When I was in the 5th grade, I was very good friends with a girl (we can call her "Brittney") who struggled with severe obesity. One day in class, for a reason I can't remember but am pretty sure isn't okay, we were asked to get on a scale and weigh ourselves for an assignment. Being the only Black girl in my class, I was filling out in ways that my classmates weren't and I was already insecure about my weight, but I figured that if Brittney didn't complain, I shouldn't either.
When Brittney stepped on the scale, her weight read: 180. I was shook. At the time, I weighed more than the other girls in my class, but I couldn't believe that she was almost 200 pounds. At 10 years old, I made a vow to myself to never weigh more than 180 pounds and right there, in that moment, I started a dysfunctional pattern of negative self-talk as well as my quest to be skinny, not necessarily healthy.
After having my gallbladder removed and struggling with weight fluctuation for years, I met a doctor at a small clinic in Augusta, Georgia who introduced me to the concept of medical weight loss. His walls were adorned with success stories of people who had lost 20, 50, 100 pounds FAST, and I wanted in. I was in my senior year of college and creeping up on the big "170", and in honor of the solemn promise I had made to myself, was willing to lose weight in whatever way possible, so I gave it a try.
Don't be fooled and please do not think that medical weight loss is a fast-track cure all that can change your negative body image issues and childhood insecurities because it's not that. There are actually some extremely dangerous aspects of medical weight loss that you need to be aware before you start your weight loss journey.
The very first thing you need to know is that the title, "Weight Loss Clinic," can be misleading. What some of these locations should call themselves is, "Palace of Pill Pushers." In the digital age, we want results fast, so we think it's imperative to drop pounds now. Even if the ultimate cost is our lives. If you're interested in starting a weight loss journey and curious about the medial weight loss option, here's the tea on what to expect and how to start your process safely:
Medical Weight Loss Clinics: The Good
Done with the right professional, in the right clinic, this process can change your attitude toward food and your eating behaviors for the better. When I tried the program for the first time four years ago, I received a meal plan complete with the calorie counts of each recipe, nutritional values, and what I could order from certain restaurants. The clinic checked in on me constantly, and I only stopping going because I moved.
When you're choosing a clinic, make sure to pick one that offers those amenities and isn't overcrowded with patients. If you find a location that's willing to give you some pills and a shot with little-to-no supervision afterward, run away in the other direction… fast. They don't have the time or resources to keep your best interest at heart.
My favorite part about the process is, it introduced me to B-12 shots, which are normally performed by medical weight loss clinics. I'm not currently on a weight loss journey, but I still stop by a local clinic to get the shots, which help with fatigue and mood, especially for people with digestive or gut issues.
Medical Weight Loss Clinics: The Bad
Along with B-12 shots and meal planning, many weight loss clinics offer phentermine as an appetite suppressant and diet supplement. What weight loss clinics may not tell you is, phentermine is dangerous and addictive AF. There was a time when I was really into taking Adderall to keep up with my schoolwork in college, so I know an upper when I see it. Although these pills can be okay if taken in moderation and for short periods of time, many people get addicted and the effects can be fatal.
Fenfluramine-phentermine, nicknamed fen-phen, hit the market in the 90s and accounted for 18 million of the prescriptions written in 1996, making it a worldwide epidemic weight loss drug. It wasn't long before the public discovered that the drug had caused many users to have heart valve problems and pulmonary hypertension. Although the drug combo was taken off the pharmaceutical streets in 1997, phentermine lives on and probably does so in the purses and pockets of many of the women that we know and love.
Although phentermine alone doesn't have the dramatic weight loss effects of its predecessor, the drug still has the potential to be deadly if not taken under a doctor's consistent care.
Medical Weight Loss Clinics: The Ugly
Ivy Park
My bottom line here is, medical weight loss is not the devil. Nor is it your savior. As I think back to Brittney and the day I made that foolish and unfounded promise to myself, I understand that my goal was never based on my own reality, it was based on what I wanted people to think when I stepped on the scale.
To truly be your own #BodyGoals, first, you have to unlearn your negative self-image beliefs, and that won't always be a pretty process.
In fact, tearing down your insecurities can get pretty ugly, and there's no amount of meal planning, vitamins, and pills that you can use to avoid that inevitable truth. You have to do the work!
If you're considering starting a weight loss journey, girl go for it! But check your motives. Find a doctor that cares about you, rather than one that thinks that pills are your only option. And lastly, if you do decide to go the phentermine route, have some tests run by your primary care provider first and don't take them for longer than a 12-week period.
15 years later, I'm proud to say I'm 178 pounds and I'm not mad about it.
