When choosing the right weight loss clinic, you need to ask yourself: What makes one clinic better than the other? Do I follow the recommendations of family or friends? Do I look at results from strangers claiming to be legitimate reviewers on the Internet? In short, you need to do your homework. If you’re going to invest time, energy, and money into a clinic, you need to feel confident that your chosen clinic will set you up for success.
Accountability
When you’re trying to lose weight, willpower alone often isn’t enough to keep you on track. And even if you think you’re maintaining your goal weight, it’s all too easy for a few pounds to creep back on your frame. A study published online in the Journal of Women’s Health found that many women were unable to recognize small weight gains — between 4.5 and 8.8 pounds — over six months. And those little gains can add up fast. In the beginning, it is important that the weight loss clinic you choose offers weekly weigh-ins, rather than provide you with a plan and send you on your way for 4-6 weeks. A clinic needs to stay on top of your weight loss journey by meeting with you frequently face to face.
Don’t Go It Alone
You might have a love-hate relationship with your bathroom scale, and normal daily fluctuations can be annoying when all you want is a lower number. But it can still be a handy tool. Most successful dieters will weigh themselves weekly, proving that a scale is important for weight-loss management. If weight begins to creep up, a weight loss clinic will notice and offer suggestions to get you back on track instead of losing precious time.
We’ve all heard of an accountability partner. Having a buddy on a similar journey reinforces accountability and provides positive weight-loss and weight-maintenance motivation. Think of your weight loss clinic specialist as your buddy. Even better? Bring a friend with you to the clinic to cheer each other on! You can call your friend or clinician if you find yourself wavering. A little friendly competition never hurt either. You can challenge each other!
And don’t forget to reward yourself! Once you reach a goal, celebrate that success with a new outfit or a salon service. Setting a specific goal can also be an effective weight-loss strategy. Often people want to work toward a specific weight for an upcoming event, like a wedding or vacation. However, if you only focus on short-term weight loss for that isolated event, you might revert to your old habits that didn’t serve you. A weight loss clinic should care about your end goal…and beyond. Set permanent objectives, such as living longer or even feeling more comfortable in your clothes.
Being accountable is one reason why some weight loss clinics see success. Each week, specialists should check your blood pressure and weight to ensure you’re losing (or maintaining, depending). Once you are established as a patient, a weight loss clinic should also offer some flexibility if weekly isn’t convenient for you.
You cannot put a price on encouragement and motivation, and losing weight requires a lot of support.
Methods and Variety of Programs Available
Although people are encouraged to take safe weight-loss strategies into their own hands, unsupervised weight loss programs can increase the potential for health complications. Losing weight is a lifestyle change, and involving a weight loss clinic can greatly affect your outcome.
When researching weight loss clinics, ensure that the facility offers a large selection of weight loss methods, programs, and medications. There are tried and true programs, but a weight loss clinic should stay on top of revolutionary programs with the most up-to-date and successful offerings. Medications used should be FDA approved and fully endorsed, and make sure that medications used have little to no side effects and work with your body. Ultimately, with any program you and your specialist decide suits you, the end goal is helping you shed unwanted pounds.
Weight loss programs should be tailored to each individual. We already know that no two bodies are the same; therefore, clinics shouldn’t subscribe to a “one size fits all” mentality. Weight loss programs are designed to achieve and even exceed weight loss goals efficiently and safely. For example, Valley Medical offers FDA-approved medications, appetite suppressants, and supplements to aid weight control. Valley Medical also provides custom-formulated metabolic injections for weight loss, often called lipotropic shots or fat burning injections. Other programs include weekly, monthly, youth programs, and injections.
Frequency and Timing of Visits
How often you check in with your specialist at a weight loss clinic contributes to your overall success. If you find that a weight loss clinic prescribes you medication and then sends you on your way for 1-2 months, that might not be the right facility for you. During the first week, specialists must ensure that any prescribed medication is the right fit and dosage for the patient. They will check in with the patient, confirm their appetite is curbed a bit, and ensure they aren’t experiencing any adverse side effects, tailoring the medication or protocol accordingly.
At the start of your weight loss journey, you should plan on coming to the weight loss clinic frequently. The clinician needs to get to know you, your body, and how you react to the initial weight loss method. Eventually, you may space out your visits at a mutually agreed-upon interval. Clients should always feel comfortable calling to ask questions about their medical weight loss plan whenever they feel it is necessary. Make sure the clinic you choose is willing to take these phone calls.
