FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is LWmed?
LWmed is an intensive medical weight loss program started by Dr. French. It is a new approach to healthcare. Our vision is to partner with our patients in helping them prevent and reverse chronic disease through weight loss. With ongoing compassionate support, LWmed provides the highest standards of medical care and coaching.
Why did Dr. French start LWmed?
Two reasons:
Source: Lifestyle as Medicine: A paradigm-shifting expert interview with Dr. David Katz. Truehealthinitiative.org. October 28 2015
Is Dr. French board certified?
Yes. Dr. French is board certified in the field of Medical Weight Loss by the American Board of Obesity Medicine as well as in Family Medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine.
What is Obesity?
Obesity is a disease. It is one of the most pervasive and chronic diseases and is defined as excess adipose tissue. There are several different methods for determining excess adipose (fat) tissue; the most common being the Body Mass Index (BMI). A fat cell is an endocrine cell and adipose tissue is an endocrine organ. As such, adipose tissue secretes a number of products, including hormones. Excess adiposity or obesity causes increased levels of inflammation. This can lead to heart disease and insulin resistance, which in turn can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Obesity and overweight affects more 70% of the U.S. adult population and is a leading cause of United States mortality, morbidity, disability, healthcare utilization and healthcare costs. According to the CDC, an estimated 112,000 excess deaths per year are associated with obesity. Obesity is now known to be associated with over 195 health conditions. Common ones include: type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, gallstones, heart disease, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, GERD, stress incontinence, heart failure, degenerative joint disease, birth defects, miscarriages, asthma and other respiratory conditions, and numerous cancers. Weight affects our ability to get jobs, our quality of life, and our mental health.
Sources: CDC, Obesity Society, AMA
I didn't know Obesity was a disease. Since when?
In June of 2013, the American Medical Association recognized obesity as a disease.
Source: AMA
What are the health benefits to losing weight?
The comprehensive approach provided by LWmed combining medicine, nutrition, fitness, and behavioral expertise results in significant weight loss for most patients. The following resultant benefits have been seen:
Why see a medical weight loss specialist like LWmed?
A medical weight loss program has the capacity to use many tools (adjust or stop medications that may be causing weight gain, prescribe medications that may promote weight loss, order laboratory, cardiac, and sleep testing as examples) and monitoring modalities that are not available to a patient on his or her own or to commercial weight loss programs. Thus a medical weight loss specialist may be the most effective and safe way for you to lose weight.
Overweight and obesity are frequently accompanied by other medical conditions requiring medical treatment. Unfortunately many of these medications may cause weight gain or prevent weight loss. LWmed will evaluate this thoroughly, and may work with your other physicians to see if there are alternative options.
With active weight loss, these other medical conditions must be monitored and managed aggressively considering active weight loss may require immediate reductions in blood pressure pills, diabetes pills, and insulin. LWmed will monitor and adjust your therapies while you are actively losing weight. Failure to adjust these medications can pose a significant danger to patients due to potential hypoglycemia, low blood pressure, and dehydration which might go undetected and untreated in a non-medical weight loss program.
During your weight loss journey, while your focus may be on weight loss, our focus is on monitoring your overall health, providing you with the best tools to achieve your goal.
What does evidence-based mean?
Evidence based medicine emphasizes the use of well designed and conducted research to guide healthcare decision making.
How is your program different from other weight loss programs?
Some weight loss clinics require you to follow their specific "weight loss program." However, some patients may not be candidates for or want that particular program based on their medical conditions, goals, or other circumstances in one's life. LWmed does not have a singular program or protocol, and we avoid an "all or nothing" approach. Instead LWmed partners with you to design an individualized program around you and your particular needs to promote long-lasting success.
What are health and wellness coaches?
A health and wellness coach helps you make lasting changes, aligned with your goals, that promote health and wellness. A health and wellness coach bridges the gap between your doctor's recommendations and your abilities to successfully implement those recommendations into your complex life.
