Medical weight loss is a new strategy to help women lose weight. The process involves the use of weight loss treatments prescribed by a licensed healthcare professional. An expert provides you with ongoing support, helping you focus on and commit to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
In order to better understand how weight loss treatment can help women, we must first unpack the roadblocks that keep women from reaching their weight loss goals.
Women’s Bodies Are Not Men’s Bodies
The common narrative around weight loss is that women only need a healthy diet and exercise to succeed at losing weight. However, according to Dr. Wendy Scinta and Dr. John La Puma, women's bodies are built differently than men, putting up unique barriers to weight loss.
Muscle Mass and Metabolism Make a Difference
According to Dr. La Puma, men have more muscle mass than women, which aids them in their weight loss efforts. Because men have more muscle mass, they have more insulin receptors attached to these muscle cells, giving them an advantage with their metabolism.
Dr. Scinta adds that compared to women, men typically burn 500 to 1,000 more calories during an average day. That equates to one to two more pounds of weight loss than women per week, if both are eating the same number of calories.
Dr. La Puma says that not only does muscle burn more calories at rest, but the muscles are also where insulin receptors are. That means blood sugar is often metabolized more quickly in men than in women.
Women Deal With Menopause, and Men Don’t
In addition to physiological and metabolic differences, hormonal changes caused by menopause can make weight loss a greater challenge.
During menopause, women can have sleep disturbances, which can lead to weight gain as well as depression and anxiety. For women, depression can cause cravings for sweets and carbs, and eating them can cause the brain to release serotonin, a chemical that makes you feel good.
Postmenopause, women deal with a significant decrease in testosterone levels, which leads to a drop in muscle mass and in metabolic rate. Dr. Scinta says it’s important for women to adjust their caloric intake during these hormonal shifts, particularly postmenopause, to prevent weight gain.
Women and Men Experience Hunger Differently
When it comes to caloric intake and controlling appetite, the brain works differently between genders.
According to Dr. Scinta and Dr. La Puma, women typically have a more emotional attachment to eating, while men respond to innate hunger signals. Emotional eating is harder to control than innate hunger, which can make weight loss more difficult.
This is where weight loss treatment can be particularly useful by helping women achieve a positive relationship with food.
Weight Loss Treatment and Better Appetite Control
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, disordered eating is a significant problem in Canada, with 2% of Canadians struggling with overeating and 80% of eating disorder patients being women. That’s where medical weight loss can make a big difference, changing the way women see food.
Medical weight loss treatments can help women increase feelings of fullness and reduce cravings for unhealthy foods. These treatments do this by acting on the hunger centres of the brain and influencing the hunger hormones ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin increases your appetite and tells your body to store more fat, while leptin tells you to stop eating.
As you eat fewer calories on your weight loss journey, ghrelin may increase and leptin may decrease. Weight loss treatment can help you keep those hormonal changes in check, improve your basal metabolic rate, and maintain lasting changes to your diet, ultimately helping you stay on track toward your weight loss goals.
How to Get Medical Weight Loss Treatment in Canada
Now that you know how weight loss treatment can help you reach your goals, it might be time to connect with an expert and start your journey.
Fortunately, women’s telehealth clinics are available to provide prescription services and ongoing support. Here’s how the process works, from health assessment to home delivery.
Step 1 - Medical Screening
First, you’ll fill out an online form with important details about your health history. A licensed Canadian provider will review your information and ensure you’re eligible for treatment.
Step 2 - Prescription Delivery
If prescribed, your treatment will be delivered directly to you in discreet packaging to protect your privacy. There’s no need to stand in line at the pharmacy to receive your treatment.
Step 3 - Ongoing Support
After you start treatment, your provider will check in periodically to see how you’re doing. The best part is you don’t have to book an in-person follow-up — it’s done entirely online.
Who Qualifies For Medical Weight Loss Treatment?
Providers generally prescribe medical weight loss treatment to women with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. However, you may still be a good candidate if your BMI is as low as 27. When prescribing, providers consider weight-related conditions like prediabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and more.
Discussing your health history with a provider can help determine if weight loss treatment is right for you.
Treatment Can Support Your Weight Loss Journey
From better appetite control to faster weight loss, consistent treatment month to month can help women achieve health and confidence despite biological barriers.
If you’re ready to start your weight loss journey, consider connecting with a licensed healthcare provider to see if prescribed treatment is the right strategy for you.
