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Transform Your Physical and Mental Well-Being Through Weight Loss

September 9, 2020

By: Dr. Angela DeRosa, DO, MBA, CPE

Try googling “weight loss,” and watch as nearly 3 billion results come up. Clearly, weight loss is a popular topic—one that’s sure to get even more popular as some of us pack on the pounds during this COVID pandemic.

It’s no wonder so many are concerned about weight loss. Not only does weight affect our physical health, playing a role in everything from heart disease to diabetes, it also affects our mental well-being: Many overweight people, particularly women, suffer from body image issues, especially after being bombarded with society’s negative messages about weight and appearance.

We know that a healthy weight improves our overall health and does a world of good for our self-image—but how do we get there? Many of those Google results and even many medical professionals will tell you the same things: eat better, exercise more, reduce stress, and sleep more.

All of that is great advice—and lifestyle changes and accountability are certainly vital components of any weight loss plan. But the unfortunate reality is that these changes won’t work if your body itself doesn’t have the tools it needs to lose weight.

So what are those tools? Hormones. Hormonal imbalances not only predispose people to gain weight, but they also make it harder to take that weight off. The result? Many people get frustrated and just give up on their weight loss efforts.

When starting a weight loss program, we first need to address the root causes of the weight gain and make any necessary lifestyle changes. Once that’s done, a medical weight loss program—including counseling, supplements, fat-burning shots, and weight loss medications—can kick-start the weight loss into high gear. Best of all, if the patient’s root causes (AKA hormones) are fixed, then the lost weight should stay off.

I know these times are tough when it comes to our weight. Maybe your gym is closed, or maybe you’re overeating (or overdrinking!) because of boredom or stress. If you’re concerned about or struggling with your weight, please don’t suffer in silence. There are many resources out there.

And I recommend considering medical weight loss as one of these resources. A medical weight loss plan can kickstart your weight loss, get you to your healthy weight more quickly and effectively—and ensure that you don’t give up!