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Nutritionist

What is medically aided weight loss?

FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY

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Did you know that the majority of diets (over 65%) fail because people still feel hungry? The most common reason for this is because you're forcing yourself to starve your body of what it is craving and what it wants.

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So what exactly is "medicated weight loss"? These are prescribed medications, which are used as an adjunct to healthy eating and exercise to make it easier to reduce your appetite & reduce your portion sizes. Studies have shown that this can help lead to weight loss and develop healthier eating habits. This is to help you maintain your weight loss without reverting back to your old ways.

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The medication is a synthetic hormone regulating the body's natural hunger hormone, GLP-1. The release of GLP-1 acts on the receptors in the appetite-control section of the brain, reducing your appetite. It slows down gastric emptying, keeping you fuller for longer which further reduces your appetite.

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It also helps your pancreas release just the correct amount of insulin to deal with your body's glucogon, meaning it works differently for each person's individual needs. This allows sugars and carbs to be broken down in an effective way without causing a "sugar crash", which therefore avoids those quick-fix sugary cravings and a hunger for carbs. It also helps reduce leptin levels, which is a key hormone in causing a metabolism slow-down.

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Let's help reduce your portion sizes

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When you diet, your appetite does not shrink to match the dietary requirements. Portion control has a major impact on the ability of a person to effectively lose weight. With a suppressed appetite, you will naturally start eating smaller portions. Your stomach will begin to get used to these reduced portions, making it easier to stick with them when you finish the treatment.

 

Incorporate light exercise

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Once you're comfortable with the dietary side of things, you can begin to incorporate exercise into the programme. We offer a range of quick, simple home-based workout programmes and an exercise crib sheet to help you burn off those calories.

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We want to help you develop healthier habits

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The Slim Transformation® programme is not just a quick-fix or a magic wand. It comprises of a holistic approach including nutrition & exercise. This is so that once you finish the programme, you can keep the weight off naturally with healthy eating & light to moderate exercise.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

How does the medication from Novo Nordisk work?

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This section is for information purposes. Liraglutide and Semaglutide are prescription only medications. They work in very similar ways.

 

Produced by Novo Nordisk, the medication mimics a natural hormone already found in your body (GLP-1). It works in three key ways to reduce your appetite.

 

  1. It blocks a key hunger hormone telling your brain that you are hungry, whilst also helping to reduce leptin resistance (a hormone which can affect your metabolism & weight). This also helps stop the weight from coming straight back on when you stop the jab.

  2. It slows down the gastric emptying process, meaning that your body takes longer to process food and it is fuller for longer. This means your body does not need as much intake as normal as it works off the food it has.

  3. The medication helps to speed up your metabolism and increase fat burning by reducing glucagon & reducing insulin resistance. This promotes normal blood glucose levels, the liver metabolism of glucose and helps adipose tissue burn fat in a safe and controlled method without causing a sugar-crash. This avoids the urges for quick-fix sugary foods.

 

This all helps to reduce the risk of the so-called "starvation mode" and other side effects like ketoacidosis, as you will be burning off a mixture of stored carbs & fats.

 

Unlike fad diets which tend to starve the body when it's shouting out for food, the medication reduces your body's desire to get more food, which makes it easier to make healthier choices and to reduce calories. It also stops leptin levels from rising due to "starvation". Low leptin levels can cause increased hunger & a slower metabolism!

 

This means that when you stop using the medication, the body isn't desperate for sustenance and therefore, you won't suddenly begin storing fat and gain all the weight back. Ironically, it's a more natural way to lose the weight and keep it off.

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For further clinical information & data, please see the Novo Nordisk website.

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How much weight could a person potentially lose using medication as an adjunct to dieting and exercise?

 

The average weight loss per person is always different. Clinical trials for all 3 types of the medication have shown a range of weight loss between 8lbs and 19lbs.

 

In the latest Semaglutide (the weekly injection) study released in February 2021, 75% of participants lost 10% of their body weight. For more detailed results of Semaglutide, please click here.

 

During clinical trials for Liraglutide (Saxenda - the daily injection), patients saw better results in losing weight when compared to using a placebo injection over the course of 56 weeks.

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In summary;

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63% lost at least 5% of body weight

33% lost at least 10% body weight

15% lost at least 15% of body weight

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80% of those who used Saxenda kept the weight for over a year.

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The full results for Liraglutide can be found here.

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The key is not to compare yourself to others losing weight - focus on yourself, your goals and your progress. Every person is different.

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Is this medication available in the UK?

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This is a prescription-only medication and must be prescribed by a qualified prescriber following a consultation. Your full medical history and circumstances should be taken into account to ensure safety & suitability. It should only be provided from UK based pharmacies.

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What is included with the programme?

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Our programmes include:

 

  • Your health screening & consultation

  • For the injectables, we include all your needles

  • Aftercare literature, including side effects, how to deal with them, how to take measurements etc

  • Free special delivery with tracking information from a UK regulated pharmacy

  • Dietary & nutritional advice from our in-house qualified nutritionists

  • Our 4 week meal plan, plus our 4 week Metabolism Reset meal plan

  • Exercise Crib Sheet for basic home exercises

  • Access to our Facebook Support Group

  • Regular email check-ins from our team to ensure you are getting the best possible results

  • You can request unlimited check-ins with our team if you need any advice or guidance

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Plus you get access to our Members Area, which includes:

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  • Progress tracking - keep an eye on your weight, waist measurements & BMI

  • Track your daily calories - you can input & see your daily calorie intake from food & fluids

  • Access to over 200 recipes, healthy food swaps & healthy food tips

  • Access to the medication information, demo videos & aftercare literature

  • Online Exercise Programmes - our home workouts with no need for expensive equipment

  • Request a review of your progress

  • Order repeat products if you wish to continue the programme

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Who may be suitable for weight loss medication?

