Pounds for Health Weight Loss Clinic
The Pounds For Health weight loss clinic combines lifestyle, medical, and surgical approaches to assist patients in achieving and sustaining a healthy weight.
Our Goal
The Pounds for Health weight loss clinic’s focus is on more than just numbers on a scale. Improved overall health, greater confidence, happiness and the implementation of a new lifestyle are just some of the intangibles that we look to measure during our time with you.
Through a combination of personalized counseling, support sessions, medically supervised diet regimens and medications to improve the overall health of our patients, we believe that the Pounds for Health program delivers on every level.
How Can I Become a Patient at Pounds for Health?
Patients are seen by physician referral only, as this is a Ministry of Health funded clinic. The clinic specializes in assessing and treating patients who are classified as overweight or higher; from the overweight (BMI over 27), class III obesity (BMI over 40), to morbid obesity (BMI over 50).
What is a Body Mass Index (BMI)?
The Body Mass Index (BMI), also known as a Quetelet Index, is a number that has been calculated by taking the body’s mass (weight) and dividing it by the square root of the body’s height. BMI calculations indicate whether a person’s weight is ideal (healthy) based on their size (height).
Exceptions to BMI Calculations
- Muscles building athletes: will have a higher BMI, but are not overweight
- Height: people shorter than 150cm OR people taller than 190cm will not yield an accurate BMI reading
- The elderly/ physically disabled: someone who may have difficulties or be unable to walk may have wasting muscle mass – resulting in a lower BMI
BMI Over 25
If you have a calculated BMI of 25 of higher, and are relatively physically inactive you are at a higher risk of developing a number of medical conditions.
- Cardiovascular disease (heart/ blood circulation)
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Osteoarthritis
- Mood swings
- Depression and other mental health disorders
BMI Over 40
Having a calculated BMI 40 or higher has all the medical risks of being overweight, but a greater likelihood of developing a serious medical condition, and places additional stain on the body.
- Cardiovascular disease (heart/ blood circulation)
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Sleep Apnea
- Osteoarthritis
- Edema (fluid retention)
- Mood swing
- Depression, and other mental health disorders
- Infertility
Bariatric Clinic
Criteria for a patient to be eligible for a bariatric procedure:
- If patient is than 100 pounds over a healthy body weight
- Patient has a BMI (body mass index) over 40
- Patient has severe health complications that are related to being overweight, and has a BMI of 35 or higher
- Despite medically supervised dieting attempts, cannot achieve a healthy body weight
Bariatric Procedures
A patient will discuss the ideal procedure for their individual circumstances with their doctor.Prior to any bariatric procedure, a pre-op Meal Replacement Program must be followed.
The 4 types of Bariatric Procedures are:
Gastric Bypass
A procedure that removes the majority of the stomach and a portion of the small intestine, leaving a small pouch as the new stomach. Pouch is attached to a new segment of the small intestine.
Sleeve Gastrectomy
A sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric sleeve procedure, removes approximately 80% of the stomach to restrict the amount of food the stomach can hold.
By limiting the capacity of the stomach, a patient will feel full from a smaller amount of food, and therefore consume less calories.
Adjustable Gastric Band
An adjustable gastric band is an inflatable band that is placed around the upper portion of the stomach, which creates a small pouch to hold the contents of the stomach.
The patient will now feel full from a smaller amount of food, so fewer calories are consumed at meal times.
Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch
A portion of the stomach is removed (similar to a gastric sleeve procedure), and a large portion of the small intestine is bypassed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Being Overweight Genetic?
Studies done at Harvard School of Public Health show that genetics have a very small effect on being overweight. Weight if overall influence by lifestyle factors; lifestyle factors a person is raised with, and those that a person chooses for themselves. It is important to make sustainable lifestyle changes to maintain ideal health and weight, rather than a serious of “dieting”.
What is Ketosis?
Ketosis is a naturally occurred metabolic state is the body, which uses fat as the primary energy source rather than carbohydrates.
What is a Keto Diet?
A Keto Diet can be summarized as a low-carb diet, because the process requires a person to eat 50 grams or less of carbohydrates in day. You can also initiate the ketosis process via a prescribed a medical, protein based, meal replacement diet.