3 Services Medical Centres Offer That Can Support Weight Management

It's easy to overlook the support services offered by medical centres, as they tend to be thought of as GP clinics for the treatment of common ailments, such as bacterial infections and minor skin complaints. However, there are a number of ways your medical centre can support you on your weight management journey. In addition to making a referral for specialised dietetic support, managing medication dosages as your weight changes and running clinics that offer blood pressure monitoring, medical centres can support weight management in the following three ways.

Exercise Physiology

Exercise physiology is a specialism dealing with how your body responds to physical stress and how it adapts to consistent exposure to exercise over time. When you attend an exercise physiology clinic, the physiologist will work with you to determine goals relating your weight management journey. The aim is to support the improvement of your overall health and fitness. They can help you formulate an exercise plan that's right for your body and goals, and they can provide a rehabilitation service for common exercise-induced injuries, which can help you get back to your exercise program quickly if you get injured.

Counselling Services

It's not unusual to experience low mood, anxiety and fear of failure when embarking on a weight management journey, so if you reach a point where you feel you may benefit from talking therapy and the support of a trained counsellor, look into the counselling services offered at your health centre. Some centres provide a short course of counselling, while others have a more open-ended approach and can support you throughout your journey.

Weight Checks

Your medical centre can offer weight check appointments at regular intervals to help you track your progress. Some people prefer this to weighing themselves at home due to the added accountability. You can also discuss any issues you are having in relation to reaching your goals, and additional support can be offered if needed, such as reviewing your eating program. If your weight is not moving in the right direction, you can also be referred for blood tests to check for problems that can impact weight control, such as thyroid dysfunction.

These are just a few examples of the services offered by medical centres that can support those on a weight management journey. Contact a medical centre directly to find out more about the supportive services they offer and how to access them.