You probably know about life coaches. A life coach helps people make changes and increase happiness in many areas of their lives. Health and wellness coaching is similar to life coaching except that it deals specifically with issues for and about your body, your overall health and general well-being. Health and wellness coaching is not an evolution of life coaching but rather is a different specialty. If you want to be healthier, and you are committed to making some lifestyle changes to get there, then a health and wellness coach will help you develop individualized strategies that are a function of medical recommendations, your goals, and the complexities of your unique life to improve their health and wellness. Your coach can help enhance your lifelong physical and mental well-being through goal setting, accountability, support, increasing your motivation, building your confidence, and developing a plan for creating healthy habits. Trained in behavior-change theory and motivational strategies, your health and wellness coach can also help you break through the barriers that may have held you back in the past.
Coaches complete rigorous training, certification processes and continuing education courses. Coaches do not make diagnoses.
What is the difference between a health coach and a wellness coach?
The field of health and wellness coaching is new enough that an industry standard for its name hasn’t emerged. Different companies and universities offer different health and wellness coaching certifications. These involve college degrees, certifications and/or job experience. ACE and Wellcoaches are two that many fitness pros are choosing. ACE Health Coach certification is the only one accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, the same body that accredits certifications for pharmacists, nurse practitioners, registered dietitians and many other health professionals. Wellcoaches certification is endorsed and promoted by the American College of Sports Medicine. ACE uses the term “health coach,” while Wellcoaches certifies “health and wellness coaches.” Even though the names may be different, everyone is trying to do the same thing: help people improve their health.
Why do I need a doctor, wellness coach, health coach, and behavioral therapist to lose and maintain weight?
Because obesity is a chronic disease, a comprehensive approach is the most effective. The Obesity Medicine Association, the largest organization of clinicians working to advance the prevention, treatment, and reversal of the disease of obesity, has identified four pillars – nutrition, physical activity, behavior, and weight loss medication – which, when combined and personalized, help patients achieve their health goals.
Do you prescribe medications to help with weight loss?
While proper nutrition and increased activity are the key factors necessary to achieve weight loss, studies consistently show that the addition of weight loss medications to diet and exercise lead to significantly greater amounts of weight loss. As such, we do prescribe medications (if indicated) as an additional tool for weight loss. Safety is our greatest priority and the decision to use medications is based on an individualized and personal basis. There are several medications to assist with weight loss. Each has specific advantages and contraindications. This takes expertise to navigate optimal treatment options for an individual patient.
Do I have to take medications to assist with weight loss?
No, you do not have to use weight loss medications to achieve healthy weight loss. While the addition of weight loss medications to a healthy nutrition and exercise plan have shown greater amounts of weight loss in patients, some patients do not need nor want to use prescription medications.
Can I be a patient if I want to lose 10 lbs? Can I be a patient if I want to lose more than 100 lbs?
Yes and yes. Whether you want to lose 10lbs or 100lbs, we will work with you to create a treatment plan specifically for you.
Tell me more about body composition testing.
LWmed uses a body composition analyzer by Inbody for this test. It is an integral part of the Global Assessment (which is the foundation for treatment) as it provides important information about each patient's muscle and fat balance. This test is also important in helping us monitor progress and make adjustments to treatment.
The human body is composed of four main components: water, proteins, fats and minerals. The body composition test provides a comprehensive view of a person's body-composition-balance -- or, the relationship of water, proteins, fats and minerals to each other in the body.
See more about Inbody at this link to their website.
What age group do you treat?
LWmed works with men, women, and children. There are no specific age limitations.
Where is your office located?
1111 Baker Ave, Whitefish MT 59937. This is the Glacier Medical Associates Building. If you are arriving for an appointment, let the receptionist know you have an appointment with LWmed.
Do I have to be in Whitefish, Montana to get help from LWmed?
No. LWmed looks forward to helping men, women, and children live happier and healthier lives through weight loss even if you are not in Whitefish. Contact us and inquire about remote treatment options.
Do you bill insurance?
