Weight loss clinic - Vivo Health

Obesity and being overweight pose serious health risks like heart disease, diabetes, and even certain types of cancer. Losing weight can lead to better health outcomes, improved quality of life, and longer lifespan. However, losing weight through just diet and exercise can be challenging for many people. That's why medically-supervised weight loss clinics can be highly beneficial. They provide structured programs, physician monitoring, counseling, and even medications or injections to help clients achieve meaningful and sustainable weight loss.

Overview of Weight Loss Clinic Options

There are various types of medically-supervised weight loss clinics to consider:

• Medical weight loss clinics: Offers customized plans supervised by a medical provider along with prescription medications/injections for weight loss.
• Commercial diet centers: Provides pre-made diet plans and counseling at local retail centers. Examples include Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers.
• Health system programs: Structured weight loss treatments offered through hospital systems and private practices. Often includes group counseling.
• Medspa clinics: Combines medical weight loss with spa treatments like body sculpting. May offer hormones and aesthetic procedures.

When choosing a program, factors like customization level, types of therapy offered, costs, and convenience should be evaluated. Most reputable clinics provide an initial consultation to determine if their services are the right fit.

Vivo Health provides personalized medical weight loss services led by specialized physicians. The sections below overview key features of our program.

Hormones and Weight Regulation

Hormones play an important yet often overlooked role in weight regulation and obesity. Two key hormones involved are:

• Leptin - Signals the brain when body fat stores are adequate so less calories are consumed/burned. But obesity can cause leptin resistance.
• Ghrelin - Stimulates appetite right before meals. Levels are elevated in obese patients.

Table 1 summarizes how other hormones like insulin, cortisol, thyroid, growth hormone, and sex hormones also impact weight. Imbalances can make weight loss extremely difficult even when diet and activity levels are appropriate.

Table 1. Major Hormones Involved in Weight Regulation

Hormone	Effect on Weight	Imbalance Issues
Insulin	Stores fat, inhibits breakdown	Resistance promotes obesity
Cortisol	Increases visceral fat	Chronic stress → more belly fat
Thyroid	Boosts metabolism	Low thyroid → fatigue, obesity
Growth Hormone	Burns fat	Deficiency → excess fat
Estrogen/Testosterone	Regulates metabolism	Decline with age → weight gain

For these reasons, hormone testing and correction is a critical component of Vivo Health medical weight loss program. We identify deficiencies early on and develop customized treatment plans that may include:

• Hormone replacement therapy
• Medications to improve hormone sensitivity
• Ghrelin suppression injections like Ozempic

Choosing the Right Weight Loss Clinic

With many weight loss clinics now available, it's important to find one that meets your individual needs. Below are key factors to evaluate:

Customized Programs

No two patients are alike. A thorough medical evaluation identifies risk factors, hormone issues, and other obstacles for each person. An effective clinic will then tailor a program to match one's unique profile and needs. This personalization extends throughout the program with regular progress checks and adjustments.

Physician-Led Care

Look for weight loss clinics with specialized medical providers leading programs. Physician monitoring ensures safety, efficacy, and optimal results. They can also prescribe medications when appropriate. At Vivo Health, board-certified hormone specialists oversee every aspect of care.

Comprehensive Therapies

To achieve long-lasting weight loss, programs should address root causes with an integrative approach. This includes customized diet and fitness plans, counseling, hormone optimization, medications, stress reduction techniques and more. Vivo Health offers all such therapies under one roof for comprehensive treatment.

Ongoing Support

Maintaining weight loss long-term is challenging without support. Quality clinics provide nutritional coaching, lifestyle education, peer groups, and technology tools to help clients stick to healthy regimens after initial weight loss phases. This greatly improves sustainability.

Weight Loss Medications Overview

Vivo Health offers both prescription and non-prescription medications as part of customized programs for eligible patients. These powerful therapies enhance weight loss results when combined with lifestyle changes.

Table 2 provides an overview of common options along with their mechanisms of action. Choice of medication depends on patient factors like medical history, BMI, risk factors, cost, and personal preferences. Our experts help clients determine the optimal solutions for their needs through a free initial consultation.

