Losing weight is a challenge for many people, but knowing what works can save time and help you reach your weight loss goals. With so many options to consider, it’s easy to wish for the quick results promised by fad diets. However, these diets have frustrating rules and health risks, which is why they don’t work long-term.
Fortunately, medical weight loss programs offer a safe solution with lasting results. Under the guidance of a healthcare professional, you can lose weight with a plan customized to your needs, have reliable support, and learn how to maintain your results. Discover how a medical weight loss program is more effective than fad diets.
What Is Medical Weight Loss?
Medical weight loss is a comprehensive weight management program under a doctor’s supervision. With medical guidance, a doctor provides the medication, support, and nutrition coaching that help patients lose weight safely.
In the process, medical weight loss programs address the underlying causes of weight gain and personalize a solution based on the patient’s medical history and goals. As a result, they often achieve sustainable weight loss.
Medical weight loss injections like Compounded GLP-1/GIP and Semaglutide have become more popular recently due to their ability to control appetite, which helps patients lose weight. When prescribed and supervised by a physician, these medications help people achieve long-term weight loss by curbing hunger and increasing metabolism. Living a healthy lifestyle in addition to getting medical weight loss injections can lead to sustainable results.
Does Medical Weight Loss Work?
Yes, medical weight loss programs are highly effective. With ongoing support and a custom treatment plan, this type of program can help you lose weight and keep it off in the long run.
Is Medical Weight Loss Covered By Insurance?
Medical weight loss may be fully or partially covered by your insurance plan, depending on your type of health plan, your treatment, and whether the treatment is considered medically necessary. To be sure, contact your insurance provider.
What Are Fad Diets?
Fad diets are trendy ways of eating that promise quick weight loss. However, they usually lack evidence to support their claims. Even though they can lead to weight loss, many fad diets have short-lived results and can cause health issues, including weight loss that’s too fast.
How Do Fad Diets Work?
Every fad diet is different, but here are some of the common traits:
- Promising Fast Results: Fad diets focus on losing weight quickly rather than maintaining long-term weight loss.
- Restricting Foods: Sometimes these diets eliminate certain food groups, which can cause nutrient deficiencies.
- Strict Rules: When fad diets come with a lot of rules, they can become tiring and difficult to follow in the long run.
- Promoting Specific Foods: Sometimes they encourage people to eat a particular food or combination of foods without evidence that it’s effective.
- Prioritizing Weight Loss, Not Health: Fad diets don’t promote other aspects of sustainable health like managing stress, getting enough sleep, or exercising.
When people get tired of fad diets, they often fall back into their past eating patterns and can regain the weight they’ve lost.
What Are Some Examples of Fad Diets?
Here are some of the most common fad diets:
- Mediterranean Diet: Based on foods widely eaten in countries around the Mediterranean Sea, this diet concentrates on eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and olive oil. Though it emphasizes eating several healthy foods, people on this diet can struggle to get enough calcium and iron.
- Plant-Based Diets: While it doesn’t necessarily exclude eating meat, plant-based diets emphasize eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. However, potential nutrient deficiencies with this diet include Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc, and Omega-3 fatty acids.
- Intermittent Fasting: This diet alternates between eating and fasting, lasting from 8 hours to days. The risks that come with this are increased hunger, developing an eating disorder, and overeating or undereating.
- Ketogenic (Keto) Diet: The goal of this high-fat, low-carb diet is a state called ketosis, where the body burns fat for energy. Foods in this diet include meat, fish, eggs, avocados, seeds, and nuts. However, it can cause fatigue, constipation, potential heart problems, and kidney stones. Nutrient deficiencies include B vitamins, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium.
- Paleolithic (Paleo) Diet: Based on what humans ate in the Paleolithic Era, this diet features meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables while excluding dairy, grains, and processed foods. The drawbacks of this diet include high saturated fat and risks of kidney and heart disease. It can also cause nutrient deficiencies in fiber, calcium, Vitamin D, and B Vitamins.
Medical Weight Loss vs. Fad Diets
Medical weight loss and fad diets are both weight loss solutions, but which is best? Let’s take a closer look.
Approach to Weight Loss
Medical Weight Loss: Healthcare professionals supervise a program that addresses the reasons behind weight gain. They guide patients on nutrition and lifestyle choices that can lead them to weight loss they can maintain.
Fad Diets: These eating plans are quick fixes that don’t take overall health into account. With many rules and eating restrictions, they come with health risks and don’t usually lead to long-term results.
Sustainability
Medical Weight Loss: These weight loss plans are created with long-term success in mind. With this weight loss method, physicians support patients as they lose weight and give advice on how to maintain their loss with a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.
Fad Diets: While fad diets can lead to fast results, they’re difficult to maintain. Usually, people get tired of their rules and limitations, causing them to return to their former eating habits and regain weight.
Health Risks
Medical Weight Loss: Under a healthcare professional’s supervision, medical weight loss programs prioritize the safety of patients. As a result, the risks are much lower than with other methods.
Fad Diets: People who turn to fad diets unknowingly put themselves at risk for many health concerns, including nutritional deficiencies and the development of an eating disorder. They don’t consider the patient’s medical history or have a medical professional supporting the patient.
Scientific Evidence
Medical Weight Loss: These programs are backed by scientific evidence, research, and clinical trials. Medications like Compounded GLP-1/GIP and Semaglutide are FDA-approved treatments that help patients achieve weight loss safely. Living a healthy lifestyle after treatment helps people maintain their weight loss.
Fad Diets: Most fad diets are often based on observations and isolated incidents rather than clinically proven studies. As a result, they’re unreliable and risky for weight loss.
Personalization
Medical Weight Loss: These programs are customized based on the patient’s medical history, health, and goals. It’s a flexible solution that results in better outcomes.
Fad Diets: Presented as a “one-size-fits-all” solution, these diets don’t factor each individual’s medical history, goals, or lifestyle into their weight loss method. As a result, it’s less likely to work long-term.
Achieve Sustainable Medical Weight Loss Results in Waukesha, Wisconsin
If you’re ready to lose weight—and keep it off—a medical weight loss program may be right for you. Don’t waste time or put your health at risk with a fad diet. Let’s come up with a plan that’ll work for you.
At Wisconsin Medical Weight Loss, we’re proud to serve Waukesha, Wisconsin, and we’ll guide you toward a sustainable weight loss solution. Our team will tailor a plan based on your goals and give you the support you need so you can be successful.
Want to lose weight and gain confidence? Call (262) 794-3159 to schedule a consultation with our team today.