No. Because most insurance plans do not cover the cost of medical weight loss, LWmed membership and individual services are self-pay. If you feel like your insurance plan will cover the cost, we will be happy to provide you with receipts or medical documentation. Some patients use health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) funds.
Can I continue seeing the Team at LWmed for help even after I've reached my goal weight?
Yes. Managing a healthy weight is a long-term commitment. It is LWmed's mission to help you. In addition to helping you lose weight, we offer a long term weight maintenance program. We treat obesity as a chronic disease that requires chronic management for weight loss and maintenance. We see the importance of a long term relationship recognizing that people need ongoing support not only to lose weight but also to keep the weight off. Successful long term healthy weight loss goes beyond appetite suppressants, extreme diets and short term change. It is about understanding what YOU in particular need to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. By spending extensive time with you and getting to know you, we can fully evaluate the long term obstacles to help us provide long term solutions for your long term success.
Tell me more about Dr. Bayne French.
Dr. French received his medical degree from University of Washington School of Medicine, in Seattle, Washington in 2000, completed his residency at Providence Family Practice Residency in Anchorage, Alaska in 2003. Dr. French earned his chiropractic degree from Western States Chiropractic College (now University of Western States) in Portland, Oregon in 1996.
He has been practicing as a family medicine physician since he completed residency -- at Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation in Dillingham, Alaska (2003-2007) and at Glacier Medical Associates in Whitefish, Montana (2007-present).
In pursuit of a more comprehensive subspecialty training in weight loss medicine, Dr. French trained with the Obesity Medicine Association ("OMA") and Harvard Medical School and continually updates his training and knowledge through programs, courses, and materials from OMA, Harvard, The Obesity Society, and Obesity Action Coalition, and others. Dr. French is board certified in both the field of Medical Weight Loss by the American Board of Obesity Medicine as well as Family Medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. French is a member of the Obesity Medicine Association and the Canadian Obesity Network.
Dr. French has observed over and over again in his patients that weight loss translates into significant health benefits.
"Patients often think (because they are often told) that addressing overweight or obesity is all about eating less and exercising more. It isn't. With over 70% of the adults in the U.S. struggling frustratingly with unhealthy amounts of excess weight, that's a lot of people who have been misinformed. Why one has obesity and overweight is complex. I see that the many causes and contributors to weight gain are causing so much frustration, anxiety, and even shame and depression in my patients. I have seen the dramatic improvement in numerous conditions and quality of life as a result of weight loss -- as the medications used to treat the conditions are often reduced and sometimes eliminated. I'm happy to be dedicating a portion of my practice at Glacier Medical Associates to focus exclusively on helping patients become healthier through weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight." -Dr. Bayne French
Tell me more about Coach Vicki Bernstein.
Vicki has been a fitness and wellness professional for over 40 years. She is a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer and American Council on Exercise Health and Lifestyle Coach as well as a Certified Precision Nutrition Coach. Vicki earned her Bachelors Degree in Behavioral Science and Health and her Masters Degree in Gerontology from the University of Utah. Vicki's passion for motivating others to live a healthy, balanced and fulfilling life came from her interest in healthy aging.
As your coach, Vicki offers guidance, support, and accountability to help you achieve your weight loss, fitness and lifestyle goals. Vicki enjoys helping you discover and implement healthy behaviors into your life by providing education, goal setting and motivational interviewing. You will find Vicki to be a caring healthcare partner to find your individualized path to health.
LWmed is an intensive medical weight loss program started by Dr. French. It is a new approach to healthcare. Our vision is to partner with our patients in helping them prevent and reverse chronic disease through weight loss. With ongoing compassionate support, LWmed provides the highest standards of medical care and coaching.
Why did Dr. French start LWmed?
Two reasons:
- Almost 80% of chronic diseases can be prevented with particular lifestyle behaviors like keeping a healthy weight, and
- The traditional primary care practice, while invaluable in the role it plays in the health of all individuals, is inherently limited (in terms of time, training, and access to multidisciplinary practitioners) with helping patients lose excess weight.
