Why Getting Medical Help for Weight Loss is Not Cheating

Contributed by Eileen Seeholzer, MD and Medical Director of the Weight Management Center, and Shanail Berry, MD / Internal Meds-Peds, Obesity Medicine 

If you’ve lived with obesity, you’ve probably been told to eat less and move more. And you know firsthand, it’s not that simple.

Many people with obesity have tried countless ways to lose weight: dieting, fasting, over-the-counter vitamins and pills, and exercise plans.

For many people with obesity, diet, exercise, and over-the-counter medication is not enough to get results that last. That’s because obesity is a chronic disease.

At MetroHealth, we understand that obesity is a chronic disease that leads to permanent changes in your body. Changes caused by obesity include a decrease in the hormone leptin—which signals that you’re satisfied from food—and an increase in the hormone ghrelin which signals that you’re hungry.

That’s why diet or exercise may lead to a little bit of weight loss, only to have the weight come back later. That’s also why using surgery or medication to change your hormonal balance isn’t cheating—it’s good medical treatment.

Bariatric surgery can reset your body’s hormonal balance, making lifestyle changes like diet and exercise more effective. At MetroHealth, our experienced surgeons can help you decide between two effective surgical weight loss options—gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery. Nearly 90% of patients who choose bariatric surgery are successful in losing weight and staying healthy long-term. And, since MetroHealth is leading the way in advances in robotic surgery, it’s possible to have weight loss surgery with less pain and recovery time.

Since hormonal balance is important for weight loss, your treatment plan may include weight loss medication. By injecting these medications at home, you can lower your blood sugar and lose weight by signaling to your brain that you are full. This, in turn, slows digestion, causing you to feel full and eat less.

Obesity leads to or worsens over 200 other diseases, including sleep disorders, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even cancer. That means just addressing nutrition or exercise often isn’t enough to find lasting results.

At MetroHealth, we care about your overall health, connecting you to specialists to take care of your mental health, lung health, heart health, sleep, and nutrition.

When you’re starting a weight loss journey, you need treatment that truly fits you. Our team will listen to what you’ve tried before, talk about and set goals, and then offer proven solutions that fit your needs. Whether you decide on a surgical or medical approach—or both—we’ll be with you every step of the way.

If you’re ready to explore weight loss treatment, taking the first step is the hardest—and most important. Connect with our weight loss team to start your journey today.