Dr Ben Bikman is a metabolic scientist and has a lot of great information on what insulin resistance is. Below are two great videos with Dr. Ben Bikman on weight loss and insulin resistance and how fat cells are unable to shrink and cause weight loss unless insulin resistance is decreased.
Nausea
- Nausea can occur due to gastric emptying slowing down, a recent increase in weekly dose, or low blood sugar.
- Protein: When you begin to feel nausea, eat something higher in protein to bring sugar levels up to a more steady state.
- Protein Shake: If your appetite is quite suppressed and you aren’t feeling hungry, you can supplement with a healthy protein shake. We recommend Dr. Ben Bikman’s Hlthcode which is full of healthy ingredients: HlthCode Complete meal
- Decrease your medication dose: If your current dose is causing nausea and completely suppressing your appetite in a way that is unhealthy, decrease your dose for your next injection.
Bloating
- Food sits in the stomach longer causing the feeling of fullness, which can lead to bloating.
- Foods: Steer clear of foods or beverages that cause bloating -beans, dairy, cruciferous vegetables, and carbonated drinks.
- Overeating: Overeating can cause bloating, so eat smaller meals which are more easily digestible.
- Move your Body: Exercise regularly to improve your digestion and help prevent bloating. Even a 5-10 minute walk following meals helps greatly with digestion.
Indigestion or heartburn
- Stomach emptying is slower & food sits in your stomach longer (causing fullness).
- Smaller portions: Eat smaller portions which are more easily digestible
Say no to spicy or greasy foods: Steer clear of foods that are spicy or greasy if they cause heartburn
- Constipation - Gastric emptying is slowed causing food to move through your GI tract more slowly
- Move your Body: Exercise can help relieve constipation by stimulating the muscles in your intestines, promoting smoother movement of stool through the digestive system, and potentially reducing the time it takes for food to move through the large intestine
- Eat enough Fiber & Drink Plenty of Fluids: Increasing fiber intake and drinking plenty of fluids are key strategies for relieving and preventing constipation because fiber adds bulk to stool and helps it absorb water, making it softer and easier to pass
- OTC Medications to help: Stool Softeners, Osmotic Laxatives, Bulk-Forming Laxatives, Stimulant Laxatives, Lubricant Laxatives.
Diarrhea
- Decrease your medication dose - if your dose has recently increased, it might be too much for you. You can decrease your dose for your next injection and allow the diarrhea to resolve.
- Drink plenty of fluids to avoid becoming dehydrated
- Avoid Certain Foods: Steer clear of dairy products, high-fiber foods, laxatives, coffee, alcohol, and soft drinks, all of which can exacerbate diarrhea. Eat Simple Foods: To help settle your stomach, stick to bland foods such as chicken broth, rice, potatoes, etc.
- You can take over-the-counter medications to help with diarrhea including: Citrucel dietary fiber supplement, Imodium (loperamide), Kaopectate (bismuth subsalicylate), and Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate)
- Nausea can occur due to gastric emptying slowing down, a recent increase in weekly dose, or low blood sugar.
- Protein: When you begin to feel nausea, eat something higher in protein to bring sugar levels up to a more steady state.
- Protein Shake: If your appetite is quite suppressed and you aren’t feeling hungry, you can supplement with a healthy protein shake. We recommend Dr. Ben Bikman’s Hlthcode which is full of healthy ingredients: HlthCode Complete meal
- Decrease your medication dose: If your current dose is causing nausea and completely suppressing your appetite in a way that is unhealthy, decrease your dose for your next injection.
Bloating
- Food sits in the stomach longer causing the feeling of fullness, which can lead to bloating.
- Foods: Steer clear of foods or beverages that cause bloating -beans, dairy, cruciferous vegetables, and carbonated drinks.
- Overeating: Overeating can cause bloating, so eat smaller meals which are more easily digestible.
- Move your Body: Exercise regularly to improve your digestion and help prevent bloating. Even a 5-10 minute walk following meals helps greatly with digestion.
Indigestion or heartburn
- Stomach emptying is slower & food sits in your stomach longer (causing fullness).
- Smaller portions: Eat smaller portions which are more easily digestible
Say no to spicy or greasy foods: Steer clear of foods that are spicy or greasy if they cause heartburn
- Constipation - Gastric emptying is slowed causing food to move through your GI tract more slowly
- Move your Body: Exercise can help relieve constipation by stimulating the muscles in your intestines, promoting smoother movement of stool through the digestive system, and potentially reducing the time it takes for food to move through the large intestine
- Eat enough Fiber & Drink Plenty of Fluids: Increasing fiber intake and drinking plenty of fluids are key strategies for relieving and preventing constipation because fiber adds bulk to stool and helps it absorb water, making it softer and easier to pass
- OTC Medications to help: Stool Softeners, Osmotic Laxatives, Bulk-Forming Laxatives, Stimulant Laxatives, Lubricant Laxatives.