Source: Lifestyle as Medicine: A paradigm-shifting expert interview with Dr. David Katz. Truehealthinitiative.org. October 28 2015
Is Dr. French board certified?
Yes. Dr. French is board certified in the field of Medical Weight Loss by the American Board of Obesity Medicine as well as in Family Medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine.
What is Obesity?
Obesity is a disease. It is one of the most pervasive and chronic diseases and is defined as excess adipose tissue. There are several different methods for determining excess adipose (fat) tissue; the most common being the Body Mass Index (BMI). A fat cell is an endocrine cell and adipose tissue is an endocrine organ. As such, adipose tissue secretes a number of products, including hormones. Excess adiposity or obesity causes increased levels of inflammation. This can lead to heart disease and insulin resistance, which in turn can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Obesity and overweight affects more 70% of the U.S. adult population and is a leading cause of United States mortality, morbidity, disability, healthcare utilization and healthcare costs. According to the CDC, an estimated 112,000 excess deaths per year are associated with obesity. Obesity is now known to be associated with over 195 health conditions. Common ones include: type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, gallstones, heart disease, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, GERD, stress incontinence, heart failure, degenerative joint disease, birth defects, miscarriages, asthma and other respiratory conditions, and numerous cancers. Weight affects our ability to get jobs, our quality of life, and our mental health.
Sources: CDC, Obesity Society, AMA
I didn't know Obesity was a disease. Since when?
In June of 2013, the American Medical Association recognized obesity as a disease.
Source: AMA
What are the health benefits to losing weight?
The comprehensive approach provided by LWmed combining medicine, nutrition, fitness, and behavioral expertise results in significant weight loss for most patients. The following resultant benefits have been seen:
- Reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, liver disease, sleep disorders, joint disease, asthma, and numerous cancers.
- Reduced disability from arthritis and chronic pain
- Improved endurance, mobility, strength and flexibility
- Better mental health including improved ability to manage stress, feel energized and more confident
Why see a medical weight loss specialist like LWmed?
A medical weight loss program has the capacity to use many tools (adjust or stop medications that may be causing weight gain, prescribe medications that may promote weight loss, order laboratory, cardiac, and sleep testing as examples) and monitoring modalities that are not available to a patient on his or her own or to commercial weight loss programs. Thus a medical weight loss specialist may be the most effective and safe way for you to lose weight.
Overweight and obesity are frequently accompanied by other medical conditions requiring medical treatment. Unfortunately many of these medications may cause weight gain or prevent weight loss. LWmed will evaluate this thoroughly, and may work with your other physicians to see if there are alternative options.
With active weight loss, these other medical conditions must be monitored and managed aggressively considering active weight loss may require immediate reductions in blood pressure pills, diabetes pills, and insulin. LWmed will monitor and adjust your therapies while you are actively losing weight. Failure to adjust these medications can pose a significant danger to patients due to potential hypoglycemia, low blood pressure, and dehydration which might go undetected and untreated in a non-medical weight loss program.
During your weight loss journey, while your focus may be on weight loss, our focus is on monitoring your overall health, providing you with the best tools to achieve your goal.
What does evidence-based mean?
Evidence based medicine emphasizes the use of well designed and conducted research to guide healthcare decision making.
How is your program different from other weight loss programs?
Some weight loss clinics require you to follow their specific "weight loss program." However, some patients may not be candidates for or want that particular program based on their medical conditions, goals, or other circumstances in one's life. LWmed does not have a singular program or protocol, and we avoid an "all or nothing" approach. Instead LWmed partners with you to design an individualized program around you and your particular needs to promote long-lasting success.
What are health and wellness coaches?
A health and wellness coach helps you make lasting changes, aligned with your goals, that promote health and wellness. A health and wellness coach bridges the gap between your doctor's recommendations and your abilities to successfully implement those recommendations into your complex life.
