Obesity and being overweight is a common problem. In addition to the impacts on one's appearance, obesity poses serious multiple health risks. Being overweight has also been proven to increase surgical risks and complications. While our weight management protocol has been primarily devised for our pre-surgical patients, it can also be applied to patients wishing to reduce their weight for health and aesthetic reasons.Our weight management protocol consists of an initial active weight loss phase using a protein diet meal replacement programme, the Proteifine diet and a maintenance phase during which the patients are taught strategies using principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. The need for the patients to re-educate themselves on healthy eating and lifestyle underpins the entire treatment process.The Proteifine diet is produced by YSONUT Laboratories, a leading European medical dieting, micronutrition and chronobiology company founded in France in 1994. Proteifine is a line of protein based replacement foods, in a variety of flavours and textures, available to only patients under medical supervision. These products form part of a protein-rich diet plan, facilitating weight loss in a effective, safe and scientifically proven manner. The diet plan protects lean body mass (and maintains the basal metabolic rate, preventing the yo-yo effect commonly seen in dieting) and addresses issues around mood and satiety. Typically, the patients undergo a ketogenic period during which body fat mass is reduced and up to 75% of the target weight loss achieved. Normal meals are gradually reintroduced as the target weight loss is achieved. Using this diet, between 7 to 10 kg can be lost over 4 weeks.The initial actual weight loss is arguably the easier part of weight management. Maintenance and keeping excess weight at bay is often very challenging as there are a multitude of social, interpersonal, lifestyle and psychological/emotional factors which exert powerful influence on our eating. The principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy are pertinent in weight management as the successful patients have to not only unlearn behaviour habits and routines but also modify unhelpful thinking patterns and habits.Medical supervision is provided throughout the treatment and reviews are done weekly or fortnightly at the start. The treatment programme is individualised and only available after an initial 1 hour consultation. The cost of this consultation is �50.00, individual follow ups are �30.00 per session.The Proteifine range includes risotto, soups, pancakes, omelettes, chocolate bars, biscuits and desserts all of which are individually priced. The daily cost of a full meal replacement with Proteifine is around �22. In working out the true cost of the treatment, one needs to consider the average spend on foods and drinks per day.
