When To See A Professional for Weight Loss

A professional’s opinion on weight loss is crucial for not only losing weight but keeping it off too. They pinpoint potential causes of your weight problems and diagnose effective reduction strategies tailored to your life and goals. Losing weight is one thing, but staying at a healthy weight is another matter entirely. With today’s technology and understanding of our body’s weight loss processes, we can help any patient of any age find the solution that’s right for them. We use these advanced approaches to guide you through the initial weight loss and then help you structure your life to remain at this healthy, stable weight. 

If you would like to get an expert’s opinion on the trials and triumphs of weight loss, schedule a consultation with Dr. Christopher Asandra. Dr. Asandra is one of the leading weight loss doctors in Southern California and offers the most advanced, effective services available. To speak with our offices directly, call us at (424) 542-8881.

Warning Signs

It’s natural to gain weight as you get older. Your body’s systems aren’t as robust as they were and your metabolism isn’t as efficient either. But there is a line between healthy weight gain and weight gain that might raise concerns. When your weight loss crosses this line, it might be time to consider a visit with a weight loss professional. What is this line? The answer varies between patients, as weight gain is a deeply personal experience. Some common reasons that have affected previous patients include:

Sudden Weight Gain

For healthy, active adults, it’s normal to gain approximately a pound per year.^[1] This is because as you age your body’s systems lose steam, which in turn causes your metabolism to process nutrients slower. This means that healthy weight gain is gradual and accumulates over time. So, sudden weight gain, on the other hand, is a sign of concern. Various factors can cause rapid weight gain that exceeds the standard one pound per year. These factors often include:

• Depression
• Injury
• Certain medications
• Change in diet
• Insomnia 
• Hypothyroidism 

Diet & Exercise Aren’t Working

You’ve heard it once and you’ll probably hear it again a hundred times: diet and exercise are the keys to weight loss. Sure, this maxim has helped thousands of people lose weight and improve their health for the better. After all, diet and exercise are wonderful tools on your weight loss journey. However, diet and exercise only work within the confines of a personalized weight loss plan. Remember no one’s weight loss journey is the same. What diet and exercise plan has helped others might not be right for your body’s physiology or your daily schedule. Implementing these two weight loss tools into your life should be seamless and motivating – not restrictive and inconvenient. Diet and exercise should add to your life – not take away from it. So many of us try different plans only to burn out in a week or two. Usually, it’s because we started a plan that wasn’t tailored to our goals or lifestyle. So, if you’ve tried countless diet and exercise plans and have found only limited success, you might want to consider meeting with a weight loss professional. 

Weight Fluctuates Frequently

Our weight routinely fluctuates by around 6 pounds. We typically weigh more on the weekends than we do during the week.^[2] So, if you see the number on the scale shift a couple of pounds, it’s not a cause for concern. But when weight fluctuates too much too often, this is likely due to a health-related condition or an unhealthy relationship with food. If you find yourself losing or gaining over 10 pounds routinely, this might be a sign to see a professional in weight loss. 

Rising Health Concerns 

The connection between obesity and chronic health conditions has long been understood. For almost 40 years, we’ve known that obesity is heavily linked to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and early mortality.^[3] The CDC reports that obesity also causes hypertension, stroke, heart disease, lower quality of life, and many more oftentimes fatal conditions. Many of our weight loss patients say a recent health scare or diagnosis was the reason for scheduling a consultation. 

Unhappiness

And lastly, patients come to see us because they are simply not happy living like they are now. They say they’re exhausted from failed weight loss journeys or not being able to maintain their weight loss results. They say they’re tired of not being able to wear certain clothes. They say they are uncomfortable in their own skin. They say they are ready for a change but don’t know where to start. 

A Weight Loss Consultation

If you have concerns about your weight gain and want to know what the best first step is, please schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Asandra at our Beverly Hills or Newport Beach offices. Here, we will note your current health conditions, your BMI, and your weight loss goals. Typically, we check hormonal levels to see if an out-of-sync endocrine system may be playing a role in your weight gain. Then, we will formulate a personalized treatment plan to address your unique circumstances. 

