FitsMe Health Weight Loss Medication Support Group – Description of the Intervention
With the popularity of the new, effective and safe weight loss medications, we have decided to start an online (Zoom) weight loss medication support group for individuals who are taking weight loss medications or considering it. We believe that with the wide-spread use of these medications, and the rapid and large amounts of weight loss they cause, individuals will experience emotional/psychological and physiological changes that are new and can be unnerving, distressing, or confusing, especially if you have had obesity all of your life or all of your adult life. With the speed and amount of body weight changes that these medications cause, there are many issues that need to be addressed with authoritative and accurate information, and with group support facilitated by health-care experts, especially professionals who have weight loss experience.
We’re pleased to announce that Rich Weil M.Ed. CDE, and Kristin Carlino, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, will co-lead the group. Both have extensive experience in weight loss and with the new medications.
Some of the many issues that we will cover in the group are:
1. Dealing with not feeling hungry, maybe for the first time
2. Dealing with feeling full, maybe for the first time.
3. Shopping for new clothing at a brick-and-mortar store and not online.
4. Reducing or eliminating the “noise” about food in the brain such that obsessing and cravings are no longer an issue.
5. Learning how to plan what to eat and setting new and different kinds of food plans.
6. Leaving food on your plate.
7. Losing interest in food.
8. Compliments about your new appearance.
9. Side effects of the meds.
10. Being able to physically move easier.
11. Addressing body image issues such as fitting in seats that you never thought you could fit in before; simply taking up less space; having your picture taken, and more.
12. How to navigate the insurance system and problems with acquiring the medications.
13. All the benefits of learning about lifestyle changes to complement the use of the meds. The drug companies recommend diet and exercise to complement the use of the medications, and it’s been our experience that people taking the medications who lose the most weight are consistently participating in many lifestyle changes including regular exercise and attention to healthy diet choices that are an intrinsic part of our program.
14. And many more emotional and physiological issues for individuals who have lost as much weight and as quickly as the new weight loss medications are causing.
We welcome any and all suggestions you have for topics related to the medications that you would like to see us address. Just send an email to Rich at rich@fitsmehealth.com with your comments and/or suggestions.
