It is important to achieve a healthy weight and to maintain it for the long term. Although it may seem simple, obesity treatment can be complex and vary widely.

There is no single treatment for obesity that works for everyone. However, losing weight and maintaining it are essentially a matter of two components: a low-calorie diet and a fitness regimen.

This article discusses obesity treatments, such as lifestyle changes through diet and exercise. This article also discusses prescriptions to lower appetite as well as bariatric surgery such as gastric bypass. 

Buy Phentermine Online

How to assemble a weight loss team

It may be necessary to work with more than one health professional from different specialties.

A team of experts should oversee and lead a complete weight loss program, which includes a dietitian, a physician, a coach or counselor, and other experts.

Some examples of healthcare providers that can assist with weight loss are:

• Dietitians educate on nutrition and assist with meal planning
• Behavioral counselors can help with emotional issues related to overeating
• Using life coaches as a support for weight loss and setting goals
• Fitness Coachesto create a safe and efficient exercise plan
• Obesity Specialists:Doctors and nurse practitioners who have special training and certification in the treatment of obesity. Obesity Medicine Association

Weight loss programs usually have an initial phase of weight loss, followed by a phase of maintenance to maintain weight loss over the long-term.

After the initial weight loss, the maintenance phase is implemented for another 12 months or longer. The maintenance phase follows the weight loss phase for a further 12 months, or more.

Home remedies and lifestyle

Diet and lifestyle changes are essential for weight loss and obesity treatment. Anyone diagnosed with obesity can expect to change their eating habits and increase physical activity.

Your exact diet and exercise plan will depend on several factors including:

• What are your current nutritional needs?
• How much weight do you need to lose?
• What is your overall health condition and other medical conditions?
• What is your willingness to participate and commit to the plan?

It is safest to lose weight slowly and steadily over a long period of time.

It's possible to start seeing improvements in your health even before you lose a lot of weight. According to the National Institutes of Health a modest loss of weight of between 3% and 5% of your total body weight is enough to bring about positive changes in health, including lowered blood sugar and blood pressure.

A 250-pound person may notice an improvement in their health even after just losing 12 pounds.

Diet

No one diet will work for everyone trying to lose weight or improve their health. Each person has different dietary preferences and needs, so an obesity treatment plan's nutritional component will be very individual.

5

A 2017 study published by Current Clinical Trials suggests that the number of calories consumed per day could have a greater impact on weight loss compared to the type diet someone follows. 6

Two groups were included in the study: one group ate a diet low in fat, and another group ate a diet low carbohydrate. Both groups reduced their daily intake by 500 calories. Both groups lost exactly the same amount of weight, even though they focused on different types of foods.

According to the National Institute of Health a typical weight-loss diet for obesity consists of approximately 1,200-1,500 calories per person each day.

The number of calories that an individual should consume per day is determined by their healthcare provider after taking into consideration the person's overall health, level of activity, and metabolism.

No definitive diet has been determined to be the best for treating obesity. There are general guidelines to healthy weight loss.

• Eat fruit and vegetables: Avoid foods with high energy density, but low nutrition (such as doughnuts, candies, fast food, or processed food). Choose foods that are lower in calories, but higher in nutrition (such as vegetables and fruit).
• Eat lots of fiber. Choose low-fat, high-fiber foods like oatmeal, quinoa and beans. They take a while to digest so you won't feel hungry for long.
• Choose Whole Grains: Reduce your intake of simple carbohydrates, such as white bread, pasta, cookies and cakes, and other sweet treats. Replace them with whole grains, such as whole wheat or multi-grains bread, whole wheat pasta, quinoa and barley.
• Control portionsTry to eat several small meals or snacks rather than three large meals per day.
• Skip sodas: Avoid drinks that are high in sugar, such as energy drinks and soda. Check labels as many commercially available beverages contain hidden sugar.
• Choose healthy fats. Avoid red meat saturated fat and trans fatty acids found mainly in packaged and processed foods. Focus on heart healthy fats that come from plant sources such as avocados, nuts, and olive oil.

It is important to choose a diet that will be effective over the long-term.

Any diet that promises a quick fix or an easy solution should be avoided. It takes time to lose weight safely and keep it off. In the short-term, "crash diets," "fad diets" and other extreme eating plans may lead to rapid weight reduction. They are not sustainable, safe, or effective as a treatment plan for long-term use. 7

Physical Activity

Regular exercise is essential for treating obesity, but it's not the only benefit.

A 2014 study found that exercise is especially beneficial for those who are at risk of obesity and diabetes.

A good exercise program starts slowly and gradually increases in intensity over time. This will increase a person's endurance and strength.

Obese people should listen to their doctor's advice on how much exercise they should do each week. Most people should aim to perform as much physical exercise as they are able. Specific factors will determine the amount and type of exercise that is recommended.

