If you’ve tried the diets, the apps and the gym memberships and the weight still won’t budge, you’re not alone. For many people, a medical approach is the missing piece. Prescription GLP-1 medications get a lot of attention, but medication is only one part of a real plan with a physician behind it.
At Beyond Restore Wellness & Aesthetics, we offer medical weight loss in Newport Beach through Body by Beyond, our membership-based, physician-led program. This guide covers what medical weight loss is, how GLP-1 medications work, who may be a fit, what the side effects are, and what to expect along the way.
What Is Medical Weight Loss?
Medical weight loss is a physician-supervised program for steady, sustainable fat loss. It pairs a full medical evaluation with nutrition and lifestyle coaching and, when your physician decides it’s appropriate, a prescription GLP-1 medication.
People most often come to us about:
- Weight gain tied to a slower metabolism or hormonal shifts
- Stubborn weight that isn’t responding to diet and exercise alone
- Constant cravings and appetite swings
- Prediabetes or insulin resistance, managed under medical supervision
Your physician prescribes and monitors your plan. Medication is prescribed only if it fits your overall health picture, and your physician will talk with you about which GLP-1 option suits your health history, including FDA-approved options for chronic weight management.
How GLP-1 Medications Work
GLP-1 medications act like glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone your gut releases after you eat. It helps signal fullness, slows how quickly your stomach empties and helps regulate blood sugar. Some newer medications also act on a second hormone receptor called GIP.
Combined with nutrition coaching and realistic lifestyle changes, these medications may reduce hunger, make portions easier to manage and help you keep a calorie deficit. Doses usually start low and increase gradually over several weeks to help limit side effects.
Your First Visit: Evaluation and Labs
Everything starts with a free consultation. Your physician reviews your medical history, current medications, habits and family history, including any thyroid cancer, and orders labs to make sure you’re a good candidate. Labs are drawn at Quest or a lab near you. At your first visit, you’ll also have a baseline InBody body composition test.
To get the most from that first visit, bring:
- A list of your current medications and supplements
- Your past weight loss efforts and any recent labs or health screenings
- Your family history, and any plans for pregnancy or upcoming surgery
What Body by Beyond Includes
Once you’re started, your plan combines your prescribed medication when appropriate, nutrition coaching through our partner nutrition coach and guidance on movement. There are no extreme diets or impossible rules.
- Check-ins: weekly at first, then spaced out once you and your physician are comfortable. Your physician reviews your progress, adjusts your dose when needed and answers your questions.
- In person or telehealth: meet at our Newport Beach office or by video.
- Monthly InBody tests: we repeat your InBody body composition test every month at our Newport Beach office.
- No minimum program length.
- Optional add-ons: B12 injections, lipo injections, peptides and IV drips. They’re never required; ask your physician whether any fit your plan.
If medication isn’t right for you, the program can still support you with nutrition coaching, movement planning and behavior guidance.
Side Effects: What to Know
Many people tolerate treatment well, but GLP-1 medications can cause side effects. The most common are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, indigestion, bloating, burping, headache, tiredness and dizziness. They’re usually strongest when you start or increase a dose, and your physician will show you how to manage them. Reactions where you inject and hair thinning can also happen.
Less common but serious side effects listed on the FDA labels include pancreatitis, gallbladder problems such as gallstones, low blood sugar (mainly with insulin or a sulfonylurea), kidney problems from dehydration, serious allergic reactions and severe stomach problems.
Call your physician right away if you have severe stomach pain that won’t go away (with or without vomiting), pain in your upper right belly, yellowing skin or eyes, signs of dehydration, swelling of your face or throat, or trouble breathing. Before any surgery or procedure that uses anesthesia or sedation, tell your physician, surgeon or anesthesia team that you take a GLP-1 medication.
Who shouldn’t take a GLP-1 medication. FDA-approved GLP-1 medications for chronic weight management carry a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors. Don’t use one if you or anyone in your family has had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), if you have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), if you’re pregnant or could be, or if you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to a GLP-1 medication. Tell your physician if you’re breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy, have type 1 diabetes, or have a history of pancreatitis, gallbladder or kidney disease, slow stomach emptying, diabetic eye disease, depression or an eating disorder. Also mention it if you take insulin, a sulfonylurea or birth control pills, since some GLP-1 medications can make birth control pills less effective for a time.
Habits Matter as Much as Medication
Every body is different, and individual results vary. In clinical trials of FDA-approved GLP-1 medications, weight loss happened gradually over months, along with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity. Many people notice changes in appetite first.
Weight often comes back for people who stop GLP-1 medication without a plan. That’s why we talk about maintenance from the start: steady habits, realistic goals and continued support.
Medical Weight Loss and Body Contouring
Medical weight loss and body contouring often work as partners: reach a stable weight first, then refine shape. Depending on your goals, you might later ask about EmSculpt NEO for toning an area close to your goal weight, HD liposuction for stubborn fat once your weight is stable, or a tummy tuck for loose abdominal skin after significant weight loss. If hormone changes are affecting your energy, mood or weight, bioidentical hormone therapy may be worth a conversation too.
Medical Weight Loss FAQs
How much does medical weight loss cost?
It depends on your plan, including whether medication is part of it, your labs and any add-ons. We’ll walk you through your membership and its cost at your free consultation, before you decide anything. Medical weight loss is cash pay only, and we don’t accept insurance. Financing is available through PatientFi, CareCredit and Cherry.
Can I do the program without medication?
Yes. If medication isn’t right for you, we can still support you with nutrition coaching, movement planning and behavior guidance.
Do I need labs first?
Yes. Your physician orders the necessary labs and reviews them with your health history before any medication is started.
Is there a minimum commitment?
No. There’s no minimum program length.
Book Your Free Consultation
If you’re ready for a different approach, start with a free, no-pressure consultation. Your physician will review your health history and goals, talk honestly about whether medication fits, and build a Body by Beyond plan around you. Walk-ins are welcome, but scheduling is recommended.
Beyond Restore Wellness & Aesthetics
1501 Westcliff Dr #303, Newport Beach, CA 92660
- Call: 949-503-9621
- Hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–5:00 PM · Fri 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
This article is for general education and isn’t medical advice. Individual results vary, and no result can be promised. Please consult a qualified physician about your own health before starting any medication or weight loss program.