FAQs about Medical Weight Loss in St. Petersburg

Your results will vary based on how you respond to your medication, your exercise regimen, and nutritional strategies. While some patients have lost up to 25 pounds in one month, a more realistic goal for medical weight loss is 1-2 pounds/week. This is a steady and consistent goal, which leads to long-term success. 

If you maintain the habits of nutrition and exercise you learn at A Shape for Life, you should be able to maintain your weight loss. For example, appetite suppressants are effective prescription weight loss strategies, and we recommend tapering the medication instead of abruptly stopping. 

Patients often come to our wellness clinic in St. Petersburg for “tune-ups” or to simply shed a few pounds before an important occasion. Even mild weight loss provides many health benefits, and as Dr. Griffith is a board-certified psychiatrist, eating disorders can be easily screened for. In other words, we will find a solution—no matter your goal. 

All visits are one-on-one with Dr. Griffith and the staff. You will be weighed and your measurements, such as BMI with body fat analysis and vital signs, will be taken. You will then have an individual consultation with Dr. Griffith, during which you’ll receive a detailed medical history evaluation, as well as insight into eating and exercise patterns. After a physical screening exam, we can establish a target weight and create a custom-tailored eating and exercise plan, as well as the right appetite-suppression prescription, to achieve lasting medical weight loss. 

While you may feel helpless or frustrated after countless fad diets or calorie counting, carrying excess weight doesn’t have to be a life-long burden. Our wellness clinic offers targeted, actionable medical weight loss solutions that are convenient, individualized, and high quality—and we will provide you the motivation you need to commit to your new lifestyle.

Monthly visits to our program are recommended. We believe that monthly visits offer both convenience and effectiveness.

We are a solo practitioner medical weight loss clinic, which means Dr. Griffith sees every patient, every visit. He personally evaluates each patient, adjusting medication and eating and exercise plans to ensure safe and successful outcomes. We are not a franchise. There are no overcrowded waiting rooms. You will see Dr. Griffith, and not a “rent-a-doctor.” 

Yes, appetite suppressant medication helps create and maintain momentum for weight loss. The choice of appetite suppressant and dosage is individually tailored to each patient, and is safely and closely monitored.

Starvation diets are not effective over time, and exclusive use of diet drinks, bars, and powders do not build behavioral change that becomes everyday habits. Our approach uses everyday foods. We will evaluate your eating patterns and immediately help you establish habits utilizing everyday foods for the rest of your life, to lose weight and keep it off.

B-12 shots lack FDA approval and have absolutely no proven effectiveness regarding weight loss. In addition, because they are expensive, painful, and risky, we do not offer them. Why fall for sales gimmicks of B-12 shots that are costly and unproven, and require you to see the doctor every week?

Payment is expected at time of service by credit card or cash. Some patients may qualify for reimbursement of medical weight loss expenses from private insurance health savings accounts.

There are numerous medical risks to being overweight or obese, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and certain cancers. These risks may be significantly reduced with even a mild to modest weight loss of 10% of body weight. The psychological benefits of weight loss, looking and feeling trimmer and younger, are truly significant.

Many antidepressants (such as Prozac, Lexapro, Celexa, Zoloft, Paxil, Effexor, and Cymbalta) may cause weight gain. In addition, many of the medications used to treat bipolar disorder can cause weight gain. Dr. Griffith is able to provide the necessary clinical evaluation of psychiatric medications so weight gain does not occur.

Yes, for your convenience, we have made it easy to download the patient forms and fill them out before your first visit. You can save time and start sooner! (You will need to use Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the forms)