Ozempic weight loss clinic Asheboro, NC - Vitality Medical Clinic

Overview of Ozempic for Weight Loss

Ozempic® (semaglutide) is an injectable prescription medication originally approved for treating type 2 diabetes. More recently, it has gained popularity as an effective weight loss treatment.

Ozempic helps regulate blood sugar levels while also suppressing appetite and reducing calorie intake. In clinical trials, people using Ozempic lost on average 15-18% of their body weight over 68 weeks.

Vitality Medical Clinic provides customized Ozempic weight loss programs in Asheboro, NC. Our board-certified medical providers specialize in obesity medicine and use the latest tools like Ozempic to help patients achieve long-term weight loss success.

Hormonal Causes of Weight Gain

Obesity often involves hormonal imbalances that lead to increased hunger, slower metabolism, and fat accumulation. Key hormones connected to weight include:

• Insulin - Regulates blood sugar and signals the body to store fat
• Leptin - Suppresses appetite and speeds up metabolism
• Ghrelin - Stimulates appetite, increases food intake
• Cortisol - The "stress hormone" that causes fat storage around the midsection

When these hormones are dysfunctional, the body struggles to maintain a healthy weight. Ozempic helps correct hormonal issues to enable sustainable weight loss.

How Ozempic Promotes Weight Loss

Ozempic mimics the hormone GLP-1 to influence weight regulation:

• Slows digestion so you feel full longer
• Reduces appetite and calorie intake
• Balances blood sugar to minimize fat storage
• May rev up metabolism to burn more calories

Over time, Ozempic paves the way for significant fat loss while curbing hunger and cravings.

Table 1. Key weight loss actions of Ozempic

Effect	Benefit
Delays gastric emptying	Increases satiety and fullness
Decreases appetite	Lowers calorie intake
Stabilizes blood sugar	Minimizes fat storage from excess blood sugar
Potentially increases resting metabolism	Burns more calories at rest

Who Can Benefit from Ozempic

Ozempic is appropriate for patients with:

• A BMI over 27 (overweight or obese)
• Type 2 diabetes - Lowers A1c and enables weight loss
• Prediabetes - Prevents progression to type 2 diabetes
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - Regulates menstrual cycles and fertility

Talk to your Vitality Medical Clinic provider about whether Ozempic is suitable for your weight loss goals and health status.

Ozempic Injection Protocol

Ozempic is a once-weekly self-administered subcutaneous injection using a prefilled pen device.

The starting dosage is 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg, then increased gradually every 4 weeks up to 1 mg or 2 mg maximum. Higher doses lead to increased weight loss but also heightened side effects.

Most patients stay on Ozempic for 6 months up to 2 years depending on their response and weight loss progress. Breaks from medication may be incorporated to maintain efficacy.

Lifestyle Changes to Optimize Ozempic

To fully leverage Ozempic for weight control, we recommend patients make certain diet and exercise modifications:

• Follow a low-glycemic diet - Minimizes blood sugar and insulin spikes
• Reduce calorie intake by 500-800 calories daily
• Exercise 150 minutes per week - Mix of cardio and strength training
• Increase daily steps to 8,000-10,000
• Focus on stress relief - Curbs cortisol production

Implementing healthy lifestyle changes amplifies Ozempic's pharmacological effects for maximal weight reduction.

Side Effects and Safety Considerations

When starting Ozempic, temporary gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may occur. These typically resolve within 4-8 weeks as the body adjusts.

Rarely, Ozempic can cause:

• Gallbladder problems - Inform your provider if you've had gallbladder issues
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) - Usually only occurs in diabetics also on insulin or sulfonylureas
• Pancreatitis - Very rare. Stop Ozempic if you develop severe abdominal pain

Ozempic is not recommended if you have:

• A personal/family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2
• Severe gastrointestinal disease - Crohn's disease, gastroparesis, etc.

Talk to your medical provider about whether Ozempic is safe for your medical history before starting treatment.

Target Patient Profile for Ozempic

The typical Ozempic weight loss candidate:

• Failed to lose weight through diet/exercise alone
• Struggles with hunger/cravings sabotaging their efforts
• Has a BMI over 30 or a BMI over 27 with weight-related illness
• Wants to lose 30-60 pounds or more to radically transform health

Ozempic serves as an adjunct to lifestyle interventions to help this profile of patient finally overcome barriers to significant and sustainable weight reduction.

Comparative Analysis of Weight Loss Medications

Table 2 compares key specs of Ozempic against other prescription anti-obesity drugs:

Medication	Avg Weight Loss	Dosage	Duration of Treatment	Considerations
Ozempic	15-18%	Weekly injection	Up to 2 years	Gastrointestinal side effects common initially
Wegovy	15-20%	Weekly injection	Up to 2 years	Virtually identical to Ozempic
Saxenda	5-8%	Daily injection	Minimum 1 year	Also FDA-approved for diabetes
Contrave	5-10%	Oral tablet 2x/day	Long-term	Also treats binge eating disorder

Based on its superior efficacy and tolerability data, Ozempic stands out as a best-in-class medication for substantial and durable weight loss results.

Integrating Mental Health Support

Losing weight with Ozempic involves more than taking a shot each week. Achieving long-term success requires adopting a mindset of self-love, self-care, and self-acceptance.

Our weight loss clinic partners with mental health professionals to offer counseling and support groups for issues like:

• Identifying emotional triggers for overeating
• Building self-confidence and body positivity
• Developing sustainable lifestyle habits
• Managing stress, anxiety, and depression

Leveraging both medical and mental health resources maximizes your chances for permanent positive change.

Vitality Medical Clinic Advantages

What sets Vitality Medical Clinic apart from other weight loss centers?

Specialization in obesity medicine and hormonal weight loss - Our providers stay current on the latest pharmacotherapy advancements to tailor personalized regimens integrating medications like Ozempic.

A full spectrum of anti-obesity treatments - From new drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro to time-tested options like phentermine and saxenda.

Monthly peer support meetings - Connect with others on the same journey to swap successes and solutions.

Through compassionate, evidence-based care from renowned leaders in the field, Vitality Medical Clinic empowers patients to achieve and sustain optimal health.

Conclusion

With superior efficacy for significant fat reduction and BMI/A1C improvements, Ozempic serves as an invaluable tool for qualifying patients struggling with excess weight or obesity-related illness.

By correcting hormonal imbalances driving hunger/overeating and reprogramming mindset around food and activity, Ozempic facilitates profound and lasting change for those who have battled their biology for too long.

Under the compassionate, evidence-based care model of the Vitality Medical Clinic network, Ozempic weight loss therapy helps patients reclaim health, happiness and self-confidence while lowering long-term disease risks.

Through powerful medical intervention plus mental health support, the future you have dreamed about – free from the burdens of obesity at last – is finally within reach!