In this day and age, the pressure to look a certain way is larger than ever before. The media bombards us with images of Photoshopped celebrities and unrealistic body standards, while social media further feeds those insecurities by inviting us to compare our appearances with those of our friends. That’s why so many people are turning to weight loss procedures as a means of achieving the bodies they’ve always dreamed of. After all, who wouldn’t want to look and feel their best? To help you decide if clinical weight loss is right for you, here are six reasons why you can trust a clinical weight loss procedure:
The Clinician Will Determine If Weight Loss is Right for You
The very first thing that the clinician will do when you start the process of choosing a weight loss procedure is to determine if weight loss is right for you. They’ll do this by assessing your health and medical history, including your family’s medical history, medications and allergies, current dietary intake and vitamin intake, and psychological well-being.
They’ll also determine your weight and body composition, take measurements, and recommend a course of action based on these findings. You must be honest and give them as much information as you can about your health and medical history because it will help them make a more informed decision about which procedure is best for you.
Clinical Weight Loss is NOT the Same as Slimming
The first thing that people often think of when they think of weight loss is that they want to slim down. But the reality is that the vast majority of weight loss procedures are not the same as slimming. There are three main types of weight loss procedures – gastric banding, gastric bypass, and mini gastric bypass.
Gastric banding involves placing an inflatable band around the upper portion of your stomach to reduce the amount of food you can consume at one time.
Gastric bypass is a surgical procedure that reroutes the flow of food directly from the stomach to the small intestine, bypassing the rest of the digestive tract.
Mini gastric bypass is a variation of gastric bypass surgery in which the surgeon makes a small pouch at the top of your stomach to reduce the amount of food you can eat.
All three of these procedures are done under general anesthesia, and all three significantly reduce the amount of food one can consume. In all three cases, they’re not the same as slimming; you will not be able to eat the same amount of food as you normally would.
You’ll Receive Nutritional Counseling
At the same time as you’re deciding which procedure to go with, you’ll also receive nutritional counseling, which is nutritional advice for living a healthy lifestyle. For example, if you go to a weight loss clinic in New Jersey, your clinician will likely ask you to keep a food journal, which means that you’ll have to write down everything that you eat and drink for the next few weeks.
You’ll also be given a dietary plan that you’ll need to follow, which will include information on how much to eat and what nutrients your body needs. The plan will likely include vitamins and minerals, as well as a recommended amount of calories you should consume each day. You’ll also receive information on how to eat healthily and how to choose the right foods for your body and lifestyle.
You’ll Be Trained to Eat Healthier
As well as receiving nutritional information, you’ll also be trained to eat healthier. Your clinician will likely recommend that you eat more vegetables, fruit, and fiber, and drink more water, which is great; however, if you don’t have the proper tools to do so, your new habits will likely go out the window.
You’ll be given tips on how to prepare vegetables and fruits so that they taste good and are easier to eat, and your clinician will likely also recommend a few cookbooks that you can use. You’ll be given guidelines on how much fiber, water, and different types of vitamins and minerals you should be consuming each day, and you’ll be given visual aids to help you keep track.
It’s a Safe Operation With No Serious Side Effects
The procedure you decide on is a safe, non-surgical operation that is performed under general anesthesia. There are potential side effects as with any operation, but they are very rare and most patients report feeling back to normal within a couple of weeks. Most weight loss procedures result in a significant reduction in the amount of food a person can consume, which means that over time the person will lose weight.
The amount of weight lost will vary between patients and may also depend on how well the patient follows the dietary recommendations. However, other things can affect the amount of weight lost, such as exercise, your current weight and gender, and the amount of weight you would have lost anyway if you had not had the operation.
It Comes With a Commitment to Change Your Eating Habits
Although a weight loss procedure will help you lose weight, it’s only part of the equation; you have to be willing to make the changes yourself. That means committing to healthier eating habits and incorporating them into your daily life. You can’t expect to have the operation and then go back to your normal eating habits and expect the same results. That will only cause you to gain the weight back.
You have to do the work and commit to changing your habits and lifestyle. Only then can you expect to see the results of the procedure you chose; you have to make it a part of your life. And that’s why you must choose the right procedure. That way, you can start to incorporate these healthier habits into your life and make positive and lasting changes.
Bottom Line
When it comes to making such an important decision, it’s natural to have reservations; after all, there are plenty of gimmicky treatments out there that aren’t exactly what they appear. Take note of the advice offered in this article and talk to your doctor if you are considering this procedure. You deserve to look your best!
