find comfort, they start to handle failure and think they failed because they don’t have enough willpower. The truth is that we aren’t always going to win against our body’s hormones and signals. Could you imagine willing your way to change the date of your period? Willing your way to modify your heart rate? Weight is also a vital sign— we can’t “will power” it through— but we can use methods to change the weight “set-point”.
Now, I believe a healthy lifestyle where we eat whole, unprocessed foods, sleep 7-8+ hours nightly, engage in a meaningful life, actively manage stress, stay physically active, and connect with others is ideal. Unfortunately, however, people may still follow these habits and still have excess weight on their bodies that can be detrimental to their health.
This is where obesity medicine doctors and the obesity medicine toolkit come in.
In Obesity Medicine we use a full evaluation to determine what’s happening with the weight then like detectives, we uncover where the weight gain may be coming from. We prescribe lifestyle changes. However, as doctors, we also use prescription medications, prescription meal replacements, behavioral therapies, and access/support for bariatric and metabolic surgery.
These are not the medications that are available over the counter at the pharmacy. These medications are prescribed are FDA approved. Anti-obesity medicines are tightly regulated. It is prescribed as an adjunct to lifestyle changes and aims to control issues with weight loss. These medications are outlined below but are mainly for long-term use.
Here is https://www.obesityaction.org/education-support/treatment/
Most of my patients who choose to see me for treatment for their weight achieve anywhere between 8-15% weight loss. I have some that even go beyond that. Each person and their response varies.
If you’re in Florida, I’d love to work with you. So please call or text my office today: 407-753-5036.
If you’re looking for a doctor that treats weight in your area, please speak to your primary care health professional or find my colleagues by visiting: https://obesitymedicine.org/find-obesity-treatment/
Book a Free Medical Weight Loss Consultation and Take the First Step towards a Healthier You.