Diarrhea
- Decrease your medication dose - if your dose has recently increased, it might be too much for you. You can decrease your dose for your next injection and allow the diarrhea to resolve.
- Drink plenty of fluids to avoid becoming dehydrated
- Avoid Certain Foods: Steer clear of dairy products, high-fiber foods, laxatives, coffee, alcohol, and soft drinks, all of which can exacerbate diarrhea. Eat Simple Foods: To help settle your stomach, stick to bland foods such as chicken broth, rice, potatoes, etc.
- You can take over-the-counter medications to help with diarrhea including: Citrucel dietary fiber supplement, Imodium (loperamide), Kaopectate (bismuth subsalicylate), and Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate)
If you are interested in intermittent fasting, here is a great YouTube channel from Dr Jason Fung who is an expert on the subject. His videos are short and easy to understand.
Pound for pound, muscle weighs the same as fat - just like one pound of feathers weighs the same as one pound of gold. While muscle and fat both weigh the same pound for pound- their composition varies immensely.
Muscle is much denser than fat, meaning muscle occupies less space or volume in the body compared to fat. Muscle also has a leaner
appearance due to its higher density whereas fat takes up more space or volume on the body.
Two individuals can weigh the same but look completely different depending on their body composition. An individual with a high body-fat
percentage compared to an individual with a high lean-muscle percentage can weigh the same, but wear different size clothes, look different, and most importantly have very different health risks.
How & Where to Take Measurements?
Measuring body parts is easy and helpful to measure your weight loss success! All you need is a flexible tape measure (fabric, not metal!) and a method to track your results like the chart above. You can find fabric tape measures at most craft, art or fabric shops.
We’ve also added a line to our chart above to input your weekly weight if you want, but it’s not necessary.
If you’re having a difficult time measuring yourself, ask a partner to lend a hand. They can help make sure you are accurately measuring your body parts at the same area on both sides of your body and ease the difficulty of getting to hard to reach spots.
When taking your measurements, it’s important to measure with the same tightness and same spot each and every time – or you are not going to get accurate readings each week. The measuring tape should be taut, neither too tight or too loose.
Muscle is much denser than fat, meaning muscle occupies less space or volume in the body compared to fat. Muscle also has a leaner
appearance due to its higher density whereas fat takes up more space or volume on the body.
Two individuals can weigh the same but look completely different depending on their body composition. An individual with a high body-fat
percentage compared to an individual with a high lean-muscle percentage can weigh the same, but wear different size clothes, look different, and most importantly have very different health risks.
How & Where to Take Measurements?
Measuring body parts is easy and helpful to measure your weight loss success! All you need is a flexible tape measure (fabric, not metal!) and a method to track your results like the chart above. You can find fabric tape measures at most craft, art or fabric shops.
We’ve also added a line to our chart above to input your weekly weight if you want, but it’s not necessary.
If you’re having a difficult time measuring yourself, ask a partner to lend a hand. They can help make sure you are accurately measuring your body parts at the same area on both sides of your body and ease the difficulty of getting to hard to reach spots.
When taking your measurements, it’s important to measure with the same tightness and same spot each and every time – or you are not going to get accurate readings each week. The measuring tape should be taut, neither too tight or too loose.
Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35658024/
In adults with obesity without diabetes, adding tirzepatide to a lifestyle intervention increased weight loss at 72 wk
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/abs/10.7326/J22-0072?journalCode=aim
Tirzepatide, a New Era of Dual-Targeted Treatment for Diabetes and Obesity: A Mini-Review
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9268041/#main-content
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35658024/
In adults with obesity without diabetes, adding tirzepatide to a lifestyle intervention increased weight loss at 72 wk
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/abs/10.7326/J22-0072?journalCode=aim
Tirzepatide, a New Era of Dual-Targeted Treatment for Diabetes and Obesity: A Mini-Review
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9268041/#main-content
Here is the patient education blog from The Academy of Preventative and Innovative Medicine at WorldLink Medical. The reading material is designed for patients and prospective patients interested in learning more about hormone therapy.
BHRT- Patient Education Blog/Resources
https://www.directory.worldlinkmedical.com/blog
Optimal vs Normal Aging: How We Can Thrive Rather Than Survive Aging
https://www.directory.worldlinkmedical.com/blog/optimal-vs-normal-aging-how-we-can-thrive-rather-than-survive-aging
BHRT- Patient Education Blog/Resources
https://www.directory.worldlinkmedical.com/blog
Optimal vs Normal Aging: How We Can Thrive Rather Than Survive Aging
https://www.directory.worldlinkmedical.com/blog/optimal-vs-normal-aging-how-we-can-thrive-rather-than-survive-aging
More Information Maximize Your Weight-loss With More Education
One Place for all your Needs
Verve Health LLC is HIPAA-compliant, ensuring the protection and confidentiality of sensitive patient health information. See Privacy Policy for full statement.
