"The Missing Link in Weight Loss: Acupuncture"

By Dr. Stephanie Johnson, L.Ac.

MD AcuMed Integrative Medicine

Well that was fast, in a few weeks 2022 is D-O-N-E…done. How did that happen???

Did you start the year with resolutions? Did you accomplish them? For the last five years, I made the SAME resolution over and over again. It was always to lose weight. And guess what? Over and over again, I reached the end of the year–and FAILED.

Eventually that five pound pudge turned into ten, then 20, then a baby, then menopause, then a pandemic. Before I knew it, I had gained 40 pounds. Each year I set a goal to lose weight, only to end by gaining more. I felt miserable, frustrated and defeated.

It’s no surprise that the number one resolution most people make every year is to lose weight. The term “fat and happy” is a big FAT lie. The sad truth is that the majority of Americans are FAT and they feel miserable and crappy.

The worst part for me is that I am a DOCTOR. I know how to live a healthy lifestyle. The fact that I was unable to lose weight was frustrating. In fact, it made me angry. I’d tried all the things…. Eating clean. Popular diet programs. Exercise. I’d even set a goal to eat clean and exercise faithfully for an entire year. Do you know what happened at the end of my year???? I weighed the same. Talk about frustration. At that point, I threw in the towel.

At the end of 2021, I got mad. I was sick and tired of being fat and unhappy. Instead of starting the new year with yet another “diet”—I made the decision to do the research and figure out what was missing for me, and many other women that I knew who were my age, and struggling with the same midlife bulge that I was experiencing.

One afternoon my colleague, Dr. Kimberly Thompson of Meridian, Idado, and I began commiserating over our shared weight loss dilemma. We were both post menopause. We both had gained a significant amount of weight in the last several years, thanks pandemic. We were both DOCTORS OF ACUPUNCTURE.

After researching, analyzing and picking apart the best aspects of the premier weight loss programs to figure out what was missing–we realized that we held the missing piece and it was sitting right in front of us. ACUPUNCTURE. Why hadn’t we tried acupuncture to help us lose weight in the past?

Together, we made a list of all of the BEST pieces of the weight loss programs we had tried. We combined that knowledge with our understanding of the body from an acupuncture perspective; and, we combined elements of current science based research on nutrition and cellular regeneration to supplement our program.

What happened next was mind blowing. Finally, we were both able to release the weight that we had been accumulating for the past five years. As the year progressed, we were able to maintain our weight loss. Our friends and family were so impressed with our success that they begged us to teach them to lose weight too.

The rest is history. Together we created The AcuPlus Weight Loss Program™. Patients who follow our program are losing an average of 24 pounds in a six-week period. Our program includes acupuncture PLUS good nutrition and modern science based treatments of frequency specific microcurrent and ozone therapy to help resolve inflammation and balance the emotions. The results have been amazing.

Here’s what I learned in 2022…

1. Acupuncture is the missing piece!

When your body is out of balance, it is HARD to lose weight. Combining acupuncture PLUS all the right elements leads to success.

2. A Mentor/ Guide who knows the Experience!

Having gone through many programs I know what it feels like, to go up and down, back and forth. Having the right guide leads to sustained success.

3. It shouldn’t take an entire year to lose weight.

If we don’t lose a significant amount of weight within the first few weeks, then we quit. We lose our momentum. We cheat. We fail.

4. You don’t need to exercise to lose weight. Gasp!

For years and years, we have been told that we need to sweat to lose weight but current research shows that exercise is what helps you maintain the weight once you get there.

5. A good weight loss program must focus on emotions.

Remember how that fat accumulated? Stuffing down our emotions, using food and alcohol as coping mechanisms to hide emotions, leads to weight gain. Every acupuncture pathway in the body is related to muscles, organs and emotions. When the body is out of balance (i.e. think chronic pain like headaches, joint pain, digestive issues or low back pain), then so are the emotions. Acupuncture is a beautiful way to help balance emotions and the body.

So here is the big question…What are your goals for 2023?

Start this New Year with a positive mindset using acupuncture and a successful, proven, innovative weight loss strategy, knowing you CAN lose weight, maintain weight, AND feel fabulous in 2023!

Our next program starts January 14th, 2023. Click here to lose weight in 2023!

https://mdacumed.simplero.com/page/274219

Dr. Stephanie Johnson, L.Ac. is the co-founder of MD AcuMed Integrative Health in Kensington, MD. She specializes in chronic pain, allergies and runs the The AcuPlus Weight Loss Program™. You can learn more about her clinic and programs at www.mdacumed.com/weight-loss or call 301-592-9355.