What’s the Difference Between Bariatric Surgery and Medically Supervised Weight Loss?
Everyone talks about weight loss being a journey, but if you’re not budging the scale, you may feel lost in the Texas wild without a compass.
You know you should be eating better. And you know you should be exercising more.
But, somehow, you just can’t seem to get yourself on the road to better health.
You need a serious change of direction. Take the bariatric surgery fork in the road and you’re most likely to lose weight by permanently altering the way your body treats food. A gastric sleeve will help curb your appetite and eating habits while a duodenal switch does that and adds a malabsorptive element so you absorb fewer calories.
But what if you’re not ready to consider surgical weight loss options?
At Panhandle Weight Loss Center in Amarillo, we offer a 16-week medically supervised weight-loss program for people who want to kick down the roadblocks to losing weight.
Choose this path and we’ll test your metabolism, create a personalized diet and exercise plan to kickstart your progress, and determine which vitamins and supplements will boost your body’s fat-burning potential.
Losing weight may have been impossible on your own. Today, we’re going to discuss what makes a medically supervised weight-loss plan so different.
WHAT IS A MEDICALLY SUPERVISED WEIGHT-LOSS PROGRAM?
Bariatric surgeries are generally performed on patients who have tried at least 2 different diet programs without long term success.
After you calculate your BMI online, you may find that your BMI is in the overweight range (BMI between 25–29.9) or even crossing the obesity threshold (BMI over 30).
Yet you may not be ready to pursue bariatric surgery.
A medically supervised weight-loss plan will give you the opportunity to learn healthy eating and exercise habits from our registered dietitians, nurse practitioners, and certified personal trainers so you can lose weight without surgery.
Let’s talk about why our program here at PWLC delivers accountability and success.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING MEDICALLY SUPERVISED WEIGHT LOSS AT PWLC?
Here’s an insider’s look at what happens over the course of your 16 weeks in our medically supervised weight-loss program:
WE’LL TAKE YOUR BASELINE MEASUREMENTS
In order to see how much progress you make at the end of our time together, we’ll need to take your measurements from the starting point so we have an accurate baseline.
We’ll not only measure your weight, body fat percentage, and BMI, we’ll also calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
Your BMR is the rate at which your body uses calories just to keep you alive and functioning. This is the minimum amount of calories your body requires.
Knowing all this personalized information helps us accurately personalize nutritional and weight management goals optimized specifically for your body.
We’ll monitor your weight with weekly check-ins and compare them against your initial baseline.
RECEIVE NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION AND CUSTOMIZED MEAL PLANS (+SHOPPING LISTS!)
Most people do not have the chance to take a course in nutrition and maybe that’s why they have such a hard time knowing what’s good for their body.
Every month, you’ll meet with one of our registered dietitians and a physician assistant or nurse practitioner to discuss your Nutritional Blueprint, or the master plan to get your body to start shedding pounds.
This roadmap is a customized educational course in healthy eating based on what your body needs.
You’ll learn all about:
- Calorie tracking
- Net carbohydrates
- Healthy fats
- Protein
This education will change your eating habits and give you a solid foundation for the future.
We all know life is hectic, that’s why we aim to make eating nutritiously feel less like a time-consuming chore and more like second-nature.
One of our registered dietitians will design a meal plan completely based on your individual BMR.
While these steps will teach you how to make smart eating choices on your own, you’ll also learn new strategies for coping with stress and boredom that don’t involve food.
LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE
It’s no secret that you need to exercise your body to stay in shape.
But, how do you get in shape when you haven’t touched your gym clothes since another president was in office?
Finding the motivation to exercise can be hard all on your own.
That’s why our medically supervised weight loss program includes 6 exercise sessions at CrossFit 806 Gym (3901 Plains Blvd., Amarillo, TX; 806-686-0620).
Sessions are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 6–7 PM so they fit right into your after-work schedule.
You’re also eligible for a discounted CrossFit Gym Membership so you can continue your fitness even after our program’s complete.
We also offer our patients multiple sessions with a certified personal trainer (at an additional cost) to speed up their weight loss when they’re in a hurry (like an upcoming wedding or reunion date).
WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS, SUPPLEMENTS, AND VITAMINS FOR FAT-BURNING
To boost the effectiveness of your weight loss regime, you may be advised to supplement your diet with:
AN FDA-APPROVED WEIGHT-LOSS AID
Not every patient will need prescription weight-loss drugs during their medically supervised weight-loss journey, but certain patients may be cleared for their use.
These FDA-approved medications work to suppress your appetite so you’re hungry less often. Patients using these medications may lose up to four times more weight than diet and exercise alone.
You’ll need to be monitored on a monthly basis when you start using these prescriptions (including weigh-ins, vital checks, etc.).
You’ll also need to take a pregnancy test every month to make sure you’re not pregnant if you’re in childbearing years. Weight-loss medications should never be used during pregnancy as they may harm your unborn baby.
Your options may include:
VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS
Vitamins and supplements keep your body performing at their best.
They make sure your body has the nutrients it needs to thrive, boost your energy, and help you stay healthy.
PS: Medically supervised weight-loss patients receive 20% off all supplements and meal replacement products at the Panhandle Weight Loss Center Store whenpurchasing productsin officeby Checking-In onFacebook,bringing backyour Panhandle WeightLoss Centerbag, and keeping foodor exercisejournals.
We believe in a keep-it-simple philosophy. We know that when things get tough, it’s hard to maintain motivation. That’s exactly when you slip back into old habits.
So to stay on track, we recommend using the technology we have at our fingertips to make life easy.
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS WITH THE PANHANDLE WEIGHT LOSS CENTER APP
Even though you’ll be meeting with experts throughout your medically supervised program, there’s a lot you’ll need to commit to if you want to achieve the best results.
IS MEDICALLY SUPERVISED WEIGHT LOSS BETTER THAN BARIATRIC SURGERY?
Start with a medically supervised weight-loss plan when you need direction.
A medically supervised weight-loss program will give you the professional know-how to lose your excess weight, drop inches, and maintain your weight loss long term on your own.
Plus, many insurance providers will only approve bariatric surgery if you complete a medically supervised weight-loss program first, so that touts its benefits.
READY TO COMMIT TO A HEALTHIER YOU?
We know how to unlock the secrets to your body’s ability to lose weight—and we’ll be happy to share that intel with you.
Sign up for a medically supervised weight-loss program and you’ll learn how to eat right for your body’s needs, stay active, and find an ideal balance of supplements and vitamins to trigger steady weight loss.
Our experts will give you the roadmap to success and guide you every step of the way.
We know you can do this; let Panhandle Weight Loss Center give you the tools and support you’ve never had before.
To set up an initial consult, call our office at 806-677-7952.