Stop Worrying About Summer: A Guide to Lasting Weight Loss

When summer approaches, many of us feel a marked desire to lose weight fast, before summer’s skimpier clothes reveal more than we’d like. The problem: Underlying anxiety about our weight or body shape often leads to drastic diets or extreme workout plans that just aren’t sustainable — or healthy.

So what’s the answer? How can you achieve a healthy weight and body image without falling prey to fad diets and unhealthy eating plans? For many people, the answer is medical weight loss. Medical weight loss doesn’t necessarily mean medicine-based weight loss; instead, it’s a completely individualized plan created for your personal journey and long-term success.

Joseph Moleski, DO, and Laura Howard, FNP, are top-ranked providers of medical weight loss plans that use a highly personalized approach to achieve long-term benefits that improve your confidence, energy, and health. Here, learn how medical weight loss at STL Medical Weight Loss can help you achieve your own personal goals — not just for the summer, but for years to come.

The problem with “quick fixes”

You may not like winter’s cold temperatures, but if you’re carrying extra pounds, a fluffy, oversized sweater can quickly become your most popular fashion choice. When warm weather comes, and the sweaters are shed, many of us are left in a panic, worrying about how we’ll feel confident and comfortable in summer’s skimpier clothes.

For lots of us, that means turning to fad diets that promise quick results. The problem: These diets are typically very restrictive, leaving you without the nutrition your body needs to stay healthy. Before long, cravings and hunger take their toll, and we wind up turning to unhealthy eating habits — and gaining even more unwanted pounds.

Restrictive diets are also a lot harder to maintain over time, meaning you’ll almost certainly gain everything back again after that initial “honeymoon period,” when weight loss is typically due to water weight or — worse — muscle loss. Crash diets also take a toll on your metabolism, making it even harder to lose weight and keep it off.

Why medical weight loss succeeds

Medical weight loss doesn’t focus on seasonal fashions or quick fixes destined to fail — instead, it’s based on you. Each medical weight-loss treatment plan begins with the understanding that everyone gains and loses weight differently, and to be successful, weight-loss plans need to be tailored individually.

At the start of treatment, our team discusses your weight-loss goals and past weight-loss efforts, as well as your health history and lifestyle habits. We also perform a physical exam and often order lab tests to gain an in-depth understanding of your metabolism and underlying health factors that may be preventing you from reaching and maintaining your goals.

Healthy eating

Next, we work with you to create a diet and activity plan. A personalized nutrition plan is a key part of that process. Instead of the extreme restrictions common in fad diets, your eating plan will be based on balanced nutrition tailored to your body’s needs, your activity level, your weight-loss goals, and other factors to help you lose weight while optimizing your overall health and wellness.

Depending on your specific needs, we may recommend medications to help support weight-loss efforts, supplement your nutritional needs, or support your health in other key ways.

Realistic exercise plans

Healthy eating is just one part of achieving healthy weight-loss goals. Regular physical activity is another key element. The problem is, many of us aren’t crazy about hitting the gym or doing countless reps day after day — and as a result, we give up (and wind up feeling guilty).

Medical weight-loss plans take that factor into account, too. In addition to personalizing your nutrition plan, we help you find physical activities you actually enjoy, so that exercising is fun rather than frustrating. Taken together, your personalized eating plan and activity habits will help you reach your weight-loss goals and maintain them long after the summer sun has faded.

Setting the stage for long-term success

In weight loss and other aspects of your health and wellness, true success comes from creating habits you can maintain year-round, not just during one or two seasons. With medical weight loss, you don’t have to do it on your own: regular check-ins ensure you stay on track with plenty of support and motivation, along with adjustments to your personal plan as needed.

If you’re ready to think beyond summer and map out a long-term weight-management plan that works for your needs, we’re ready to help. To find out more, call or book an appointment online with STL Medical Weight Loss at our Chesterfield, Missouri, practice today. Can’t make it to the office? We also offer telehealth services for patients in Missouri, Texas, Illinois, Kansas, Florida, Delaware, Arizona, New York, Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, Nevada, and Washington State.