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23 Oct 2025Weight loss isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation, yet so many diet books and videos make it seem that way. DASH, Flexitarian, Mediterranean, and MIND diets are touted as the best, but they don’t always fit into a person’s schedule or budget.
Obese men and women may use GLP-1 (semaglutide) for weight loss. Starting January 1, 2026, coverage for these medications stops unless you have type 2 diabetes. Many health insurance companies across the country, including Medi-Cal, will no longer cover these injections, leaving patients stuck with the full cost or to find another option.
If you cannot afford these injections, you’re not out of luck. A medical diet plan is ideal for losing weight and keeping it off.
What Is a Medically-Supervised Diet?
A medically-supervised diet is a carefully structured diet plan that supports overweight individuals. It’s completed with several healthcare professionals, including registered dietitians, nurses, doctors, and possibly physical therapists, to help you achieve your goal weight and avoid gaining it back.
This diet is customized to your needs and includes some or all of the following:
- Customized nutrition plans
- Emotional, mental health support
- Lifestyle modifications, including exercise programs and stress management
- Medical monitoring, including body composition, blood pressure, and bloodwork
- Prescription medications, including appetite suppressants
The biggest perk to a medically-supervised weight loss plan is that you have support. Losing weight takes your emotions on a rollercoaster ride. You’re thrilled when you see the pounds fall off, but you’re frustrated when you plateau. You feel alone while you’re out with friends and they’re having burgers, fries, and ice cream, while you’re carefully watching what you eat.
With a doctor-led weight loss program, you have support and encouragement every step of the way. You’re not alone.
Core Components in a Weight Loss Diet Plan
Every practice has its own methods, but Dr. Green and Premium Sports & Orthopedics start with doctor-supervised training programs and progress check-ins. Your customized weight loss program also includes:
- Lifestyle Modifications: Become energized and involved in the exercises you do. Start with EMS workouts to build muscle and lose fat efficiently. You might have poor muscle tone after years of a sedentary lifestyle or a serious injury. Exercise plans are developed to consider your abilities.
- Medical Monitoring: Regular check-ins check your blood pressure, bloodwork, weight, and body composition to see how you’re progressing.
- Mental Health Support: If you are struggling emotionally, counseling is always available. You also work with experts who help you identify troubling behaviors and develop strategies to overcome hurdles.
- Nutrition Plans: A nutritional plan is developed so that it provides the calories you need while you’re meeting your nutritional needs. If you’re anemic, you need a dietary plan that accounts for the extra iron your body needs. If you’re diabetic, your diet needs to keep your glucose level.
- Prescription Medications: Medications that help with weight loss may be needed. These could include injections or oral medications. You’ll take them under a doctor’s instructions and adjust their usage as needed.
Who Supports You Along the Way?
Part of a weight loss program focuses on the support you have. You need a supportive team to cheer you on, to help you through plateaus, and to keep you motivated. Ideally, you’ll have family and friends for support, but you also have a team of doctors, nurses, dietitians, and other medical professionals who want to see you succeed.
You’ll have nurses and doctors monitoring your weight and vitals during regular check-ins. You have dietitians to help you plan meals and snacks that support your weight loss goals. Physical therapists help you learn exercises and the proper form to keep you from injuring yourself while you work out.
How Is a Diet Plan Personalized?
A diet is useless if it doesn’t consider what you do and don’t like to eat. One patient is allergic to lettuce. Even the smallest piece makes her throw up. A diet of green salads won’t work for her. She might lose weight, never keeping her food down, but she’d lack the nutrients she needs.
Instead, you discuss the foods you like, any allergies or aversions, and create meal plans from that information. A diet won’t work if you hate what you’re eating. Your medically-supervised diet plan must appeal to you.
You learn portion control, if that’s been a problem. When you go to a restaurant, portions are often far larger than you need. From a young age, kids are taught to eat their lunch in a limited amount of time.
According to the California Department of Education, students must be allowed 10 minutes to eat breakfast and 20 minutes to eat lunch. Many people have been trained to eat as quickly as possible. What should take 30 minutes is narrowed down to 20 minutes.
You grow up eating fast, and that impacts digestion. You don’t have time to chew properly. Your intestine’s stretch sensors don’t have the chance to signal that you’re full, so you eat more than your body needs.
A medically-supervised diet plan considers that. You learn proper potions and the right balance of grains, produce, lean proteins, and dairy.
How Does a Medical Diet Support Long-Term Weight Management?
Because you’re starting over and learning what to eat, how much to eat, and how often to eat, you learn valuable skills that support your weight for the long run. You learn to grab a handful of toasted almonds or a portion of plain yogurt with chopped apple if you’re feeling hungry and it’s not time for a meal.
Your Responsibilities When Working With a Doctor
One of the keys to a successful weight loss plan is to be honest with your doctor. You may trip up and have a cookie when you’re with a friend. Don’t hide it. Everyone slips up, but you can get back on track. You don’t have to let one moment of weakness derail your weight loss goals.
Provide a comprehensive health history. Go back as many generations as you can to give your doctor a full history. If your grandmother had diabetes and you don’t, there’s a risk you could develop it. It’s important to share.
Connect your weight loss team with your primary care physician. They need to work together to help you succeed.
Finally, follow your doctor’s recommendations. If you wake up and don’t feel energetic enough to get on the treadmill for 30 minutes, do it anyway. Put on a podcast that inspires you and start walking. Better yet, go outside and enjoy the fresh air while you walk. If the 30 minutes are up and you’re still feeling great, talk to your doctor about lengthening your walks.
What to Expect at the First Appointment?
Your first appointment at Premium Sports & Orthopedics begins with an assessment. The doctor gets to know you, your health history, and your goals. From there, a plan is developed.
While everyone’s story is unique, we’ve had patients lose more than 12 pounds in just three weeks. That could be you. Schedule a medical weight loss consultation and start your journey towards a new you.
