Medi Weightloss Clinic Helps Shed Unwanted Pounds

By Lauren Saslow

For the fourth consecutive year, Medi Weightloss Clinic of Lutz/Wesley Chapel once again has been named the Gold Winner of East and Central Pasco County Weight Loss Clinics in the Pasco Tribune Reader’s Poll! And, it’s no wonder that the third clinic in this nationwide franchise continues to thrive, despite a depressed economy.

According to the clinic’s website, Medi Weightloss Clinic offers a holistic medical approach to weight loss and is intended as a lifestyle change, not just a get-skinny-quick scheme. As part of a nationwide franchise, each of the 73 locations in 22 states, including the Lutz/Wesley Chapel location on S.R. 54 (just east of the Eagle Plaza shopping center) has a full-time physician on staff at all times to oversee the treatment of all patients.

This closest location to New Tampa has three full-time physicians. The first, Medical Director Kelli Maw, M.D., earned her M.B., B.S. (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) degree (a seven-year medical doctor program) from the Institute of Medicine 1 in Yangon, Myanmar, as well as a Master’s degree in Public Health from Columbia University in New York City. Maw also is a Diplomate with the American Board of Family Medicine and a member of the American Society of Bariatric (weight loss) Physicians.

Howard Riker, D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), one of two new doctors at Medi Weightloss, is a retired U.S. Air Force family medicine physician who earned his D.O. degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Before coming to Medi Weightloss in 2008, Dr. Riker was the chief of medical staff at MacDill Air Force Base for six years.

Medi Weightloss’ other new addition is Ian Matheson, M.D., who is a retired plastic surgeon. Dr. Matheson earned both his M.D. and C.M. (Master of Surgery) degrees from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Dr. Matheson also is Board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

The medical staff also includes registered nurse (R.N.) Patty Pinson and medical assistants Jessica Baur (who also is the office manager), Erin Jones and Jennifer Minnix.

Edward Kaloust founded Medi Weightloss Franchising USA, LLC, in 2005 and is still the CEO working out of the corporate office in South Tampa. Tom and Gerri Willett, the owners and managers of the Lutz/Wesley Chapel franchise, are friends of Kaloust’s and partnered with Tom’s sister and brother-in-law Mark and Ronda Willett to open the location in 2006.

The clinic is in a shared space with 10 to 10 Urgent Care (which is not under the same business ownership). The Willets also are partners in eight other Medi Weightloss Clinics in Florida and Texas. With Tom’s mother June working in the front office of the Lutz/Wesley Chapel location, it truly is a family business.

A Three-Phase Program That Works

The Medi Weightloss program is divided into three distinct phases. The time period a patient remains in each phase may vary based upon his or her individual goals, medical history and progress with the program. Phase one begins during a new patient’s first visit and continues with weekly appointments until the patient reaches his or her goal weight. During phase two, the patient’s diet is slowly adjusted during weekly appointments to allow for increased calories that still will allow the patient to maintain their goal weight. Phase three includes monthly visits for wellness that may continue for three to six months.

In phase one — aka The Acute Weightloss Phase — the patient’s first experience begins with a doctor visit to review his or her medical history and medications. The medical team also completes an Electrocardiogram (EKG), a body fat analysis, a comprehensive blood panel, checks blood pressure and takes measurements and a ‘before’ pictures. The physician then designs an individual plan for treatment and weight goals and gives the patient an injection of Medi Booster, which has vitamin B12 and amino acids for energy, and a second injection with vitamins B6 and B1 for reducing water retention and food cravings. The body absorbs B Vitamin injections more readily than in a pill form and the Medi Booster is offered to the patient on each subsequent visit, up to twice weekly.

The first visit also provides a patient with a Medi bag containing a one-month supply of Medi Fat Burner to boost weight loss, Medi Inner Balance for constipation (or calcium if the Inner Balance is unnecessary), Medi Ketone Test Strips to monitor fat burning, a food scale and a journal for monitoring progress, as well as a list of options for ordering food at chain restaurants. None of the items in the bag are prescribed by a doctor. Although the doctors at Medi Weightloss have the ability to prescribe medications, they typically first try to keep patients on natural supplements.

The start-up cost for the first visit and all services and supplies is a one-time payment of $268, which Gerri describes as, “An investment in yourself. If you’re healthy, thinking clearly and you’re happy, then it trickles down to the wellness of your entire family. After all, what’s more important than your health?”

Throughout phase one, the patient continues with weekly visits for $70. Included in the cost is the Medi Booster, member-only access on the website, Medi Stay Slim (an appetite suppressant) as well as grocery lists and recipes for a lower calorie diet created by Registered Dietician (RD) Christine Achenbach — who also is a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Achenbach works in the Medi Weightloss corporate office, but is available to any clinic location remotely.

Patients also receive coaching on weekly goals for healthier lifestyle choices. An InterActive Exercise Kit also is available for purchase at any time during the program that includes tools for cardio, resistance training and stretching, along with a video and pedometer to track daily steps.

In phase two — aka Short-Term Maintenance — the patient continues to visit the clinic weekly to check body fat, measurements and blood pressure. He or she is offered a Medi Booster, additional reading material and adjustments to their diet, During this phase, daily caloric intake and energy expenditure are increased to maintain their new weight, while any medication the patient was previously on is slowly decreased.

Finally, the patient enters phase three — aka the Wellness Phase — a time for monitoring body composition and goals monthly and continuing with optional Medi Boosters and B1/B6 injections offered weekly, if the patient chooses to take advantage of them.

“Once you start a program, you are always a member,” says Gerry. In other words, patients are not charged a start-up fee if he or she needs to return to the program to reach his or her goal weight again. In these cases, patients are only charged the weekly rate.

Join The Medi All-Stars!

The hallway of the clinic is wallpapered with Medi All-Stars — the before-and-after pictures of successful (and happy!) patients like Melissa Kramer and Anthony Perez (photos, left), who each reached their respective goal weights. Kramer initially chose to start the Medi Weightloss program because it’s near her home in Collier Place and she passed it on her way to work every day and saw signs with successful patients’ pictures.

“When I tried to lose weight on my own, I didn’t stick with it,” explains Kramer. “I needed a program to hold me accountable.” Kramer says she has lost more than 40 pounds total with Medi Weightloss and went from a size 14 to a size 6.

She notes that she has kept the weight off for more than a year. “I’ve recommended the program to friends and they’ve been successful, too.”

Perez, a Meadow Pointe resident, also likes the convenient location and the hours of availability. He describes his life-long struggle with weight and the annoyances of having to pay extra for plus-size clothing. Because his father is a diabetic, Perez also was afraid of developing diabetes. At age 20, weighing 276 pounds, he started the Medi program. More than a year later, he was down to 175 pounds!

“My friends, family and co-workers began to see the change in my physical appearance, as well as in my attitude, throughout the program,” Perez says. “For the first time in my life, I actually enjoyed exercising and participating in sports.” He equates the program to a “blueprint” of the person he wants to be, inside and out.

Want to shed pounds and feel better about your self-image? Visit the Medi Weightloss Clinic in Lutz/Wesley Chapel at 24420 S.R. 54 in Lutz, less than two miles west of S.R. 56. The clinic is open on Monday & Wednesday, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Tuesdays, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Thursdays and 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Friday. For more information, call 909-1700 or visit MediWeightlossClinics.com/Locations/Lutz.