Another year is coming to an end, which means millions of people are thinking about their New Year’s resolutions. While everyone has their own unique set of goals, there’s one resolution that comes up time and time again: losing weight.
In 2019, nearly 50% of Americans listed “losing weight” as their New Year’s resolution, making it the fourth most popular resolution of the year. The top two resolutions, meanwhile, were also connected to weight loss and self-improvement: almost 60% of respondents wanted to “exercise more,” and 54% vowed to “eat healthier.”
Of course, it’s one thing to make a goal; it’s another thing to commit to it. If you often find yourself breaking your New Year’s weight loss resolutions, you’re not alone. According to the New York Post, almost 70% of Americans give up on their resolutions before February. Too many obligations, not enough free time and a lack of discipline are just a few reasons why people fail to fulfill their yearly goals.
However, just because people aren’t following through with their resolutions doesn’t mean they aren’t inspired. The same New York Post article revealed that the average person would pay over $15,000 to have someone ensure they meet their goals. Ultimately, the motivation is there — what’s missing is external support. Having someone guide you through the weight loss process and provide resources and encouragement can go a long way in achieving results.
So, where can you find this support? Look no further than our Semaglutide Weight Loss Program. Our medically-assisted weight loss techniques, coupled with our dedicated team of women’s health specialists, offer the extra assistance you need. Let’s take a closer look at common weight loss methods, what Semaglutide is and how it can help you meet your New Year’s resolution.
Why Is Weight Loss a Common Resolution?
Before we discuss how to lose weight, it’s important to understand why weight loss is such a popular resolution in the United States. To do this, let’s review some health statistics.
According to 2017-2018 data, approximately 30% of adults are overweight, while over 40% have obesity. A significant portion of these individuals are women — over 25% of women are overweight, and almost 42% have obesity. An additional 11.5%, meanwhile, are severely obese. When left unaddressed, being overweight or obese can increase the risk of the following health problems:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure and cholesterol
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Liver disease
Ultimately, maintaining a healthy weight lowers the likelihood of developing more serious health complications down the line. To lose weight, many people turn towards lifestyle changes.
What Lifestyle Changes Help Lose Weight?
Lifestyle changes are behavioral modifications you apply to daily life. Here are a few top changes associated with weight loss:
- Diet
- Exercise
- Sleep
The first step to losing weight is maintaining a healthy diet. This includes one filled with high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables and beans. Since these foods take longer to digest, they keep you full faster. A healthy diet also includes fewer refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and white rice (which lack fiber and nutrients). When these substances enter your bloodstream, they turn into glucose; in response, your body releases insulin that then produces fat cells.
Another key way to lose weight is through exercise. When you exercise, your body utilizes energy, which in turn “burns” calories. If you burn more calories than you consume, you’ll end up losing weight. In addition, exercise can reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Finally, studies show that getting a good night’s sleep can actually help lose weight. Maintaining a healthy, regular sleep schedule improves appetite regulation and prevents late-night snacking. Not to mention, a lack of sleep can increase glucose, or blood sugar levels.
Overall, lifestyle changes are proven to be effective in helping lose weight. However, many people implement them and still struggle to achieve the results they’re looking for. Things like genetics and environmental factors can greatly disrupt your weight goals — for example, genetics may influence your appetite and ability to burn calories, while your environment can limit access to healthy, affordable foods.
If you’ve adjusted your lifestyle habits but still struggle to lose weight, you might benefit from a medically-assisted weight loss remedy, such as semaglutide.
What is Semaglutide and How Does It Work?
Semaglutide is a medically-assisted treatment for chronic weight management. It’s designed specifically for overweight or obese individuals who have at least one weight-related health condition (such as diabetes or high blood pressure). When combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise, it may help lose weight and improve overall health.
So, how exactly does semaglutide work? The drug, which is injected underneath the skin, imitates a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-10), which is known to help regulate appetite. More specifically, GLP-10 delays gastrointestinal motility and slows the transfer of food from the stomach to the small intestine. This reduces appetite by creating the sensation of being full. Semaglutide also assists with insulin regulation by making the body release the appropriate amount of insulin in response to high blood sugar.
Now that you know the process behind semaglutide, you’re probably wondering: how effective is it? In one trial, a group of patients, which mostly consisted of women, was given doses up to 2.4 mg. Another group was given a placebo. After a period of 68 weeks, the group that received the drug lost over 12% of their body weight compared to those taking the placebo. A similar trial was conducted among adults with type 2 diabetes — here, recipients of semaglutide lost over 6% of their body weight.
Ultimately, the drug has demonstrated concrete results when it comes to achieving weight loss. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for everyone. Let’s examine some of the pros — and cons — involved.
Benefits of Semaglutide
Here are a few major benefits of semaglutide treatments:
- Weight loss
- Reduced symptoms of weight-related conditions
- Improved insulin regulation
Of course, the most obvious benefit of semaglutide is its weight loss properties. As mentioned earlier, many people face difficulties losing weight due to factors out of their control, such as genetics and environment. Semaglutide provides extra support that may help achieve weight loss despite these hurdles (especially when paired with lifestyle changes).
Another major benefit is its effect on health problems linked to obesity, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. Since semaglutide is specifically geared towards those with weight-related health conditions, it may help people reduce symptoms and even overcome these conditions entirely.
Finally, semaglutide offers unique benefits for individuals with type 2 diabetes. Not only does it help with obesity (a common side effect of diabetes), but it also lowers blood glucose and assists with insulin regulation.
Risks of Semaglutide
Like all medical treatments, there are risks involved with semaglutide. You should avoid or stop the treatment if you meet one of the following conditions:
- You experience an allergic reaction to semaglutide
- You have a family history of thyroid cancer
- You have type 1 diabetes
- You’re consuming other weight loss or semaglutide-containing products
You should always speak to your doctor before trying a new medication. And, if you’re a candidate for semaglutide, be sure to enroll in a reputable program, such as our Semaglutide Weight Loss Program.
Achieve Weight Loss With Medically-Assisted Semaglutide
Do you find yourself making a new weight loss resolution every year, only to break it after a month? If so, you’re not the only one. From long work hours to familial obligations, plenty of things can interfere with your free time — and, as a consequence, your ability to lose weight. Even if you do have time to implement healthy exercise and dietary habits, genetic and environmental factors can still get in the way.
If you have a weight-related health condition, and lifestyle changes simply aren’t working for you, our Semaglutide Weight Loss Program can help. We offer a team of women’s health specialists that will answer questions, consider your individual needs and personally guide you through the procedure. Our ultimate goal is to help you achieve the results you’re looking for in a safe, healthy manner. Take a step towards your weight loss goals this new year by signing up today!
