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Weight Loss Specialist

Patricia G. Gao, MD Our Services Weight Loss

Patricia G. Gao, MD

Primary Care Physician located in Glen Burnie, MD

Being overweight or obese increases your risk of serious medical issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and osteoarthritis. If you’re struggling to lose weight, schedule an appointment with Dr. Patricia G. Gao today. She helps patients in Glen Burnie, Maryland achieve weight loss through counseling, eating a healthy diet, learning portion control, and exercising regularly. Dr. Gao also prescribes FDA-approved medications to regulate appetite or decrease stress eating. She offers patients a monthly weight loss program for $95 per visit.

Weight Loss Q&A

How can counseling help you lose weight?

Attending counseling sessions can help you address emotional and behavioral issues related to your diet. Therapy can help you both determine why you overeat and learn healthy ways to cope with anxiety. You’ll also discover how to monitor your diet and exercise, cope with food cravings, and recognize eating triggers. You can attend therapy meetings individually or in a group setting. Depending on your personal situation, you might benefit from bringing your family members to your counseling sessions.

What types of foods promote weight loss?

To successfully lose weight, reduce the amount of calorie dense foods, such as cakes, cookies, and ice cream, you eat. Strive to incorporate more plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains into your diet. Fuel your body with lean sources of protein including beans, lentils, soy products, and lean meats. Aim to consume fish at least 2 times each week. Consume small amounts of healthy fats such as olive oil.

How can you decrease your portion sizes

To decrease your portion sizes, avoid eating food straight from a box, container, or can. Instead, always put food on a plate or in a bowl. You’ll see how much you’re actually eating. Drink a full glass of water with your meals. The water helps to fill you up faster, so you likely won’t eat as much. Because your brain requires a certain amount of time to send signals of fullness to your stomach, eat your food slowly. To help you accomplish this task, consider putting your fork or spoon down every time you take a bite of food.

How much exercise do you need to lose weight?

If you’re overweight or obese, attempt to complete some type of moderate physical activity for at least 150 minutes each week. Aerobic exercise is the best way to burn calories. Effective types of aerobic exercise include:

  • Walking
  • Jogging
  • Running
  • Hiking
  • Swimming
  • Spinning
  • Elliptical training

What types of medications help people lose weight?

For some patients, counseling, dietary changes, and exercise might not be enough. To jumpstart your weight loss goals, you may benefit from taking a fat blocker, appetite suppressant, or a combination of both. Dr. Gao can prescribe a medication specifically tailored to your health needs.

Insurance

We accept the majority of health insurance plans. Please contact our office if you do not see yours listed or have any other questions.

AARP
Aetna
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
APWU
Assurant Health
Bankers Life and Casualty Company
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Blue Cross Blue Shield Choice
Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal
Blue Cross Blue Shield Horizon
Care Improvement Plus
CareFirst
CHAMPVA
Cigna
CoreSource
Corvel