When recommending exercise, a health care provider may consider a patient's physical or medical limitations.

A simple daily routine, such as walking, may be sufficient at first. A general rule is to do 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity.

Others prefer weight lifting. Some people like aerobic exercises like a daily brisk stroll, while others enjoy lifting weights. You can combine the two for a total-body workout. You're more likely to achieve your weight loss goals if you select an exercise that you enjoy and can do consistently.

Behaviors

Losing weight for many obese people is more complicated than just following a healthy eating plan and exercising regularly. For treatment to be effective, it is also important to address the emotional and behavioral components of obesity.

There are many reasons people overeat. A person may not be aware of the reasons behind their overeating.

Professional counselors can lead behavior modification programs to help obese people identify the stressors that are fueling their eating habits. They can help them cope with these stressors. 9

Addressing behaviors in obesity treatment includes:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy or individual one-on-one therapy
• Coaching sessions to set goals and identify challenges
• Overeaters Anonymous and other support groups are available.

Prescriptions

In the event that weight loss treatments such as diet and lifestyle changes do not work, doctors may prescribe medication.

Weight-loss medication can be prescribed for a variety of reasons, including:

• Orlistat (Xenical)blocks about 30% of dietary fats from being absorbed. 10A lower dose formulation of the same medicine is sold over the counter under the brand name Alli.
• Phentermine Is a suppression of appetite. It was originally a part of a combination drug called fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine (fen-phen) that was taken off the market in 1997. The isolated form of Phentermine does not have the same severe side effects as fen-phen, such as heart valve issues. 11
• Saxenda, (liraglutide),is a weight-management drug approved for use in conjunction with diet and exercise.
• Semaglutide (Wegovy)is a once-weekly GLP-1RA injectable that is the only one available for chronic weight loss. It targets brain areas that control appetite and food intake.

12

The person must also be closely monitored while on the drug by a health professional.

When deciding whether someone qualifies for weight loss medications, doctors will take into account several factors.

• Contraindications, such as pregnancy and eating disorders
• Compare the side effects and potential risks of a medication with its benefits
• Other medications that you may take, such as migraine medication or antidepressants, could interact with weight loss drugs.
• Medical history as some medications can't be given to those with certain conditions such as uncontrolled high blood tension and glaucoma.
• Body Mass Index (BMI) affects the eligibility for weight-loss medication. (In general, an individual must have a body mass index of 30 or higher, or a BMI over 27 and complications such as Type 2 Diabetes or High Blood Pressure, in order to be considered.) 11

Body Mass Index

BMI has become outdated and is an unreliable measure. It doesn't take into consideration factors like body composition, ethnicity and race.
BMI, despite being a biased measurement, is widely used by the medical community as it's a quick and inexpensive way to assess a person’s health and potential outcomes.

Do Weight Loss Drugs Affect Your Heart?

Surgeries, and other procedures driven by specialists

Another treatment for obesity is weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery. These procedures are reserved for those who have failed to respond to dietary, lifestyle, behavior, or physical activity changes.

weight-loss surgery is no different from prescription medications. A person must meet certain criteria in order to be considered. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, a person must meet certain criteria before they can be considered for bariatric surgeries:

• Morbid Obesity (a body mass index of 40 or more) or BMI 35 or greater with a serious weight related medical disorder (comorbidity), like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or hypertension
• If you are unable to lose weight by other means, including diet, lifestyle, medication and behavior modification

This will help ensure that the surgery's outcomes are successful. It is important to ensure that the outcome of the surgery is successful.

Weight loss surgery can be done in several ways. The majority of these procedures are designed to reduce the appetite and physically limit stomach space.

Gastric Bypass Surgery

During Gastric Bypass Surgery a small pouch will be created where the top of your stomach meets the small intestine. 15 This opening allows liquids and food to pass from the pouch into the intestine. The pouch bypasses most of your stomach.

The procedure restricts food intake to small portions at a given time. Re-routing the intestines may contribute to common side effects such as nutrition deficiencies.

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB), is a procedure that uses an adjustable band to create two pouches within the stomach. 15, This limits how much food one can eat until they feel satisfied. The procedure also slows down the emptying of food from the stomach.

Gastric Sleeve

By reducing the size of the reservoir in the stomach the person is able to eat less food before feeling full.

There are both short-term and long-term side effects of gastric surgery. This includes indigestion and gallstones.

Vagal Nerve Blockage

FDA approved the vagal nerve blockade, or vBloc in 2014. The FDA approved the vBloc device in 2014.

A person who wants to receive vagal nerve blocks must have a body mass index (BMI) between 35 and 45, have at least one obesity condition, and not have had success with any other weight loss program in the past five years.

AspireAssist Device

AspireAssist has been approved by the FDA in 2016. The AspireAssist is a surgically implanted gastronomy tub that allows the user to drain some of their stomach contents into the toilet.