Medical weight loss: Your questions answered
Medical weight loss: Your questions answered
Want a safe, effective and long-lasting way to lose weight that's the right approach for YOUR body? This is where ‘medical weight loss’ comes into its own.
Do you wish you could find a safe, effective and long-lasting way to lose weight? Are you struggling to find the right approach for YOUR body? Does your weight yo-yo with each new diet or fitness obsession?
It’s tough to know what to do for the best. Type “weight loss” into Google and you’ll be presented with more than 1.2 billion search results! The problem is that, with all this potential advice out there, it isn’t always possible to know which weight loss methods work and, most importantly, which are backed by proven, safe scientific principles.
This is where ‘medical weight loss’ comes into its own.
What is medical weight loss?
Medical weight loss is the process of losing weight with the help and guidance of a qualified medical professional, such as a doctor or nurse. It might include the use of prescription weight loss medication, in addition to other approaches.
Crucially, medical weight loss is based around an individual, targeted plan that reflects your specific goals, lifestyle and body composition.
How do medical weight loss programmes work?
There are many different factors that affect how you gain or lose weight. These factors include your genes, age, hormones, diet, activity levels, lifestyle, physical and mental health as just a few examples.
Medical weight loss programmes tend to use a four-pronged approach combining diet, exercise/lifestyle changes, medically-proven weight loss medication and help and guidance from a qualified medical professional.
Each programme will look at the unique composition of your body, positive dietary and lifestyle changes that you can make, and how these can be supported with medication, where appropriate.
Throughout a medical weight loss programme, the overseeing medical professional (at Medikaur, our highly qualified Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner) will plan and monitor your progress and adjust the programme to suit your individual needs.
Are medical weight loss programmes safe?
One of the main benefits of following a medical weight loss programme is that it is supported by a proven, scientific approach to weight loss and backed by extensive clinical evidence.
Reputable medical weight loss programmes promote safe and sustainable weight loss overseen by a qualified clinician.
Medical professionals undergo years of education and training before they can qualify and they bring this knowledge to managing your weight loss. This offers greater safety than following the latest fad diet or weight loss trend, many of which are promoted by unqualified, self-proclaimed ‘experts’ rather than trained medical professionals.
What is the National Medical Weight Loss Programme?
We have chosen to offer the National Medical Weight Loss Programme at Medikaur because it is the only weight management programme to be accredited by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and The Strategic Centre for Obesity Professional Education (SCOPE) in the UK and uses FDA-approved weight loss medication.
Under this programme, our first step is to complete an online consultation where Jane Paterson, our Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner, learns more about the factors that may be affecting your weight loss journey.
You will then need to attend a face-to-face consultation and assessment where Jane carries out a comprehensive body composition analysis of your fat, fluid, bone and muscle weight. During this consultation, Jane will weigh you and record your key body measurements. She will also want to talk to you about your current diet, lifestyle and activities.
Based on this information, you will receive an individual programme of nutritional, lifestyle and exercise advice, as well as a prescription for weight loss injections that can be administered at home for suitable candidates.
Your progress and plan will be reviewed and updated once a month in the clinic.
How do medical weight loss injections work?
Different weight loss medications have different approaches, so you should always ask the medical professional overseeing your treatment about this.
In the case of the National Medical Weight Loss Programme, the injections work by mimicking the action of your body’s natural hormone GLP-1, which regulates your appetite and food intake.
After you eat, your body releases GLP-1 into your gut to tell you that you’re full and can stop eating. It also delays how long your stomach takes to empty, making you feel full for longer.
The injections replicate these physical responses, reducing your appetite and helping you to feel satiated for longer after you’ve eaten. Combined with eating fewer calories and greater activity, you should experience effective weight loss.
Do medical weight loss injections work without diet and exercise?
While medical weight loss injections have been shown in clinical trials to result in some weight loss, they do not provide a magic wand for weight management. The most effective and responsible approach is to combine a healthy diet and more active lifestyle with the use of weight loss medication.
It’s important that you disclose your full medical history so that the medical practitioner can decide whether weight loss injections are suitable for your case. As with all prescription medications, there are some contraindications against use.
How long will you need to follow a medical weight loss programme?
Most people follow a medical weight loss programme until they reach their desired weight or health goals. The medical practitioner is there to create a sensible plan and help you to stay on track.
You should always be given an individual treatment plan after your initial consultation so that you know what to expect and what you’re working towards.