By Amy Schechter
According to the Center for Disease Control, more than one third of U.S. adults are obese and incur significantly higher risk factors for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain types of cancer than healthy adults.
Obesity can also impact one’s quality of life raising the issue of lowered mobility and negative self-perception. Many do not know where to turn for help because they’ve tried dieting and exercise before.
Medi Weightloss is the answer. About to celebrate 10 years in the Brandon community, Medi Weightloss has helped its clients lose over thirty thousand pounds since 2006. Tom Willett, the owner, knows firsthand, “I did the program about nine years ago because I wanted to lose weight and to experience what the patients experience. I was on the diet for 21 days straight, and I lost 25 pounds,” he said. Plus, Willett was able to keep it off with the continuing support of the staff as he incorporated what he learned into his life.
When clients come to Medi Weightloss, they gain an accountability system and a personalized plan to make a real lifestyle change, not just go on another diet. The trained staff of physicians, dieticians, nurses, and medical assistants completes a full physical, bloodwork, and EKG to determine a goal weight. They then work together to develop a personalized program, even communicating with the patients primary care physician if needed to take into account any pre-existing health issues. The program normally lasts anywhere from eight to 14 weeks, but can be longer depending on how much weight a patient needs to lose.
“Then we put you on a fairly strict diet of all protein. We want to get you into ketosis so that your body is burning fat. That’s our goal to get rid of the fat,” said Willet. Medi Weightloss provides a full start-up kit for patients to take home which includes a scale to weigh your food along with specially formatted supplements, vitamins, and appetite suppressants to support the strict diet and make sure your body gets all the required nutrients it needs.
After the strict phase is over, the staff begins to educate clients on meal planning. “We’ve had patients lose as much as 250 pounds. Not in 13 weeks, but they get it off and they keep it off. That’s the key: keeping it off,” Willet said.
Medi Weightloss is located at 203 W. Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon. For a free assessment to have your body mass index (BMI) calculated and speak to the staff about a plan that works for you, call 654-1110. Visit http://bit.ly/1T1sqVl.