Table 2. Weight Loss Medications Overview

Drug Class	Examples	Mechanism	Avg. Weight Loss	Side Effects
Lipase inhibitors	Orlistat	Blocks fat absorption	3-5 lbs	GI issues
Appetite suppressants	Phentermine, Diethylpropion	Suppresses appetite via brain pathways	7% of weight	Elevated HR/BP
Biguanides	Metformin	Reduces insulin resistance	5-10 lbs	GI discomfort
GLP-1 agonists	Ozempic, Semaglutide	Suppresses appetite, delays gastric emptying	15-20 lbs	Nausea, vomiting
SGLT2 inhibitors	Invokana	Blocks kidney reabsorption of glucose	7-11 lbs	Yeast infections

Innovations in Weight Loss Injections

One rapidly growing area is weight loss injections like GLP-1 agonists. As Table 2 highlights, medications in this class can lead to 15-20 lb average weight loss.

Ozempic (semaglutide) is the newest innovation receiving high praise. It stimulates natural GLP-1 processes to curb appetite and delay food emptying from the stomach. Real-world patients using Ozempic report:

• Decreased hunger and calorie intake
• More satisfaction after smaller meals
• 10-15% body weight loss over 1 year
• Benefits sustained over 2 years in trials

However, transient GI side effects are common at the start. Hence combination therapy and close provider management is recommended for optimal safety and results. This is the approach taken at Vivo Health using precision protocols.

Practical Recommendations for New Patients

Starting any new wellness routine like a medically-managed weight loss program involves both physical and mental adjustments. To set our patients up for success, Vivo Health provides the following practical recommendations:

Realistic planning: Don't be too ambitious too soon regarding diet and activity goals. Make incremental sustainable changes. Get input from your care team.

Add movement: Start incorporating low-impact activities like walking, swimming or gentle yoga. Even 20-30 minutes daily makes a significant impact over time.

Hydrate well: Drink at least 64 oz of water daily to support all weight loss mechanisms. Optimize mineral balance.

Journal progress: Use a journal or app to record food, symptoms, energy, mood and more. Reviewing the data with your doctor allows program adjustments.

Lean on support: Share your experiences with family, friends, or peer groups. Having accountability and emotional support fosters motivation long-term.

Be patient: Understand Plateaus and dips in progress are normal. Stick to the treatment plan and consult your doctor before making major changes.

Weight Loss Improves Overall Health

Losing excess weight, even just 5-10% of body weight, has profound health and wellness impacts. It can help:

• Lower heart disease and stroke risk
• Prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes onset
• Reduce high cholesterol and triglycerides
• Lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients
• Relieve pressure on joints like knees and hips
• Boost energy levels and endurance
• Regulate menstrual cycles and increase fertility in women

Additionally, weight loss is associated with better cognitive function and memory while also improving mood and self-confidence. The collective benefits enhance one's overall quality of life exponentially.

Hence people struggling with excess weight owe it to themselves to explore reputable, comprehensive programs like that offered through Vivo Health. Our individualized multi-therapy approach optimizes results better than general commercial programs.

Diagnosing Hormonal Causes of Weight Gain

Since hormone imbalance is a key driver of stubborn weight gain, accurately diagnosing deficiencies early is crucial for successful medical weight loss programs. This requires specialized testing beyond standard labs.

At Vivo Health, initial assessments include cutting-edge assays measuring:

• Insulin levels and sensitivity
• Leptin and ghrelin status
• Inflammatory markers tied to fat storage
• Thyroid, cortisol and sex hormones

Saliva, blood, or urine samples may be collected depending on the test. Our physicians carefully evaluate results to design tailored hormone correcting therapies including:

• Thyroid medications like levothyroxine
• Cortisol-blocking agents
• Testosterone and/or estrogen replacement
• Insulin sensitizers like inositols

Follow-up testing is conducted throughout the program to ensure optimal hormone balance is achieved and maintained. This precision facilitates efficient, successful weight loss.

Tip: Diagnostic mistakes happen when non-specialists try managing complex hormone disorders. Only seasoned endocrinology experts can accurately treat hormonal weight loss barriers. Vivo Health exclusively features such leading physicians.

