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   A Weight Loss Program With A Degree of Difference....A MEDICAL DEGREE!

Our Program

Philosophy 

For the majority of our patients, being overweight or obese is a symptom of a chronic medical illness which is often inherited and will never go away. Using modern medical concepts and the most currently available tools, we can help you first lose weight and second manage the illness to maintain the weight loss. If you choose to lose the weight and then ignore the illness, eventually you will regain the weight. It is an illness similar to diabetes; you can lose weight just as a diabetic can get their blood sugar down, but then you must manage the illness day by day to help avoid regaining all the weight you have lost. With our program, probably for the first time in your life you’ll be eating appropriately for your body chemistry. 

At Medical Weight Loss Centers we are dedicated to helping you lose weight and maintaining a healthy weight for life. If you are like most of us, you have tried many different diets and failed. Many dieters fail because they do not achieve results quickly enough, or they hit a “plateau” and don’t understand why they’ve stopped losing weight even though they’ve stayed “strict” on the diet. Our protocols are considered the best medical treatment ever devised for reducing weight under medical supervision and our structured maintenance program and behavior classes is the key to keeping the weight off for good. 

The skills and tasks of weight loss are much like the pieces of a puzzle. No one piece is a solution, but when all of the pieces are put together, dramatic results can occur. We call the numerous strategies that lead to success, “the ACTS” (Active Change Targets) of weight control. Each ACT represents a mental, emotional, or behavioral task that most of our successful losers employ: 

  1. Motivation
  2. Mindset
  3. Conscious eating
  4. Self-Monitoring
  5. Lifestyle
  6. Stress Management
  7. Interpersonal Support
  8. Relapse prevention

These 8 ACTs highlight the active and complex nature of weight control and provide a constructive view of the strategies for recovery. Regardless of the approach taken (surgery, medications, diets), cognitive and behavioral strategies enhance the likelihood of success. 

Our Weight Loss Protocols 

The Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD)—Lose 40-50 pounds in 12 weeks 

The VLCD is considered the best medical treatment ever devised for reducing weight under medical supervision. The VLCD is designed for people at least 18 years of age with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 and above with other illnesses (diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.)  This is the most aggressive medically supervised program available and patients must be seen weekly. 

The program has three phases: 

  1. The weight loss phase which is accompanied by 12-26 weeks of a comprehensive behavior modification curriculum designed to :
     
    1. Promote compliance with the diet
    2. Improve nutrition knowledge
    3. Introduce increased activity into the every day lifestyle
    4. Change relationships with food
    5. Modify lifestyle
    6. Reduce stress
    7. Improve self-esteem
    8. Assist in learning to control the environment

The Medical Weight Loss Center’s nutritional products provide the core nutrient intake during the weight loss phase, during which time the patients can lose an average of 3 ½ to 4 ½ pounds per week. Throughout this phase, patients attend weekly meetings consisting of routine medical evaluations, which are followed by group sessions combining the principals of counseling and education. Each weekly session covers topics in behavior modification, exercise, and nutrition. 

  1. The Re-feeding Phase focuses on establishing a healthy relationship with food, while continuing work on the areas outlined above. . As patients in the VLCD program approach their goal weight (within 5 to 15 pounds), additional foods are gradually reintroduced into their diet under the supervision of the medical provider as they continue to lose weight.

Some patients, because of compliance issues, may need to move to the refeeding phase prior to approaching their goal. It is during the refeeding stage that the skills learned have the greatest impact. Strategies to prevent weight regain are presented and practical tips for control are discussed. During the refeeding phase, patients should continue to practice portion control and attend weekly classes (optional) to solidify healthy eating habits and to reinforce behavior changes learned during the weight loss phase of the program. This transitional phase may last from 5 to 10 weeks depending on the patient’s needs. 

  1. The Maintenance Phase is the final phase when traditional eating resumes. It is important for our patients to stay involved with our program for support, guidance, reinforcement and problem solving strategies. During this critical phase of the program, patients work to develop a personalized diet to promote weight maintenance. Sometimes patients find using MWLC’s products as meal replacements helpful in controlling caloric intake, especially early in the maintenance phase. These products can be used to replace one or two meals if total caloric intake is at least 1000 calories per day and the intake of table foods provides protein, vitamins, and minerals in amounts that will make up the difference between that provided by the products and accepted nutrient goals.

The program provides the necessary behavioral reinforcement to allow you to maintain your weight loss for life! 

The Low Calorie Diet (LCD)—Lose up to 36 pounds in 12 weeks 

This protocol is designed for those patients who don qualify for the VLCD due to medical reasons, or who have less weight to lose. This is a medically supervised, easy to follow program with protocols ranging from 1000-1800 calories. Patients can expect to lose up to 3 pounds per week on this protocol. 

The Maintenance Diet (MD) 

This program keeps you from “losing the loss” and helps you maintain your weight loss accomplishments.