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Originally Posted On: https://brandonmedicalcenter.com/how-to-develop-a-medical-weight-loss-program-that-sticks/

 

The world is getting heavy. Obesity rates have nearly tripled across the world since 1975. Nearly 40 million children younger than 5 are overweight, if not obese.

These trends have occurred in spite of weight loss programs. Many people try to lose weight, but they don’t develop healthy habits. If you want to adopt a medical weight loss program as a New Year’s resolution, you have to be thorough.

Who should you talk to before you start your program? What should your program entail? How can you dodge harmful fads?

Answer these questions and you can find a healthy and long-term weight loss solution. Here is your quick guide.

Get Your Doctor’s Approval

The best medical weight loss programs have firm backings from doctors. Before you start to lose weight, you should talk to your doctor about what your program should look like. You should get suggestions on healthy foods you can eat and exercises you can perform.  Brandon Medical Center has an on staff Doctor that will be monitoring  you every step of the way.

As you go along, you should remain in contact with your doctor. You may want to schedule an appointment every three months so you can track your progress. If an in-person visit is not ideal, you can talk to your doctor over the phone.

You may want to loop in some specialists in addition to your personal physician. Talking to a nutritionist may be helpful.

Don’t make changes to any medical weight loss programs unless your doctor knows about them. But be willing to make adjustments, especially with your doctor’s approval. You may want to add foods into your diet after a few months of restrictions.

Create a Timeline and Goal

You cannot expect to lose dozens of pounds overnight. Some diets say that you need to eat 1,000 calories in order to lose weight. But this amount of calories will not give your body enough fuel to sustain its biological functions.

This means you should eat a moderate amount of calories. You will lose weight steadily, giving your body enough fuel but not eating too much. Losing one or two pounds every week is a common goal.

In order to help yourself adopt long-term habits, you should pick a goal. You can have a target weight in mind. Try to pick one that you can achieve through healthy and realistic measures.

Keep in mind that weight loss is about more than the pounds you weigh. You should think about your blood sugar and cholesterol rates. Try to monitor those as you embark on your medically monitored weight loss programs.

Build Healthy Habits

Healthy eating is an extremely important habit to develop. You should eat at least two and a half cups of vegetables every day. You should try to eat at least one serving of vegetables at each meal, including through salads and cooked vegetables.

But it is not enough to eat vegetables. You should eat mindfully. Take some time to slow down and taste the food that you are eating so you can eat less.

You should drink a glass of water with every meal and whenever you are thirsty. Water helps the stomach digest food and replenishes cells with essential nutrients.

You should plan on exercising for at least one hour every day. Even a low-intensity exercise like walking can help you burn dozens of calories, if not hundreds. It also helps bring your blood sugar levels down and build muscles.

Develop a Holistic Approach

The wellbeing of your body is tied to the wellbeing of your mind. Getting at least eight hours of sleep every night helps your body recover from injuries and conserve essential nutrients. You can also take a nap during the day if you are feeling tired.

Make sure to find opportunities to deal with stress. Do not turn to food as a crutch. Try meditating, making art, and talking to a psychiatrist.

Yet dieting is not about denying yourself your favorite foods. Allow yourself to indulge in your cravings every now and again. The key is to be moderate and eat just enough to satisfy your urges.

Medications and injections may help you reach your goal. Glutathione injections supply your body with antioxidants that repair cells and bolster your metabolism. If you get your doctor’s approval, you should consider these injections.

But you should use them as one component of your program. Do not replace healthy eating and exercise routines with them.

Avoid Fads and Tricks

Fad diets make promises that they cannot keep. They may state that you should eat one food in particular or “detox” in some way.

Doctors do not support limiting your diet to an extreme measure or relying on one food or drug. You should avoid any diet or weight loss trick that will lead to a nutritional imbalance.

If something seems appealing to you, you should do your research from reputable sources like the federal government. Do not rely on third-party websites or YouTube videos for dietary information.

It is true that a couple of diets started as fads and have now gained respectability. But most fad diets do not stand the test of time. At a minimum, wait a few months and see if a diet has gained acceptability amongst doctors before trying it out.

Build Your Medical Weight Loss Program

A medical weight loss program will set you up for long-term weight loss. You should meet with your doctor before you embark on your program.

Your program should have a long-term schedule with a clear goal. You should build healthy eating and exercising habits. But you should not forget about your mental health.

You can complement your diet with medications and injections. Yet you should be mindful of fads and tricks that can hurt your habits.

Get the facts about weight loss from experts. Brandon Medical Center serves Brandon, Florida residents. Contact us today.