During follow-up visits, you should discuss your diet plan, exercise habits, and progress. The client and clinician should revisit objectives and goals with open and honest dialogue. During follow-up appointments, you may find that you decide to explore new weight loss options. Always remember that this is your body and your health. It may take a few visits to find the program that is just right for you. A weight loss clinic will work with you and guide you every step of the way.
Hidden Costs/Contracts
Investing in yourself and your weight loss is a financial investment as well. But it does not need to be a financial burden. Some clinics charge an exorbitant amount of money for their services. Be sure that when you’re doing your homework, you consider the costs involved and what you actually get for those costs. It is possible to provide people with an affordable solution to losing weight. Additionally, there should not be any upfront fees or start-up costs.
A popular program we see many clients choose costs $31.95/week. This weekly program consists of your physician consultation, weight loss guidelines, appetite medications, two different supplements for cravings and energy, and a B12 injection. This is just one example of a potential program option.
Consultations should be free. There should never be any contracts, hidden fees, or up-front costs. Pay-as-you-go is a fair and ethical way of offering services at a weight loss clinic. If you decide that the clinic is not right for you after a consultation, you shouldn’t feel any pressure or obligation to move forward. A consultation should be exactly that-a consult.
You’re looking for fast and affordable. And it IS possible to have both; you just need the right clinic.
Staff
The individuals at a weight loss clinic are an integral part of your successful journey. A team should dedicate time to creating a no-judgment zone and making you feel comfortable. If you’re going to stick with a program, you should have the best experience possible.
Consider a weight loss clinic’s front desk staff. After all, they are your first impression. They are there to answer your phone calls, greet you, and make you feel welcomed. You deserve compassionate care, and a solid team will recognize that you, the patient, are the most important focus.
Weight loss coaches should comprise a team of licensed medical physicians and highly trained medical assistants. Take a look at how much experience the team has. A team with years of experience can bring you the most cutting-edge weight loss treatments.
The Value of Doctor-Supervised Weight Loss Programs
By working with doctors, patients can hope for better, longer-lasting results. When under a doctor-supervised weight loss program, people will receive periodic doctor consultations, doctor recommended and administered FDA-approved appetite suppressants and medications, and cutting-edge weight loss supplements and injections. There should be doctors on hand to offer advice and bring you to the next level of success.
Medical assistants may be your weekly counselors to ensure you are experiencing weight loss success throughout your program, and they should be your biggest cheerleaders throughout your journey. Doctors have an ethical and legal responsibility to be present and supervise all staff if offering injections or dispensing medications, not to mention they should always be available for more detailed medical questions or concerns.
The value of doctor-supervised weight loss programs is to ensure proper surveillance of a person’s weight. Doctors are great resources for advice and tips that someone couldn’t normally get from researching the Internet. Physicians can review your medical history and give you a brief physical, and they can explain the program in detail along with their expectations.
It would be best if you had an initial consultation with a physician, and then again after 12 weeks. The physician should continue to monitor your progress and may request to see you if they feel you have hit a plateau. A physician should always be available to discuss any questions you may have throughout your program.
Results and Testimonials
It is clear that every patient and body is different and will respond better to different treatments. Each individual also has a different amount of weight to lose. When choosing the right protocol, the weight a patient needs to lose is taken into account. Everyone wants to know how quickly they can lose weight and how much. As with most things in life, it depends.
There is no magic pill, and there are no guarantees as everyone loses weight at a different pace with different results. With the proper lifestyle changes in nutrition and exercise, most patients should lose weight, typically 2-3 pounds per week. It does take hard work and dedication, but clinicians will provide you with the proper tools to help.
If you aren’t satisfied with your results, a weight loss clinic should be able to issue a refund on the products remaining in your package. A 30-day window is a reasonable amount of time to ask a patient to inform a clinic of their choice to discontinue.
While investigating weight loss clinics in your area, look for a testimonial page and before and after photos. A photo can provide a clear picture of the actual results the clinic has achieved. . The more positive testimonials, the better!
If interested in a free weight loss consultation, there is no need to book an appointment. We are a walk-in-only clinic. Come in at your convenience. Our NEW Patient hours are: Mon, Tue, Thu, or Fri between 9 am-4:30 pm, or Saturdays from 8 am to 1:30 pm (we are closed Wednesday and Sunday), or you can contact us HERE with any questions.
