Doctors typically develop a comprehensive care plan that includes labs, medication, treatment recommendations and more to help manage chronic conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Weight management shouldn’t be any different.
Understanding your body’s biology
Obesity is often driven by a powerful and underlying biology that is unique to each person. That’s why obesity should be treated the same as any other chronic health condition.
Obesity is a very complex condition influenced by a variety of factors including:
Metabolism: The internal process that your body uses to burn calories for energy, which keeps your body active, even at rest or asleep. Your metabolism converts the food and nutrients that you eat into the energy you need to survive.
Genetics: Obesity is often an inherited trait.
Environment: Factors such as food availability and neighborhood walkability may influence dietary choices, physical activity and obesity rates.
Lifestyle: Habits including your food intake and level of exercise.
Emotional health: The complex interrelationship between mental health and obesity.
Hormones are part of your biology and act as your body’s communication system. They allow your unique metabolism to run efficiently. However, there are times when hormone levels – such as insulin – can be lower or higher than normal, which influences your appetite, body fat distribution and metabolism. This may cause:
Feeling more hungry and less full despite eating
Your body to be less efficient at burning calories
Changes in your emotions, or depression or anxiety
Low energy levels
Here’s where your Medical Weight Loss (MWL) medical provider comes in
Your provider understands that working towards a healthy weight is a long-term commitment. They are specially trained in the science of weight loss and obesity, which means they have the tools and knowledge to create a treatment plan that works just for you.
Their personalized approach starts by understanding your unique biology, underlying conditions and struggles that you have had with weight in the past. l Their analysis and feedback may help establish or shift your mindset around weight loss as a lifelong journey rather than a short-term fix. They will be there to support you every step of the way.
Your treatment plan
Comprehensive assessment and laboratory evaluation (labs and bloodwork): These are important so your provider can get to know you and your unique health picture.
- The comprehensive assessment includes your personal health history, weight history, current medications, lifestyle, family health history, and emotional and mental health history.
- The lab evaluation includes analyzing your blood for cholesterol, glucose and other health markers, as well as taking body measurements, such as blood pressure, height and weight. This can be done at a lab location that’s convenient for you and it takes fifteen minutes or less to complete.
Medication Assessment
Weight gain may be impacted by common medications. You will be asked about your medication history and current medications you may be taking. Recommendations for dosage changes or other considerations may be provided. Your primary care doctor may be contacted to help with these decisions.
As you progress in your weight-loss journey, medications used to treat other conditions – such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol – may also need to be adjusted. Your care team will work with you and your primary care doctor to look for opportunities to make those changes.
You may be prescribed certain medications as a part of your treatment plan. Medications are tools that help your hormones communicate better with your body, which will help you lose weight and make your new lifestyle changes easier.
These medications are typically low cost, and with clinical guidance from your provider, they may help create a sustainable approach to weight loss.
Medication may be prescribed based on what may work for your unique biology and health history, while also considering the cost and coverage for the medication.
Throughout your treatment plan, the effectiveness of your medications will be monitored and recommended adjustments will be made when appropriate. The goal is to help you find a solution that not only helps you lose weight but helps you keep it off for the long-term.
Medication may be effective, but medication alone will not achieve lasting weight loss. Your Registered Dietitian will work with you on healthy lifestyle changes, such as movement, nutrition and emotional health, to get the most benefit from the medications you are prescribed.
As your provider gets to know you, they may include additional specialists in your treatment plan if you’re experiencing other conditions related to weight that may be impacting your overall health. This may mean ordering a test to evaluate sleep patterns or seeing a behavioral health counselor.
The expertise and guidance of your medical provider is just one of the four aspects of your overall care plan. Along with nutrition, movement and emotional health, you’ll get a personalized, comprehensive plan to support healthy changes that last a lifetime, along with the support you need to live your healthiest life.
Coverage for medical care is determined in accordance with your medical plan. See your plan’s Summary Plan Description (SPD) for details. Your employee health benefits are governed by legal plan documents. If there is any discrepancy between this communication and the governing plan documents, the plan documents will control.