Frequently Asked Questions
What about your weight loss program?
What are the benefits to your weight loss program?
- Provided in professional weight management office. You develop a personal relationship with the physician and the staff. We follow your weight loss, nutritional, medical and lifestyle needs and we can individualize a program specifically for you.
- Medically supervised. Program is delivered by a board certified physician specifically trained in obesity medicine who can medically monitor your physiological, metabolic, nutritional and motivational needs.
- Multidisciplinary program. Key ingredients to long-term weight loss success are healthy eating, regular exercise, a positive mental attitude, and effective relapse management and coping skills. This program provides all of the elements.
- Education materials. Lifestyle change is a cornerstone of long-term weight management success. In this program, you will learn to make wiser food choices, increase your exercise activity and manage stress, thereby helping to create long-term success. Materials have been designed with busy adults in mind–they are brief, concise and to the point.
- Nutritious meal plans. Meal plan format is easy to follow and helps you adhere to the programs prescribed calorie levels. They also teach you portion control and meal planning principles for long-term success.
- Nutritional food products. The great tasting products help ensure proper nutrient intake, reduce your hunger and allow you to easily comply with the program for quicker weight loss. The products have been designed by nutritional experts with proper macro and micro nutrients to provide you balanced nutrition on a daily basis for safe and effective weight loss, avoiding the off-the-shelf risk to metabolism of many over-the-counter products.
- Reduces co-morbidities resulting from being overweight. Medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension can be very harmful to your health. With just a 5-10% reduction in your weight, you could experience health improvements including a reduction in blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol.
Why are your nutritional products critical to my success?
A major component to the RiteWeigh to Health weight loss program are the meal replacements which are critical to your nutritional needs and ongoing program success. They will help you achieve your goals and have been clinically proven and scientifically designed to work in conjunction with your meal plan.
The products provide the following benefits:
- Provides the body with additional high-quality protein, which is vital to preserve lean body tissue during the weight loss phase. This helps protect the major organs of the body.
- Being high in protein, the products help the body maintain a higher metabolic rate during calorie restriction. As a result, you feel less tired, burn more fat and lose weight faster.
- Supplies the body with the necessary amount of high-quality protein without the added calories and dietary fat found in most common protein rich foods.
- Assures adequate intake of protein during caloric restriction.
Provides a greater feeling of satiety and this helps control hunger.
Provides a structured systematic approach to weight management, which allows better adherence to the program. - The products help eliminate the temptation of high-calorie, high-fat sweets.
- The products are calorie-, fat-, and portion-controlled.
- The products, used with our meal plans, make weight loss easier because they reduce or eliminate weighing foods, label reading, shopping and meal planning.
- In addition, the products are convenient, compatible with today’s busy lifestyle, portable, easy to mix, and taste delicious.
How can I afford to join your weight loss program?
The real question is how can you afford not to join? Lets suppose your car breaks down and leaves you stranded on the side of the road. You get it towed to the mechanic, and he runs several diagnostic tests to determine the problem that will cost you several hundred dollars. You would likely spend the money to repair the car, correct? Well, making an investment to join our program to repair your body and improve your health is just as important as making the investment to repair that car. As the saying goes, “Take care of your body; it’s the only place you have to live.”
How much weight can I expect to lose?...And will I be hungry?
These may be everyone’s top questions? The answer: It depends on several factors including your current weight, program, age, gender, activity level and most importantly, how closely you follow your program. A loss of 4-7 pounds is common in the first week or so. Ongoing weight loss will be about 3-4 pounds a week on average.
Most clients report that their hunger diminishes or disappears within a day or two of beginning the program. Our highly bio-available protein, low-carbohydrate nutritional profile also plays a role in appetite suppression.
Why can't I just lose the weight on my own?
One reason is that you need a program that is going to get you successful quickly. Early results increase ones confidence and belief system in their own ability to lose weight. Certainly some people are able to get their weight down. More often than not however, after a person gets a certain amount of success they frequently soften the pressure on themselves as they feel like they owe it to themselves for doing such a good job. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a brief pat-on-the-back turns into a slide down the slippery slope, and any success rapidly disappears as the weight returns. Long term results don’t come from a short term weight loss, but rather a change to ones belief system and habits. Changing ones own belief system and habits are very difficult without outside help to guide you.
The ultimate goal is to improve the dieter’s relationship to food!
What type of meal plans do you have?
RiteWeigh to Health includes 3 broad categories of meal plans
- VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet). A VLCD is an inspiring weight loss program designed to help you lose more weight and faster than can be obtained from other programs short of surgical options without the inherent risk of surgery. The plan uses nutritious meal replacements that replace the guess-work of all regular grocery foods. It allows one to lose on average from 3-5 pounds per week for those who qualify. Mandatory weekly weigh-ins, dietary journaling and periodic lab is necessary to achieve optimal results safely.
