Welcome back to this week’s AMA show featuring Dr. Simonds and Michelle Kennedy, NP-C. We love answering your weight loss questions and are giving away another gift card to a lucky viewer.
Q: I’m more than 80 lbs. overweight and have type II diabetes. Will losing weight help reverse diabetes or is it too late?
A: It’s never too late to improve your health! We can even reverse your diabetes or put it into an extremely well-controlled state. There are some factors that would need to be considered such as the extent of your diabetes, how long you’ve had diabetes, and some other factors. Our experienced medical providers will gather all of this information during your metabolic assessment in order to help guide you on your journey. Even if we can’t completely reverse diabetes (in many cases we can), we can put it into a state where it’s so much better controlled.
Weight loss will also improve your blood sugar levels and heart health. Heart disease is the number one killer in this country and diabetes is the main cause of many heart conditions. Restricting carbohydrate intake and losing weight are the best tools for treating diabetes. The one mistake that you can make is to not do anything about weight and diabetes at all. While we are big advocates of the keto diet, there are other options available too.
Q: My sister came to you guys before she moved out of town. She had a lot of success. Do you still offer no contracts?
A: We have never required contracts and never will. Contracts are not a standard model for medical practices.
We also offer telephone sessions to established patients. After an initial in-office appointment, we would be able to continue your care remotely, then would like to see you back in the office annually after that.
Q: My wife and I are looking for help with weight loss. Is it better to come separately or together?
A: It really depends on the relationship. We do have many couples that come together and find it very beneficial. We find that when family members come together, it can be very helpful for support and accountability. It’s a great dynamic when it’s a joint effort and we find patients have great success when others are involved. But, if you would prefer to have individual appointments, we are happy to accommodate that as well. We are also able to provide phone or virtual visits for your convenience as well. We know that weight loss is a difficult journey and we are here to make it as easy as possible.
Q: I’m an avid runner doing 6 miles a day, but I could stand to lose maybe 20 lbs. How do I keep energy for long runs while trying to diet?
A: Wow, that’s impressive! We understand how challenging it can be for patients that are doing longer cardio sessions to keep up their energy levels. We recommend timing your eating or energy sources around your workouts. Remember that you should be able to continue to run, live a healthy lifestyle, and maintain energy levels while on a weight loss journey.
Fat is stored energy. We recommend that patients train their bodies to use stored fat for energy and not rely heavily on carbohydrates for energy. For weight loss, it’s more important to focus on body fat. We guide patients that are in a similar situation every day and we can teach you how to successfully lose body fat.
Q: I’ve lost over 50lbs doing low carb/keto. I’ve been plateaued for a while but now I’m maintaining. What’s the best way to get past the plateau?
A: We see this a lot! Congratulations on your weight loss! Plateaus are a completely normal, expected part of the weight loss journey. Your body adapts over time which will cause a stall in weight loss. There are strategies that can be used to help break through a plateau. Shifting some aspect of the diet such as the timing of food, quantity, and quality can all be helpful. Are carbohydrates low enough and are you getting enough protein?
Obesity is a biological, hormonal disease which is why we also use weight loss medications. As you lose weight, your body will fight you to maintain or even increase your weight. For some individuals, an increase in activity levels or better sleep and stress management can be helpful.
You can always find delicious keto recipes on Dr. Simonds’ Instagram page, The Casual Keto Doctor.
Q: I gained weight when my wife was pregnant. I’d like help, but I don’t want my wife to feel bad if she can’t join me. How soon can she start a program?
A: The strategy that we recommend is that we don’t start weight loss medications until breastfeeding has ceased. However, we can still get her started on a weight loss journey immediately with dietary changes and support until she has finished nursing. Once nursing is completed, we can evaluate her need for weight loss medications.
