When you are trying to lose weight, going through the process by yourself is not always ideal. Sometimes guidance and support can make a significant difference in the amount of weight you lose and your ability to keep the weight off. There are several reasons you might consider a weight-loss clinic rather than losing weight on your own.
Unique Nutritional Needs
Most information on daily caloric needs uses a generic calculator that takes into account your age, gender, and activity level. One reason this one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss is often ineffective is because everyone has unique nutritional needs and a different lifestyle. When you start trying to lose weight, it is often a bad idea to significantly restrict your calories. You may currently eat 1,000 or more calories than you need each day, and suddenly eating 1200–1500 calories each day will be difficult to sustain. By working with a nutritionist, you can determine what your caloric goals should be each day and compare them to the way you are currently eating. This is the easiest way to develop a strategy that involves cutting out excess calories over several weeks or months to reduce any adverse effects or uncontrollable hunger.
Calories are only one part of a weight-loss strategy. Your macronutrient ratios should be different based on your lifestyle and health. If you have a physically demanding job, higher amounts of carbohydrates and protein may help increase your energy at work and build muscle to help you perform your job. For some people, endocrine disorders or prescription medications can make it difficult to lose weight. A nutritionist might suggest a low-carbohydrate diet and specific foods that can boost your metabolism.
Body composition is an important part of losing weight and improving your overall fitness. In many situations, weight loss is approached by calculating your body mass index (BMI). Unfortunately, this number is frequently used to gauge whether you are an appropriate weight and to consider your health risks. Since many people of the same weight, height, and gender can have varying body compositions, an in-depth analysis of your lean body mass and body fat is critical to your health. Many clinics include a thorough assessment of your body composition to help you formulate initial goals and to gauge your progress. In some cases, the scale may not change dramatically, but knowing your body composition might reveal whether you have lost a significant amount of body fat and gained muscle.
Some weight-loss clinics may give you the option to take prescription medications to help with weight loss. One common weight-loss medication is phentermine, which works as an appetite suppressant and stimulant. During the initial stages of your weight loss, appetite suppressants can make it easier to transition into eating fewer calories. The stimulant effects of prescription weight-loss medications can also make it easier to have enough energy for a workout. Since you are receiving these medications under the guidance of a medical clinic, it is also safer than taking retail preparations to suppress your appetite and boost energy. If you have underlying conditions, such as heart disease or hypertension, it is not always safe to take stimulants.
One downfall of approaching weight loss on your own is that you must be accountable to yourself. Unfortunately, it is easy to avoid accountability when no one is tracking your behavior. You can simply stop weighing yourself when you have fallen off the wagon. Utilizing the services of a weight-loss clinic can encourage you to stick to your weight-loss plan and be honest when you are experiencing problems. Since your team is tracking your measurements and weight, if you are not sticking to your plan, it is impossible to hide.
Part of accountability is acknowledging problems as they arise, before they translate into plateaus or weight gain. It is normal to battle with emotional eating and cravings or feel like you will never lose the weight. By speaking with your team as these problems occur, you can get guidance on how to work through your concerns in a healthy way. This might include speaking with a counselor or finding new recipes that satisfy a craving without undoing your hard work.
For many people, losing weight and keeping it off is difficult, especially when they are losing weight on their own. The services of a weight-loss clinic can give you the tools necessary to reach your goals.