What You Walk Away With

When you meet with a weight loss professional, you not only walk away with a personalized plan tailored to you, but you also receive a scientifically-backed support system. Our team of anti-aging, weight loss, and aesthetic experts will walk you through this weight loss journey to make sure you know you’re not alone in this.  

Motivation to Meet Your Goals

Along with our support, you walk away with fresh motivation to lose the weight and keep it off. After we teach you the proper ways to reduce your weight and perform the necessary in-office treatments, you will have the footing you need to go further than you ever have before on your weight loss journey.  

Higher Chances of Long-Term Success

People who complete a weight loss journey typically see half of the weight come back in 2 years, and 80% after 5 years.^[4] Keeping the weight off is sometimes harder than the initial weight loss. However, with our help, you will have the tools and strategies to see long-term results. Routine appointments with our weight loss experts will help you stay on track and help you to continue living your best life. 

Asandra’s Weight Loss Treatments

So, what exactly are Dr. Asandra’s weight loss services? 

Semaglutide

Semaglutide is a long-acting glucagon-like peptide that stimulates insulin secretion and inhibits glucagon.^[5] This process helps increase the feeling of being full quicker, so you consume less food. It also reduces the body’s natural hunger signals, which is helpful when ignoring cravings. 

5-Amino 1-MQ

5-amino 1-MQ inhibits the expression of natural nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). When NNMT is inhibited in your body, you lose weight and fatty tissue quicker. Also, 5-amino 1-MQ improves your insulin sensitivity,^[6] helping offset the health conditions associated with insulin resistance. 

Lipo-B MIC Injections

Lipo-B MIC is an injection that contains B vitamins, methionine, inositol, and choline. These compounds all have different effects on the weight loss process. When combined in one simple shot, these compounds help your body convert energy more efficiently, prevent fat build-up in your liver, and reduce cholesterol. 

Adding In HRT

During your consultation, we test your hormone levels. Your endocrine system is intricately tied with your gut health and digestive system. When your hormones are imbalanced, your endocrine system sends mixed signals to your brain, telling it to eat more even after you’re full. If you ever have to fight off sudden cravings, you can blame your endocrine system. For patients with imbalanced hormones, we recommend adding hormone replacement therapy. In HRT, we administer the hormone your body is lacking to restore homeostasis between all the systems in your body. Through HRT, we have seen many patients lose weight and keep it off. Many also report stronger muscles, more energy, better mental clarity, and increased libido. Ask about HRT during your consultation.

How Much Do Weight Loss Treatments Cost in Beverly Hills?

References

1. Mozaffarian, D., Hao, T., Rimm, E. B., Willett, W. C., & Hu, F. B. (2011). Changes in diet and lifestyle and long-term weight gain in women and men. The New England journal of medicine, 364(25), 2392–2404. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1014296
2. Orsama, A. L., Mattila, E., Ermes, M., van Gils, M., Wansink, B., & Korhonen, I. (2014). Weight rhythms: weight increases during weekends and decreases during weekdays. Obesity facts, 7(1), 36–47. https://doi.org/10.1159/000356147
3. Ohlson, L. O., Larsson, B., Svärdsudd, K., Welin, L., Eriksson, H., Wilhelmsen, L., Björntorp, P., & Tibblin, G. (1985). The influence of body fat distribution on the incidence of diabetes mellitus. 13.5 years of follow-up of the participants in the study of men born in 1913. Diabetes, 34(10), 1055–1058. https://doi.org/10.2337/diab.34.10.1055
4. Hall, K. D., & Kahan, S. (2018). Maintenance of Lost Weight and Long-Term Management of Obesity. The Medical clinics of North America, 102(1), 183–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.012
5. Holst J. J. (2007). The physiology of glucagon-like peptide 1. Physiological Reviews, 87(4), 1409–1439. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00034.2006
6. Jie-Ru Liu, Zhao-Hui Deng, Xiao-Juan Zhu, Yu-Rong Zeng, Xiang-Xiang Guan, Jiang-Hua Li, “Roles of Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase in Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes”, BioMed Research International, vol. 2021, Article ID 9924314, 8 pages, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9924314