Semaglutide is an injectable medication used for treating obesity and helping people lose weight. It works by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1 that targets areas of the brain that regulate appetite and food intake.
Semaglutide is given as a weekly injection just under the skin. When taken regularly, it can lead to significant and sustained weight loss in many people.
Benefits of semaglutide for weight loss:
Who is a candidate? Adults who have:
How it Works
Semaglutide reduces appetite by acting on receptors in the brain that regulate food cravings and portion control. It also slows down digestion so you feel fuller for longer after a meal and are less likely to snack in between. Over weeks and months, this caloric deficit leads to notable fat burn and weight loss.
Here at Vitality Balance Clinic weight loss clinic, we have customized semaglutide protocols to help patients achieve their target weight loss goals.
To get started, we first need lab testing and a physician consultation to ensure semaglutide is appropriate for you. Initial labs include:
These tests allow us to identify any underlying issues that could be contributing to weight gain. We also perform a medical history and physical exam.
Once cleared to begin, our providers demonstrate proper injection technique and prescribe semaglutide pens with clear usage instructions.
Our program follows evidence-based protocols to incrementally increase the semaglutide dose from 0.25mg weekly up to 2.4mg. Higher doses within this range maximize weight loss potential while minimizing side effects.
Follow-ups are scheduled every 4 weeks where we:
Most patients remain on semaglutide for 6-12 months until their target weight loss is achieved. We then assist with transitioning to maintenance plans to sustain results long-term.
Obesity is complex disorder involving multiple genetic, hormonal, and lifestyle factors. However, the root cause is taking in more calories from food than your body can efficiently use.
When excess calories are stored as fat, it leads to weight gain over time. As body fat percentage rises, you become overweight or obese.
Health risks associated with obesity include:
Catching weight gain early and losing even 5-10% of body weight can drastically reduce these risks and prevent progression to more serious disease.
Traditional recommendations for weight loss focus on:
While important, adherence to these strategies is very difficult for most people to sustain. Motivation eventually wanes when seeing slow results for all the effort required.
This leads to weight regain and a cycle of losing and gaining back pounds - also called “yo-yo dieting”.
Fortunately, novel pharmaceutical options for obesity now exist that don’t require drastic lifestyle overhauls. These are appropriate for patients who:
Vitality Balance Clinic specializes in modern medical weight loss programs, including semaglutide injections.
Semaglutide is an injectable anti-obesity medication that helps regulate appetite and food intake. It was originally approved for treating type 2 diabetes under the brand names Ozempic and Rybelsus.
In 2021, a specific semaglutide formulation called Wegovy was FDA-approved for chronic weight management. It is essentially identical to Ozempic/Rybelsus, just at a different dose.
How does it work?
Semaglutide mimics a hormone called GLP-1 that targets areas of your brain involved in appetite signaling. It results in feeling more full and satisfied after eating, reducing overall food cravings and calories consumed.
Large clinical studies show semaglutide helps patients lose significant weight, keep it off long-term, and improve obesity-related health issues.
In trials, people taking semaglutide:
These results are far superior to lifestyle interventions alone and rival more invasive bariatric surgeries.
Semaglutide comes in prefilled, disposable pens designed for easy self-injection just under skin of abdomen, thigh, or arm.
It is started at a low 0.25mg dose which is gradually increased every 4 weeks up to 2.4mg maximum or until weight loss plateaus.
This slow uptitration mitigates temporary GI side effects and improves overall tolerability.
Semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, has shown promise not just for diabetes and weight loss but also for treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In a recent trial, semaglutide injections led to significant improvements in liver fat content and liver enzymes in patients with NAFLD after 72 weeks of treatment.
While semaglutide curbs appetite and calorie intake, we still emphasize healthy meal planning to ensure you’re getting balanced nutrition for energy, performance, and general health.
Our weight loss dietitians provide customized nutrition advice tailored to your:
We focus on sustainable changes, not restrictive fad diets destined to fail long-term. The goal is crafting an eating plan you can maintain even after stopping semaglutide.
Regular exercise provides many benefits:
We suggest gradually ramping up your activity rather than drastic high-intensity workouts which increase risk of injury, fatigue, and burnout.
Our recommendations include:
We help find realistic physical activities you enjoy and can commit to long-term.
Obesity and excess weight are complex medical disorders requiring a comprehensive treatment approach. Lifestyle measures alone often fall short long-term.
That's why Vitality Balance Clinic offers cutting-edge pharmaceutical options like semaglutide injections. Augmenting behavioral changes with medications improves success rates for sustained weight loss and health gains.
We also provide ongoing medical oversight, nutrition guidance, and activity recommendations tailored to your unique needs and barriers. Our goal is equipping you with tools and knowledge for weight management lasting well beyond stopping therapy.
Don't struggle alone - leverage our expertise today to take control of your health! We will partner with you to maximize results from semaglutide for improving quality of life now and decades to come.
