Medically supervised weight loss can be a good option for people with obesity who want extra support on their health journey. Working with a medical professional means your progress is monitored along the way — not just your weight, but your overall health, too. This kind of guidance can help make sure the approach is tailored to your needs and adjusted if any concerns come up.
Some of the main benefits of medically supervised weight loss can include:
1. Lower Blood Pressure
According to the American Heart Association, nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure, and many are undiagnosed. By supervising the health of an individual during their weight-loss journey, high blood pressure is just one of the vital measurements that are used to benchmark progress and could prevent a major hypertensive crisis.
2. Healthier Heart
Heart disease is an umbrella term for a number of problems that can be fatal, but many of them can be improved by losing weight. Obesity can increase chances of developing high cholesterol and diabetes—two critical risk factors for heart disease. One of the most important benefits of medically supervised weight loss is that it provides a clear path to a healthier heart.
3. Less Strain on Joints and Lower Back
A study of overweight and obese adults found that losing one pound of weight resulted in four pounds of pressure being removed from the knees. This means that losing even 10 pounds could remove more than 40 pounds of pressure (and pain) from just one part of an individual’s anatomy.
4. Improved Sex Life
Increasing blood flow to the pelvic area through exercise is an important step to improving libido and sexual performance. Stimulation of sexual hormones can take effect rapidly when beginning weight loss.
5. Higher Self-Confidence
Often, weight-loss issues correlate with self-esteem issues. Beginning to see and feel a physical improvement early on in the weight loss process can boost self-confidence and even motivate the individual to take more action toward their goals.
6. Better Eating and Exercise Habits
It can be challenging to find credible nutritional information to create a healthy diet plan, and difference exercises have varying results depending on the individual. With medically supervised weight loss, the patient has the resources of a certified professional to help them develop a healthier lifestyle that will last.
7. Better Sleep
According to Harvard Health, excess weight and body fat increases chances of developing sleep apnea. This can considerably affect the quality and quantity of sleep for an individual. Physical activity not only aids weight loss but also increases the time spent in deep sleep.
8. Enhanced Mobility
According to a study from the National Institutes of Health, weight loss and regular exercise can cut the risk of losing mobility in obese adults with diabetes by up to 50%. Losing mobility can make it harder to live independently and may increase the risk of other serious health issues — along with rising healthcare costs. Having medical supervision during weight loss can provide added support for individuals already experiencing limited mobility, helping to ensure their care plan takes existing challenges into account.
9. Reduced Stress
Dealing with stress-related health problems can seem like a catch-22. Stress can often result in indulgence in unhealthy habits and cause additional weight gain, resulting in even more stress. It’s an endless cycle. One of the benefits of medically supervised weight loss is that it can help break that cycle and keep the patient on track with mental health management.
10. Long-Term Health Improvements
Starting with a focus on weight loss can be an efficient way to positively affect many areas of health. As stated previously, a patient’s weight can affect their blood pressure, heart health and joint pain, among many other factors that contribute to overall well-being. By tackling weight-loss issues with a medical mindset and professional support, many life-threatening diseases and disorders (like diabetes and heart disease) can be prevented and possibly even reversed.
You can learn more in our guide to medically supervised weight loss.
Want to find out more about how medically supervised weight loss can benefit you? Contact a weight-loss specialist at Olympia Pharmacy today!
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