With a revolutionary new drug in her arsenal and the support of a nutrition coach, Dr. Janet Blanchard is helping patients finally achieve dramatic weight loss

By Patricia Nugent

Helping people look and feel their best has been a lifelong mission for plastic surgeon Dr. Janet Blanchard. Over the past 30 years, she has continually sought out emerging and breakthrough techniques to refresh, revive and rejuvenate.

Specialties at her Dr. Janet Blanchard’s Plastic Surgery Center include minimally invasive facial rejuvenation and facelifts, tummy tucks and liposuction.

Last year when Semaglutide injections were FDA-cleared for weight loss—the first drug ever approved for chronic weight management in adults—Dr. Blanchard did her research on the medication’s effectiveness and was impressed.

“The results wowed me,” she says. “In the clinical trials of this drug, patients lost an average of 15-30 percent of their body weight. Though the injections work well, as the medicine makes you feel full and you lose your appetite, I didn’t want to offer it to patients until I partnered with an expert in the nutrition and fitness arena to coach them while they lose the weight. The goal is to create sustainable results and forge healthy new habits so the weight will stay off the rest of their lives.”

This month, she’s partnered with wellness expert and nutrition coach Mike Hope to introduce a comprehensive weight loss program through America’s Wellness Group.

Why You Gain Weight
“This is a behavior-based nutrition and wellness program that complements Semaglutide injections,” says Mike, who has an undergrad, master’s degree and several certifications in areas such as sleep, stress and recovery, as well as change psychology. “Through a mapping exercise, we dive deep into a person’s lifestyle to gain an understanding of the underlying triggers that cause them to struggle with weight issues. We go beyond physical and mental and explore the social, emotional and environmental components of their lives. Then through coaching sessions, we address positive ways to impact change. For additional motivation, patients can also join an online support group that adds accountability.”

The program is customized to the individual person. Through an InBody scanner, Mike analyzes each patient’s fat-to-muscle ratio to make sure while they are losing weight, they are not also losing muscle.

During the initial consultation, which is overseen by Dr. Blanchard, patients’ height, weight, blood pressure and medical history are taken to make sure they are candidates for the program. After that, they come to her office for weekly injections from a nurse practitioner and are closely monitored throughout their weight-loss journey. One-on-one coaching sessions with Mike take place every other week the first three months, then once a month or as needed.

“Nausea is a common side-effect of this medication, so first we see how a patient is tolerating it. If they have an upset stomach, I prescribe an anti-nausea pill,” she says.

Although this medication can be pricey, Dr. Blanchard found a compounding pharmacist who can create it in a pure form that is more affordable. Semaglutide is not covered by insurance, but it is covered by HSAs.

“Transformational results that will last is our goal,” she says. “We want to offer a proven effective jump-start that will become a domino effect. Once people lose weight and feel better about themselves, we want to set them up for success and enjoy a lifetime of eating well and exercising. Weight loss could be the first step to reverse risk for diabetes and heart disease, as well as many types of cancer.”

Dr. Janet Blanchard’s Plastic Surgery Center is located at 34900 Chardon Road, Suite 201, in Willoughby Hills. Call 216-772-2496 or visit AmericasWellnessGroup.com for more information.