Health FAQs
I think I have a slow metabolism. How will CMWL help me?
I’m going through menopause and have put on more weight than I’d like. Is CMWL right for me?
I often have joint pain due to excess weight. How will CMWL help?
I’m on medications for diabetes and high blood pressure. Can I still follow the CMWL program?
My entire family is overweight – it’s in my genes. Can CMWL still make a difference for me?
I’m on medications for diabetes and high blood pressure. Can I still follow the CMWL program?
Where can I find others on the CMWL plan with similar health conditions?
Fitness FAQs
I’ve never exercised before. Can I still have success with CMWL?
How do I know what exercises I should be doing to lose weight?
How do I begin a strength-training program?
I don’t belong to a gym. Can I still follow a CMWL plan?
How can I get motivated to exercise?
Where can I share exercise tips with others on the CMWL plan?
Health FAQs
I think I have a slow metabolism. How will CMWL help me?
Your CMWL doctor can use a machine to calculate your RMR, or resting metabolic rate, which is the number of calories you burn at your current activity level. (You can also do a quick RMR calculation on the CMWL website.) Your CMWL physician will then use this number to come up with a weight loss plan that works best for you. For instance, people with a slower RMR might be advised to add physical activity to their weight loss plan to help increase the amount of calories they’ll burn each day. Your CMWL physician may also prescribe a prescription medication to enhance your metabolism or send you for a laboratory evaluation to determine if you have a medical condition that is slowing your metabolism such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, low testosterone levels, or hypothyroidism. The doctor will also evaluate your current prescription medications to determine if a suitable alternative exists that will not slow your metabolism. Our goal is to help all patients maintain weight loss long term, so we will always do whatever it takes to maximize our patients’ metabolisms. In addition, CMWL physicians can prescribe Capsiate, a hot pepper pill that may help boost your metabolism.
I’m going through menopause and have put on more weight than I’d like. Is CMWL right for me?
Unfortunately, when women hit menopause, their metabolisms can decrease by an additional 5 to 10 percent. Your CMWL physician can help by prescribing a low-calorie diet along with specific exercise recommendations to help women reduce their excess weight. In many circumstances, CMWL doctors can also prescribe medications and/or supplements to enhance a woman’s metabolism with weight loss. The CMWL focus will always be to figure out an individualized future life eating and exercise plan that will teach the patient what skills will be required to keep off weight long term. This will be done one-on-one with a specially trained physician. When relevant, CMWL also addresses patients’ psychological triggers, figuring out if and why they may be overeating and coming up with a solution to break the food addiction cycle.
I often have joint pain due to excess weight. How will CMWL help?
Excess weight can shift your center of gravity and put stress on your joints and back muscles. Medical weight loss doctors can help reduce joint pain by starting you on a diet and exercise program for weight loss. They may work along with physical therapists, who can prescribe specific exercises and stretches to help keep your joints or your back from flaring up. Osteoarthritis of the hips and knees often improves with weight loss. Plus, in many circumstances, patients need to lose some weight to safely qualify for knee or hip replacement surgeries. Your CMWL physician will work with your orthopedic surgeon and your primary care physician to keep them informed of your weight loss progress.
I’m on medications for diabetes and high blood pressure. Can I still follow the CMWL program?
Many CMWL patients are already on medications for diabetes and/or blood pressure. Fortunately, losing weight on a CMWL program often greatly improves our patients’ health and can help reduce or eliminate the need to take these medications altogether. Also, if your CMWL physician determines that any of your medications may be contributing to your weight gain, he or she can work with your primary care physician to prescribe alternate medications that may not impact your weight as much. In addition, many patients must have their medications decreased or discontinued once they lose weight. Your CMWL physician will work directly with any of your other physicians to keep them informed of your weight loss progress and any medication changes that have occurred as a result of weight loss.
My entire family is overweight – it’s in my genes. Can CMWL still make a difference for me?
Absolutely! Even if your family has a history of obesity and you’re predisposed to gain weight more easily than others do, you can still take steps to manage your weight. A medically supervised diet and exercise program, along with treatment for any underlying health or hormonal issues that could be playing a role in your weight gain, can help to keep your weight under control. CMWL physicians have special training and focus primarily on how to get all patients to maintain weight loss after they lose it. Many of our patients have a predisposition toward easy weight gain, making us really experienced in dealing with type of issue. All patients are taught the life skills and future strategies needed to keep off weight after they lose it. This will be discussed in detail during your individualized one-on-one physician meetings as you progress on your weight loss journey.
Where can I find others on the CMWL plan with similar health conditions?
You can discuss your own health conditions and meet others coping with similar challenges on the CMWL message boards. We have specific folders for Diabetes, High Cholesterol, and Hypertension, plus a General Health folder for discussing all other health conditions.
Plus: See more FAQs on the CMWL Program
Fitness FAQs
I’ve never exercised before. Can I still have success with CMWL?
CMWL programs are tailored to an individual’s needs and fitness level. Though we recommend that you exercise to help speed up your rate of weight loss by burning more calories and building muscle, if you’ve never exercised before, we can start you out with a gentle program – such as walking – just to get you moving. You may find that as you begin to lose weight and gain more energy, you’ll want to exercise more, and we can modify your program as you progress. We will also incorporate body-composition technology to help determine the most effective exercise types to help you lose fat and maintain muscle mass as you progress through your weight loss journey.
How do I know what exercises I should be doing to lose weight?
Your CMWL physician will do a body-composition analysis (BCA) that will measure the percentage of fat, muscle, and water in your body to help determine what exercises are best for you. For instance, if your fat percentage is on the high side and your muscle on the low side, your CMWL may recommend strength training to help build muscle, boost your metabolism, and reduce your amount of fat. Body composition technology also measures where your weight loss is coming from, i.e., fat, muscle, or water, allowing us to scientifically determine what exercise types/routines are working best for your body. Talk to your CMWL physician to find out more about what exercise program is right for you.
How do I begin a strength-training program?
It’s best to start out with strength training by using light weights, such as 2 to 3 pounds, to avoid injury, and gradually increase the amount of weight you lift as you feel stronger. If you need help with proper lifting technique, don’t hesitate to talk to a personal trainer or exercise instructor for guidance. Your CMWL physician will also guide you to help determine which workout types/routines are most effective for your individual body. These will be discussed during your follow-up visits as required to help lower your fat percentage with weight loss.
I don’t belong to a gym. Can I still follow a CMWL plan?
Of course! You don’t need to belong to a gym to exercise while following a CMWL plan. Increasing your physical activity can be as simple as walking a little more every day or using the steps at your office instead of taking the elevator. If you’re looking for something a bit more intense, you can go hiking or jogging, or use a jump rope and resistance band anywhere, anytime. Here are some more ideas for exercising without a gym.
How can I get motivated to exercise?
Often, the hardest part of getting started with exercise is just finding the time to make it a part of your daily or weekly routine. CMWL physicians have specialized training to assist you with finding a suitable type of exercise that you can work into your individual lifestyle. We also encourage our patients to consider finding a workout buddy so they can encourage each other to exercise on a regular basis, or try using a pedometer or heart rate monitor to measure their progress so they can see themselves moving forward. Here are some other ideas to stick with exercise even when you don’t feel like working out.
Where can I share exercise tips with others on the CMWL plan?
You can share your own fitness tips or get advice from others on the CMWL message boards. We also have an area for people just starting out with exercise.
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