- LCD (Low Calorie Diet). A LCD program is less aggressive than a VLCD and allows for a more gradual weight loss over a longer time period (averaging 1-2 pounds per week). This type of program can be beneficial for those who can’t qualify for the VLCD due to medical reasons or simply prefer not to do without grocery foods to the degree a VLCD would require. This is also the preferred approach for those who can’t commit to weekly weigh-ins, but still need to lose the weight. Although weekly weigh-ins are not absolutely mandatory they are highly encouraged. Also, the plan requires a little more effort with personal food selections from our menu of choices.
- Modified VLCD. This plan combines the effectiveness of a VLCD with one restricted grocery meal for those who need to have at least one”regular” meal per day while keeping meal replacements to facilitate all the other benefits of the program. This plan is a favorite.
Calorie count: Your total calorie meal plan will be designed together with you based on plan qualifiers, as well as your needs, desires, strengths and weaknesses. Although unusual, it can be modified if you start to struggle for some reason. We are going to do whatever we can to keep you on track toward your weight loss goals.
Cost of First Visit? How much will my first visit cost?
For Weight Loss Services: Please call the office for details.
For General Medicine: This is difficult to answer completely. However, in general most new visits fall within $79-$150 if no in-house treatments or tests are required. If your visit is fairly straightforward and simple you can anticipate the lower end of the scale.
First time visits to any clinic usually cost a little more due to the time and resources it takes to generate a chart, gather insurance information, as well as the additional time often needed to gather a medical history. It also depends on multiple factors to include how complicated your problem is, number of problems discussed, physician time required, in-office tests and treatments required etc. Please be aware that because of the work involved to prepare for your visit, you will need to cancel your appointment at least 24 business hours ahead of time to avoid a fee, which will be required prior to further appointment scheduling.
First Visit Requirements? What do I need to bring to my first visit?
Coming prepared with everything you need will expedite your check-in process tremendously minimizing delays for you and helping us give you the excellent care your looking for.
Please bring the following to your first visit.
- Your current insurance card. Without this we may not be able to verify your insurance and you will be responsible for your visit.
- Completed forms (5 in total). These can be downloaded in the “Forms” section of this website or may be filled in online through our secure patient portal with account activation.
- Form of payment. Payment is due at time of service. We accept cash, check, VISA and MasterCard.
- List of medications with dosages and how taken. (Completed on Adult History Form)
- List of your medical and surgical history. (Completed on Adult History Form)
- Recent lab.
- If you are entering the weight loss program, you will also need to complete the additional application packet that is specific to that program, and have it turned into us along with your deposit to reserve you initial consultation. (Please call the office for questions).
Lab Results? Can I get a printed copy of my lab results?
We are happy to provide you with a printed copy of your results at your next office visit, or with 24 hours notice to be picked up in the office. We do not offer the option of mailing a copy of the results after each visit.
Referrals? How do I get a referral to a specialist?
When you need a referral to a specialist, we will provide you with a referral authorization and the name and address of that specialist. In most cases you’ll be able to schedule your own appointment as you know your personal schedule best.
We are not able to make referrals without first having seen you in the office for the problem. We are also unable to make a referral after you have already seen a specialist. The referral needs to be completed after you have been seen in our office and before the specialist is seen.
Medical Records? Do I need to send my old records to you prior to my first visit?
Old records can be useful to have for patients with complicated health histories, but for the most part, old records are not necessary for the first visit. However, please bring a current medications list.
Billing questions? Who do I call for billing questions?
For questions regarding your statement, call our billing department directly at (866)-722-4494. However, for all other inquiries please call the main line at (361)-767-0303.
Insurance Plans? Where can I find what insurance plans you take?
Please see our Insurance Plans page for detailed information.
Doctor is this supplement I'm taking safe?
This is a great question and one we frequently hear. Certainly there are some supplements we believe to have a clear understanding of its safety, efficacy, benefits and interactions. Unfortunately, there are many supplements on the market that we simply do not have the reliable scientific studies to adequately answer this question, and until such time the regulatory requirements change we will not likely see these type of studies publicly.
If you take supplements of any kind we recommend you become familiar with, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. (Link opens in new window.) At a minimum, you should know that, “…the burden of proof shall be on the United States to establish that an article or other such matter is false or misleading.”.
What is important to understand here is that this is the the polar opposite from that of the pharmaceutical industry which must first prove to government regulators that the medication has an acceptable benefit to risk profile and is supported by clinical scientific studies.