Weight Loss Q & A

What is medical weight loss?

Medical weight loss with the Sunstate Medical Associates team is weight loss supervised by experienced primary care physicians. They offer:

• Meal plans
• Diet and exercise advice
• Lifestyle recommendations
• Medications when necessary
• Disease management
• Hormone therapy

Your weight loss provider helps you manage an illness or disease or prevent chronic diseases from developing. They tailor each treatment based on your initial body weight, health, lifestyle, and food preferences.

What are the risk factors for obesity?

Obesity is common and anyone can develop it, but certain factors increase your risk of being overweight. Examples include:

• Physical inactivity
• Sugar-sweetened drink consumption
• Unhealthy food choices
• Hormone imbalance
• Family history of obesity
• Older age
• Some medications
• Chronic stress
• Sleep deprivation

Participating in a medically supervised weight loss program significantly boosts your odds of getting and keeping excess weight off.

What are the benefits of weight loss?

If you’re overweight or obese, weight loss reduces your risk of developing:

• Heart attack or stroke
• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cancer
• Sexual problems
• Gynecological issues
• Osteoarthritis
• Digestive problems
• Depression
• Sleep apnea
• Disability

Weight loss can improve your overall quality of life by boosting your energy, mood, and ability to stay active and effectively perform job duties.

What happens during medical weight loss?

During your first weight loss appointment at Sunstate Medical Associates your doctor checks your vital signs, weighs you, and discusses your medical history including medications, past and current diagnoses, and surgeries.

They complete a physical exam and use blood tests to evaluate thyroid, other hormone levels, blood sugar, cholesterol, and more and find out if you require medical intervention in addition to weight loss counseling. Taking medications or dietary supplements can reduce your appetite to better control calories.

You might attend weight loss appointments weekly at first and less often as you progress through your weight loss journey. Your primary care doctor makes adjustments to your diet and medications, or recommends additional lab tests when necessary.

How much weight can I lose?

Many patients can lose up to five pounds weekly when following medically supervised weight loss programs. The amount of weight you can expect to lose depends on your initial weight, goal weight, and how well you adhere to your custom weight loss plan.

Don’t let being overweight diminish your quality of life. Schedule a weight loss evaluation with Sunstate Medical Associates by phone or online today.