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The medication may be suitable for an individual, but this must be assessed on a case-by-case scenario. There is no "blanket fit" for people to use prescription-only medications.

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According to the manufacturer and the licence for Saxenda and Wegovy, the medication can be used for those with a BMI greater than 30 or those with a BMI greater than 27 (and one weight related co-morbidity e.g. hypertension).

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We also look at several other factors to ensure suitability, including:

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  • Your medical history

  • Your current medication

  • Body measurements

  • Current diet & eating habits

  • Current exercise levels

  • Other methods you have already tried

  • Your rationale as to why you use medication

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The programme is NOT suitable for:

 

  • Under 18's or Over 75's

  • Ladies who are breastfeeding or pregnant or actively trying to get pregnant.

  • Anyone who has had pancreatitis or thyroid tumours

  • Anyone with a history or direct family history of MEN2

  • Type 1 diabetics or patients taking diabetic medication

  • Renal (kidney) or liver disease

  • Anyone with heart failure

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What about alcohol and these medications?

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Although alcohol does not directly interact with the medication, it is advisable people to avoid alcohol if possible. Research has shown that alcohol mixed with the medication may put extra strain on your liver and it may affect your blood sugar levels.

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Is weight loss guaranteed?

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No. Unfortunately, weight loss cannot guaranteed. Although the studies showed weight loss for some people, everyone is different. It is impossible to predict how much weight could be lost.

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Are there side effects?

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Like any medication, there are the risks of side effects. The most common side effects are transient - this means that they only last for a couple of days whilst your body adjusts to the medication.  40-60% of clients experience no side effects, whilst others experience one or two mild side effects.

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Side effects can include:

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  • Nausea

  • Headaches

  • Dry mouth / thirst

  • Constipation or loose stool

  • Tiredness

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Some clients experience no side effects. Some experience one side effect. Some experience two side effects. Everyone is different and it is difficult to predict. However, during the consultation we go through the side effects & how to deal with them. We also send you aftercare information on how to deal with any potential side effects and the Patient Information Leaflet, which goes into greater detail.

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Do I need to see my doctor before using these medications?

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You do not need to see your doctor or inform them, however, it would be sensible to keep your GP informed of any medications you use privately.

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What kind of after care can I expect from Slim Transformation?

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If you weight up all the information and, in conjunction with our pharmacy team, decide to go ahead with the medication, you will receive aftercare literature. This will cover the medication, how to use the medication, what the side effects are, how to deal with side effects and more.

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You will also:

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  • The official Patient Information Leaflet

  • Receive check-ins via email on Day 10, Day 20 & Day 30.

  • Gain access to our Facebook Support Group & online Members Area.

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If you need any advice or support in the meantime, our team are available 7 days a week via telephone or email or text.

 

We know what it is like trying to lose weight - it can be scary, it can be hard, it can sometimes seem impossible - so we welcome our clients to contact us even for the slightest concern. We are here to ensure your journey with us is as smooth as possible.

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Is this medication genuine?

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The medication is 100% genuine - it is governed under UK regulation by NICE & the MHRA. The medication is only sourced UK based pharmacies who use official UK wholesalers to ensure you receive a genuine product from the manufacturer.

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Do you have a Distance Selling Logo?

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No. As of 1st January 2021, websites selling Prescription-Only Medicines can no longer and are no longer required to display the little green & white Distance Selling Logo, as this was an EU mandate, not a UK one. A UK version is in the pipeline.

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Are you ASA compliant?

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Yes. We liaised directly with the ASA on making sure our website and social media pages were fully compliant with all UK regulations.

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Is my personal information safe?

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We are registered with the Information Commissioners Office, which means we are on a UK governed register for being GDPR and Data Protection compliant. Your details are only ever seen by the pharmacies we work with and our internal team who will be supporting your weight loss journey. Whilst we do ask for a form of ID, this is only for the pharmacy to verify your identity and your age for their prescribing purposes.

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What is the difference between Off-Licence & Off-Label?

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Only Liraglutide is licensed for weight loss, whereas Semaglutide is licensed only for diabetes. To get a medicine license, a medication goes through rigorous testing & clinical trials. It is then granted a license for a specific purpose by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority (MHRA) for the UK. The license will include information on what the medicine is for, who the medicine is for and the parameters in which it can be used.

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Prescribing Off-Licence means prescribing the medication outside of the licence's parameters.

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Prescribing Off-Label means prescribing a drug for a different purpose than what it is licensed for.

 

For example, Semaglutide is currently licensed for diabetes but can be prescribed for weight loss if a person is deemed safe & suitable, it is clinically justifiable & reasonable, and you are made fully aware of the pros & cons alongside the fact that it is unlicensed for weight loss.

 

Are all weight loss products licensed for weight loss?

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No. Only Liraglutide is licensed for weight loss, whereas Semaglutide is licensed only for diabetes. Please contact us if you would like more information regarding this or information on the current clinical trials of Semaglutide for weight loss.

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