Article by Kelly McCandless  |  Photo courtesy of Central Wellness

Central Wellness exists to make a positive difference in every client’s life, one experience at a time. With a wide variety of services, owner and co-founder Janine Griffin prides herself on empowering women, building confidence, and helping them believe in themselves.

One of Central Wellness’ most popular offerings is aiding clients in weight loss. According to its website, 7 out of 10 adults are actively trying to lose weight, and many tips, tricks, and hacks are just that—hacks that don’t provide long-term results. Central Wellness exists for people seeking to make a true lifestyle change and will guide you every step of the way.

Semaglutide

Semaglutide is a Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1), a long phrase for a chain of amino acids that increases the body’s insulin production, inhibiting glucagon and decreasing appetite. The FDA-approved treatment has been used for years to treat Diabetes and is now being put to work to help people seeking support in their weight loss journey.

But it’s not for everyone. According to Griffin, candidates for Semaglutide must have a BMI of 27 or higher and at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or Type 2 Diabetes. If your BMI is over 30, you do not need to also have a weight-related condition to qualify. In either case, these indicators are evaluated before patients are placed on the regimen.

Ultimately, Semaglutide emerges as the top choice for individuals committed to lifestyle adjustments. Steering clear of processed foods and prioritizing protein consumption, aiming for approximately 120 grams for females and 150 grams for males, are pivotal steps. Adequate hydration and dedicating time to a weightlifting regimen are indispensable both during the treatment and its tapering-off phase. Protein intake plays a significant role in curbing cravings.

What to Expect

At Central Wellness, patients are guided through every step of their journey. "Upon expressing interest, we invite you in to assess your health history," Griffin explained. "Using a scale, we determine key metrics such as your BMI, water weight, and lean muscle mass," Griffin emphasized their meticulous approach, highlighting the importance of proper nutrition. "We're careful because inadequate nutrition can lead to muscle loss rather than fat loss.

Qualified candidates connect with a Nurse Practitioner who will prescribe the shots, which patients administer on their own after the first one (or you can go in for help if the idea of giving yourself injections makes you queasy!). “After that, patients come in once per month to be checked out,” Griffin continued. “We weigh you and check you’re losing weight and not muscle. We check in on your nutrition and other lifestyle changes you’re making. We make nutritional suggestions and encourage exercise and movement.” The goal is to guide and support you in making lifestyle changes a new habit.

People are on semaglutide for varying lengths of time, depending on their weight loss goals. Griffin says patients will be on the treatment for 3-4 months on the low end and 8-9 months on average.

One of the main hurdles revolves around the side effects, particularly the treatment's ability to suppress appetite. "Semaglutide communicates with the brain, signaling to the stomach that hunger is reduced," explained Griffin. For many individuals using Semaglutide, food loses its appeal, resulting in diminished "food noise" in their thoughts, facilitating better control of overeating impulses. Furthermore, the treatment slows down the digestive process, causing food to linger longer in the stomach and digestive tract. Griffin emphasized the need for real lifestyle changes after discontinuing Semaglutide. "Upon cessation, appetite and cravings return. However, maintaining adequate protein intake can mitigate these effects."

Putting it All Together

Central Wellness’ primary aim is to foster health and wellness. "We're dedicated to your success," Griffin emphasized. "By achieving weight loss, you not only have the potential to discontinue other medications but also to become more physically active. That's the transformation we aspire to witness in our clients!" Emphasizing protein, good nutrition, hydration, and weightlifting is all part of the equation.

Clients often inquire, "Why focus on protein and weightlifting?" Griffin explains, "Protein requires more energy to metabolize, meaning if you consume lean protein, your body burns more calories in the process." Additionally, during Semaglutide treatment, building muscle becomes crucial to ensure that weight loss predominantly targets fat rather than muscle mass. Griffin elaborates, "We mustn't overlook the loss of core muscle that occurs during weight loss. We work very hard at coaching our clients on what wellness looks like." It can be a lot to learn, but real lifestyle change won’t happen without it. That’s why the program includes the Semaglutide injections and nutritional and lifestyle coaching.

Central Wellness has been offering Semaglutide for about a year and proudly boasts a 96% success rate! They’ve been in business since 2012 and employ highly qualified staff who receive continual education and genuinely care about client outcomes.

"Semaglutide is not a magic solution," cautioned Griffin. "Weight loss requires effort on your part, too. Our goal is to see you become healthy." 

In addition to Semaglutide, Central Wellness focuses on hormones and hormone replacement therapy, which aid in balancing the body and supporting its clients in feeling their best.

Originally printed in the June 2024 issue of Simply Local Magazine

Read this article in the digital issue of Simply Local here!

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