The DFW Bariatric Institute Doctors have either authored or reviewed and approved this content.
Medical Weight Loss Program
Affordable, Flexible and Effective
Thank you for your interest in our medical weight management programs. We are passionate about helping people attain their wellness and weight loss goals and we look forward to helping you. You may have read through the DFW Bariatric Institute website and noticed that there are several weight loss surgeries which result in excellent weight loss and long-term results. Surgery, however, for some people is not an option, either due to finances, personal preferences or possibly due to not meeting eligibility criteria. Whatever your circumstances, our bariatric surgeons and their team of weight loss treatment professionals understand that your weight and health conditions are a burden to you and that you still may wish to pursue weight loss through non-surgical methods. Methods other than surgery used to treat people who are overweight and obese include diet, behavior modification, exercise and emotional health. Altogether, these tools are the pillars of lifestyle change needed to successfully lose weight and maintain weight loss for as long as possible. In addition to lifestyle change, special medical nutrition programs such as protein sparing modified fasts (PSMF), which use meal replacements, have been successful in reducing weight. Another tool used to curb appetite and assist with lifestyle changes are medications called anorectics. These medications are used to help reduce the desire to eat and help people control calories. I would like to spend a brief moment to describe the pillars of lifestyle change, medical nutrition therapy and weight loss medications so you can better understand how they may assist you.
Please contact the DFW Bariatric Institute for more information, or to schedule a consultation for non-surgical medical weight loss programs at our practice.
Pillars of Lifestyle Change
The pillars of lifestyle change, also called therapeutic lifestyle change, include healthful well-balanced low calorie meal plans, exercise education and participation and behavior modification. Lifestyle changes are started immediately when pursuing optimal health and are important for all people at any weight. At every stage of overweight or obesity these principles are stressed in our programs. As a patient you will benefit from lifestyle coaching from medical professionals, monthly support group meetings, shopping excursions, and one-on-one counseling with registered dietitians and bariatric physician assistants. In addition to healthful eating, and exercise, addressing emotional eating and behavior is also an important part of weight management. We are happy to provide the “The Inner Diet”, a program built around your unique personal profile. Funny as it may sound, it is a “non-dieting” approach to weight management and comes with a personalized profile and workbook. The profile and workbook address your level of commitment, discomfort with weight loss, inner control, perfectionism, secondary gain, or why you may want to be overweight and stress-eating. Completing the comprehensive workbook will provide you with insight and success.
Medical Nutrition Therapy
Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) programs include using specialized meal replacements and very low calorie diets (VLCD,) also called protein sparing modified fasts (PSMF). Our Main program is called Bari-Equipped™ from Fortify Nutritionals™. These plans reduce calories using meal replacements and simple meals for as long as several months to reduce weight rapidly. We offer a variety of plans to suit your particular tastes and medical nutrition needs. We carry BariEssential™ Protein Meal Replacements that can safely be used as liquid meal replacements. Medical nutrition therapy is nutrition and lifestyle counseling that has a positive effect on disease. MNT is useful for high cholesterol, high triglycerides, blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea, digestive diseases and other conditions. It is important to understand that some diets may be very low in calories and can be potentially harmful if not guided by a healthcare professional. These plans are never intended for self-use without supervision. Complete liquid plans require weekly meetings and medical risk evaluation with labs, EKG and other medical studies if indicated.
Weight Loss Medications
In addition to therapeutic lifestyle changes and medical nutrition plans, weight loss medications may be needed to get the results you are looking for. They come in several categories. Two prominent categories include appetite suppressants, also called anorectics, and those that cause malabsorption. A drug called Orlistat, now under the brand name Alli®, which is available over-the-counter, is a drug that inhibits pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that breaks down fat and decreases fat absorption. There are other medications that have been approved for short term use at three month intervals. Phentermine, which is generic for Adipex® and diethylproprion, which is generic for Tenuate®, are popular drugs used for their appetite suppressing qualities. Both phentermine and diethylproprion are controlled substances and may have side-effects. We are also happy to announce that we prescribe Qsymia™, a newly FDA approved medication for weight loss.
Life is full of risk and choices regarding health and medications. One benefit you will find at our bariatric center is knowledgeable staff that will take the time to review these medications with you. Ultimately it is up to you and your health provider to safely add medication to any weight loss program. Medications are only useful for those already on a healthy lifestyle program who are not losing weight as expected. They are especially beneficial for people with BMI of 27 or greater, who are concerned about their weight, disease risk and current health status.
No matter which program you choose, we are excited to be on your team. Numerous programs place emphasis on vitamin pills or herbs. They may promote certain medications, injections or surgery. Our programs are so flexible they work with any program you may be on. For example, you may want to add medication to the benefits of Weight Watchers® or Jenny Craig®. Any program you use that is effective for you can be continued. At our bariatric center we put the person first above all else. When you are first, you can’t lose. Whether you join us on a grocery store tour, attend support groups, take prescribed medication or choose surgery, NO is not an option.
Medical Weight Loss Services
- Comprehensive consultation
- Motivational appointments
- The Inner Diet®
- Grocery store appointments
- Educational support groups
- Body fat analysis
- BariEssential™ meal replacements
- Weight loss medication prescription and supervision
- Psychotherapy referrals for emotional support
If you would like more information on our weight loss management programs, or if you would like to schedule a consultation, please contact the DFW Bariatric Institute.