Weight Loss Clinic Treatment Options

Vivo Health custom weight management plans couple advanced medications and hormone therapies with proven lifestyle changes. Our comprehensive clinic offers:

Individualized nutrition: Based on health status, preferences and weight loss approach, our dieticians provide tailored meal plans with macro nutrient balancing, ideas for healthy substitutions and accountability.

Fitness guidance: Specialists design realistic exercise prescriptions outlining type, duration and intensity of movement suited to one's needs and limitations with modifications over time.

Stress reduction: Since high cortisol worsens weight regulation, we teach various restorative techniques like meditation, deep breathing, yoga, or massage for coping with stress.

Group counseling: For extra motivation and perspective, clients can join (optional) peer support groups covering topics like mindful eating, fitness strategies, goal setting and overcoming hurdles.

Medications/injections: As outlined earlier, medications enhancing weight loss may be prescribed for qualified candidates based on in-depth medical review. Common options include GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic.

Metabolic testing: Using advanced body composition analysis, we accurately measure fat mass, muscle mass, metabolic rate and inflammation levels over time. This helps us further customize therapy.

With this comprehensive approach, most members safely lose 10-15% of their body weight over 6 months of participation at Vivo Health. Even more importantly, the skills and knowledge gained here foster long-term sustainability of lower weight and better health.

Weight Loss Importance for Men's Health

While obesity poses general health dangers for all, it can have some unique consequences for middle-aged and older men. Weight gain later in life along with decreasing testosterone has been linked to issues like:

• Reduced strength and lean muscle mass
• Decreased libido and erectile quality
• Higher Type 2 Diabetes and cardiovascular disease incidence
• Greater fatigue, irritability and brain fog

Furthermore, research confirms that visceral abdominal fat itself promotes lower testosterone along with higher estrogen levels via enzyme activity. This creates a vicious cycle making dieting and fitness regimens less effective.

That's why therapies like testosterone replacement and weight loss medications are game-changers for men struggling with excess, metabolically-active weight. They work synergistically to help:

• Boost lean mass building for strength/endurance
• Raise energy and vitality
• Increase healthy libido and performance
• Restore hormone balance
• Improve body composition - promoting sustainable results

At Vivo Health, we recognize and treat men as biologically unique in supporting their weight loss and wellness goals.

Vivo Health - The Premier Option

Finding an effective medical weight loss clinic to meet your unique needs can feel overwhelming. At Vivo Health, we make the process simple through:

Specialization: Our clinic is dedicated specifically to physician-led hormone, weight and metabolic therapies. Our board-certified experts only focus in this realm.

Personalized Precision: From extensive testing to tailored modalities, your health factors and goals drive every customized treatment plan and adjustment.

Experience & Excellence: With over 15 years serving patients, our clinical excellence and five-star satisfaction ratings speak for themselves.

Options Under One Roof: Our state-of-the-art facility allows comprehensive weight, hormone and lifestyle therapies in a coordinated approach for optimum convenience.

Complimentary Consultations: We provide free initial visits including in-depth review of health history and goals. This informs appropriate candidacy and program details to set realistic expectations.

Regardless of previous failed efforts, our proven medical weight loss system delivers results better than any commercial diet alone. Contact Vivo Health to unlock your healthiest and happiest life potential!

Conclusion

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for overall well-being and longevity. While diet and exercise are essential components, many individuals struggle with weight loss due to hormonal imbalances and other underlying factors. Vivo Health offers a comprehensive, personalized approach to medical weight loss that addresses these root causes.

With a team of board-certified specialists, cutting-edge diagnostic testing, and a range of advanced treatments, including hormone therapy, medications, and lifestyle interventions, Vivo Health provides tailored solutions to help clients achieve sustainable weight loss and improve their overall health.

By addressing hormonal imbalances, metabolic issues, and other contributing factors, the clinic's approach goes beyond traditional weight loss methods, offering a unique and effective solution for those seeking lasting results. With personalized care, ongoing support, and a commitment to excellence, Vivo Health is the premier choice for individuals seeking a medically-supervised weight loss program.