Put on a few pounds over the holidays? Or maybe you’ve been battling weight loss problems for a while. Weight seems to be so easy to put on, yet quite difficult to take it off. And with so many different diets and diet plans being promoted, it’s hard to find what’s right for you.
One of the top complaints that we hear from new patients is that they can’t seem to lose weight no matter how hard they try or how clean they eat. Many times, they’ve been to other physicians and have been told that they just need to eat less and exercise more.
This can be the case for some people, but for a lot of individuals it’s not. They’ve tried to lose weight by exercising or eating less, but they can’t lose weight. When they contact us for help with weight loss, they often feel very frustrated, as in the case of Charlene here, or beaten down and tired. They physically don’t feel good, and when they’ve sought treatment for help, they’ve been made to feel like it’s their fault.
Renewed Vitality Can Help You Lose Weight
When a new patient comes to see us and expresses concern because they haven’t been able to lose weight, we take a different approach than most doctors. First, we LISTEN and ask questions so that we can get an understanding of the patient and their specific concerns. We realize that everyone is an individual and doesn’t necessarily fit into a box.
Second, we understand that there may be things going on that can drastically impede the ability to lose weight other than eating too much or not getting enough exercise. Many times, there are hormonal imbalances or deficiencies that may be the root cause of weight loss problems.
Once we initially meet with a patient, we will then send them for a comprehensive set of lab tests. These include a lot of things that many other doctors do not regularly test for. A great example of this is the thyroid panel. Generally, a family practitioner will include a TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) test in their lab panels. However, if they don’t run a complete thyroid panel, they can often completely miss a serious thyroid issue or misdiagnose the problem and/or treat it incorrectly.
Our office sees many people who have been told that their TSH is within “normal” range even though they have every symptom of a low functioning thyroid which may include weight gain or the inability to lose weight. Other times, they are diagnosed with a low-functioning thyroid and have been prescribed a drug called Synthroid or its generic form, Levothyroxine. These drugs are the equivalent of the T4 hormone, however many people who have thyroid problems have an inability to convert T4 in to the T3 hormone. T3 is what’s needed by the cells in order to function properly and produce energy. In this case, Synthroid is not going to make any difference. We test ALL aspects of thyroid function so that we are able to treat you correctly.
Our comprehensive lab panel also includes testing of all other hormones, inflammation markers, candida (which can wreak havoc on the digestive system among others), and many other things that can point to underlying red flags of imbalance or disease.
Common Underlying Problems That Contribute to Weight Loss Problems
- Underactive thyroid, also called Hypothyroidism
- Hashimoto’s disease
- Low testosterone levels
- Insulin Resistance
- Low cortisol levels due to chronic stressors
- Excess Candida (a fungal infection)
Imbalances in the gut microbiome can also cause issues with weight gain. Additionally, these imbalances can affect hormones and other bodily systems leading to a variety of chronic symptoms, auto-immune problems, and disease.
Insulin is a hormone that is secreted by the pancreas which triggers the cells to accept glucose from foods we eat and convert them into energy. If a patient has Insulin Resistance, this process does not function correctly and higher levels of insulin will lead to weight gain especially around the abdominal area. If not corrected, Insulin Resistance can lead to Obesity, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease.
Insulin Resistance can also be a factor in Metabolic Syndrome, also called Syndrome X. Many people are afflicted with this, though they may not be aware of it. Criteria include high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol to include high triglycerides, high fasting blood sugar levels, and abdominal obesity. To be considered abdominally obese a woman will have a waist size larger than 35 inches and for a man, larger than 40 inches. Metabolic Syndrome is a dangerous condition that can lead to serious disease and early death. For more information on Syndrome X, click HERE: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2675814/.
Testosterone, which we often think of as a male hormone only, is present in females as well. In both sexes, testosterone levels wane as we age. Testosterone has many purposes and one of them is that it helps to activate Insulin. Testosterone is also responsible for building and keeping muscle mass and when levels are low, the body will transform muscle into fat. Energy levels also decrease making the desire to exercise more difficult.
Candida is a fungal infection that can present itself in many forms. It also exists in the gut and lives off of sugar and starches and can even act like a parasite. When our gut biome becomes overrun with Candida, it becomes imbalanced and toxic. Weight gain, the inability to lose weight, and sugar cravings are all symptoms of a Candida infection.
These are just a few of the underlying conditions that can affect weight and overall health. It also explains why losing weight isn’t always a matter of eating less and exercising more!
Renewed Vitality Is Different
We recognize that every person is unique and doesn’t necessarily fall into a “normal” category. Each appointment with us is an hour long so that we have plenty of time to listen and address your concerns. Our providers also use science-based lab work to get to the root of your problems and our mission is to help you not only with weight loss, but to be able to live your life with vitality and to feel and look good again.
When you begin your health journey with us, we will initially schedule two appointments a few weeks apart. The first will be an hour-long consultation so that we can go over your medical history, symptoms and concerns. We then send you to have your lab work completed, and at the second appointment, go over all of your results with you and begin treatment protocol. Our clinic prescribes only bioidentical hormones which have been proven to be safe. If other underlying conditions are present, we can prescribe appropriate medications as needed, and provide you with expert advice regarding nutrition, diet, and exercise.
The Vitality Diet
For those patients wanting to lose more than 10-20 pounds, our practice also offers a medically supervised weight loss plan which is based on the HCG diet. The HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) diet was created by Dr. Albert Simeons in 1954. He was an endocrinologist who conducted studies on malnourished pregnant women in India. His observations showed him that these women were able to give birth to healthy babies even though they were malnourished.
He discovered that the HCG hormone that was present in their bodies during the first trimester of pregnancy allowed the fetus to draw on nutrients from fat stores even though the mother herself was not getting the nutrition she needed. He was able to realize a connection between the HCG hormone and the body’s ability to metabolize fat stores.
The hormone aids in weight loss for both men and women because it breaks down fat and converts it into energy. HCG also helps to keep energy levels up while suppressing the appetite. It also helps to keep muscle mass while losing weight.
There are five phases to the HCG diet. Women can lose anywhere from 20-30 pounds and men 25-35 pounds on average. Some of the phases of the diet are calorie reduced, however the HCG hormone is used to help prevent hunger and maintain energy. We also offer cooking classes to help you in meal planning that make the diet easier to stick to.
HCG Hormone – The Real Thing
Most HCG drops and pills that are marketed do not actually contain the HCG hormone. Instead, they consist of various amino acids but are sold claiming that they are the hormone. Dr. Spurlock realized this and partnered with Abram’s Compounding Pharmacy to make a cream which contains the actual hormone. This cream is applied to the skin daily during the duration of the diet, or it can be administered via injection. It will speed weight loss and ease hunger.
We also offer Slim Shot ® injections which are non-addictive and safe for long-term use. These contain a combination of B-vitamins, amino acids, and lipotropic agents to additionally help with energy boosts and removal of fat from the body.
The Renewed Vitality HCG Diet Includes:
- An hour long initial consultation with Elise Lewis, our Nurse Practitioner who is in charge of the diet program
- Lab Work
- A follow-up consultation with Elise to review results of lab work and begin any applicable treatment protocol
- HCG Weight Loss handbook
- Vitality Diet cookbook
- Cooking classes
- One refill of the HCG cream
- Slim Shot injections (optional)
For more information on our diet plan, click HERE: https://www.renewedvitalitymd.com/weight-loss-vitality-diet/
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