Do I wanna lose a few pounds? Sure. But will I do it in a way that's unhealthy and challenges my physical health? Hell nah. Medical weight loss can be a great tool when paired with a healthy mindset, good food choices, and exercise. True transformation comes from the inside-out, so it's best to start there.
Featured image by Getty Images.
Related Articles:
SZA Opens Up About Weight Loss: "The Standard Should Really Come From Within" – Read More
Sherri Shepherd Lost 30 Pounds By Eliminating This From Her Diet – Read More
10 Foods You Should Eliminate From Your Diet If You're Trying To Lose Weight – Read More
- Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss -- Health Professional Fact Sheet ›
- There are real, and difficult, biological reasons why it's hard to lose ... ›
- The truth behind the most popular diet trends of the moment - Mayo ... ›
- The 6 Weight-Loss Tips That Science Actually Knows Work ›
- Weight loss that works: A true story - Harvard Health Blog - Harvard ... ›
- The Truth Behind Weight-Loss Surgery Myths - Community Medical ... ›
- The Truth About Weight-Loss Pills ›
- 9 Hard Truths About Weight Loss - Weight Center - Everyday Health ›
- Weight-Loss Clinics: Do They Work? - Allure ›
With a multi-layered approach to her artistry, just as she did on that winter day in December 2013 with the infamous digital drop of her self-titled album, she changed the game again on February 1, 2023, when she announced her world tour in support of Renaissance, her seventh studio album. Her cultural impact set the internet ablaze, with everyone trying to gather their coins, barter for presale codes, and figure out which cities to attend. The group chats were lit, and the Beyhive was stressed trying to get their hands on tickets.
Photo courtesy of Dontaira Terrell
Unfortunately, I was in that number. As the concert dates passed by and the one in my city drawing near all roads led to disappointment. With time ticking on the day of the Miami show and less than two hours to spare, my wallet bit the bullet, and I purchased three last-minute tickets, costing roughly $700.00 a piece (including fees) for me, my 9-year-old and 16-year-old nieces in Section 121 at the Hard Rock Stadium. With 10 minutes before showtime, we eagerly awaited the Queen to take the stage. A sea of metallic fringes, cowboy hats, disco fans, and western boots were in full effect and filled the entire stadium.
As the lights dimmed, a flood of emotions instantly overtook my body. It continued with each note she belted, along with nearly 50,000 roaring fans. The reverberating sound of the music through the stadium transported me from one era of my life to the next. As a teen girl in her bedroom daydreaming about her first love to blossoming into an unapologetic Black woman who is still on a road of self-discovery while learning to lean into the power anthem of "You won't break my soul." For over two hours, and with each set, I felt joy, love, peace, and a commanderie with fellow concertgoers. It was therapeutic as I danced like no one was watching and sang as if I were alone in my bathroom mirror.
There were no bars held, and I realized at that moment, "Nobody can judge me but me." The "Renaissance World Tour" proved to be so vast, and my Black girl joy was re-invigorated. It was magnetic and liberating, and I had to attend again, but this time, I needed to be up close and personal; I needed to be on the floor. In the days that passed, I watched more social media clips in different cities and asked myself if I would really splurge again to attend another Renaissance show.
Photo courtesy of Dontaira Terrell
After all, this would be my thirteenth time (maybe more because I lost count) seeing Beyoncé live, whether she was on tour with Destiny's Child, as a solo artist, or doing a live appearance. I contemplated for a while, but it worked itself out on its own. I was gifted two tickets and the next thing I knew, I was off to LA to attend another Renaissance show with floor seats at SoFi Stadium during Beyonce's 42nd birthday weekend! This time, things were different: no kids were allowed. It was adults only this go round.
Although the energy at the Miami and Los Angeles shows was empowering, infectious, and a celebration of life, happiness, and identity, they each provided their own unique experience. However, both concerts were what I needed for my well-being, leaving me with sore feet from dancing the night away, on vocal rest for the next few days from screaming at the top of my lungs, and on an indefinite high on life.
My introduction and love for Beyoncé began in 1996, while my older sister lived in Houston, TX, right before Bey hit the scene in 1998 with "No, No, No" as a budding R&B member. Her evolution twenty-seven years later as an international superstar and into womanhood has been an incredible journey to witness. As Mrs. Carter reminds each of us in the audience every night before the curtain closes, "I want you to remember this moment, where you're standing, who you came with, and take it with you. I hope you feel inspired."
I truly felt inspired, so thank you, Queen Bey. You awakened my inner child, and I will definitely remember these moments and take them with me.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood
