Bariatric Medicine and Medical Weight Loss

Bariatric medicine is a highly specialized branch of medicine which focuses on obesity, addressing all angles from causes to prevention and treatment. One element of the practice of bariatric medicine is medical weight loss, also called doctor-assisted weight loss. Medical weight loss is the process of achieving a healthy weight through healthy lifestyle changes while under the supervision of a bariatric medicine physician. It is not a diet nor is it a quick fix. Successful patients will enjoy improved overall health and quality of life as a result of reaching and maintaining their optimal healthy weight.

A medical weight loss plan will typically encompass any or all of the following four elements:

1. Dietary modification is the first and most essential element of the process. Dr. DeRosimo creates a unique meal plan for each patient which encourages healthy food choices while still maintaining some appeal for the patient. Encompassing some of the patient’s most enjoyable foods into their new eating plan dramatically increases their likelihood of success.
2. Activity prescription is also a vital component for success. Adding exercise to a healthy eating plan will increase the patient’s resting metabolism, which results in faster weight loss. Dr. DeRosimo takes each patient’s current physical activity level and other existing health conditions into account when prescribing an exercise plan for the patient; therefore, ensuring the optimal benefit for their effort.
3. Psychological factors often play an underlying role in a person’s unhealthy weight. Dr. DeRosimo addresses these issues as a part of the weight management program - through behavior modification, counseling, or medication (when indicated) – to help ensure that the patient does not fall back into old habits and forfeit any progress made toward living their life at a healthy weight.
4. Medications, both non-prescription and prescription, may also be used to assist patients in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Medications may include appetite suppressants, insulin sensitizers, vitamins, and minerals. Dr. DeRosimo may also utilize prescription medications to address other medical conditions with which the patient may be diagnosed.

Many patients who undergo the medical weight loss system are also considered to have metabolic syndrome, the name for a group of risk factors that occur together and increase the risk for coronary artery disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. According to the American Heart Association, a person is considered to have metabolic syndrome if they have three or more of the following signs:

Patients suffering from metabolic syndrome can benefit greatly from working directly with a physician to ensure they achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Becoming a patient of Dr. Lisa DeRosimo at The LowCountry Weight & Wellness Center is the first step to achieving and maintaining a weight that will allow you to live a more healthy and fulfilled life and prevent these diseases.