You probably know about life coaches. A life coach helps people make changes and increase happiness in many areas of their lives. Health and wellness coaching is similar to life coaching except that it deals specifically with issues for and about your body, your overall health and general well-being. Health and wellness coaching is not an evolution of life coaching but rather is a different specialty. If you want to be healthier, and you are committed to making some lifestyle changes to get there, then a health and wellness coach will help you develop individualized strategies that are a function of medical recommendations, your goals, and the complexities of your unique life to improve their health and wellness. Your coach can help enhance your lifelong physical and mental well-being through goal setting, accountability, support, increasing your motivation, building your confidence, and developing a plan for creating healthy habits. Trained in behavior-change theory and motivational strategies, your health and wellness coach can also help you break through the barriers that may have held you back in the past.
Coaches complete rigorous training, certification processes and continuing education courses. Coaches do not make diagnoses.
What is the difference between a health coach and a wellness coach?
The field of health and wellness coaching is new enough that an industry standard for its name hasn’t emerged. Different companies and universities offer different health and wellness coaching certifications. These involve college degrees, certifications and/or job experience. ACE and Wellcoaches are two that many fitness pros are choosing. ACE Health Coach certification is the only one accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, the same body that accredits certifications for pharmacists, nurse practitioners, registered dietitians and many other health professionals. Wellcoaches certification is endorsed and promoted by the American College of Sports Medicine. ACE uses the term “health coach,” while Wellcoaches certifies “health and wellness coaches.” Even though the names may be different, everyone is trying to do the same thing: help people improve their health.
Why do I need a doctor, wellness coach, health coach, and behavioral therapist to lose and maintain weight?
Because obesity is a chronic disease, a comprehensive approach is the most effective. The Obesity Medicine Association, the largest organization of clinicians working to advance the prevention, treatment, and reversal of the disease of obesity, has identified four pillars – nutrition, physical activity, behavior, and weight loss medication – which, when combined and personalized, help patients achieve their health goals.
Do you prescribe medications to help with weight loss?
While proper nutrition and increased activity are the key factors necessary to achieve weight loss, studies consistently show that the addition of weight loss medications to diet and exercise lead to significantly greater amounts of weight loss. As such, we do prescribe medications (if indicated) as an additional tool for weight loss. Safety is our greatest priority and the decision to use medications is based on an individualized and personal basis. There are several medications to assist with weight loss. Each has specific advantages and contraindications. This takes expertise to navigate optimal treatment options for an individual patient.
Do I have to take medications to assist with weight loss?
No, you do not have to use weight loss medications to achieve healthy weight loss. While the addition of weight loss medications to a healthy nutrition and exercise plan have shown greater amounts of weight loss in patients, some patients do not need nor want to use prescription medications.
Can I be a patient if I want to lose 10 lbs? Can I be a patient if I want to lose more than 100 lbs?
Yes and yes. Whether you want to lose 10lbs or 100lbs, we will work with you to create a treatment plan specifically for you.
Tell me more about body composition testing.
LWmed uses a body composition analyzer by Inbody for this test. It is an integral part of the Global Assessment (which is the foundation for treatment) as it provides important information about each patient's muscle and fat balance. This test is also important in helping us monitor progress and make adjustments to treatment.
The human body is composed of four main components: water, proteins, fats and minerals. The body composition test provides a comprehensive view of a person's body-composition-balance -- or, the relationship of water, proteins, fats and minerals to each other in the body.
See more about Inbody at this link to their website.
What age group do you treat?
LWmed works with men, women, and children. There are no specific age limitations.
Where is your office located?
1111 Baker Ave, Whitefish MT 59937. This is the Glacier Medical Associates Building. If you are arriving for an appointment, let the receptionist know you have an appointment with LWmed.
Do I have to be in Whitefish, Montana to get help from LWmed?
No. LWmed looks forward to helping men, women, and children live happier and healthier lives through weight loss even if you are not in Whitefish. Contact us and inquire about remote treatment options.
Do you bill insurance?
No. Because most insurance plans do not cover the cost of medical weight loss, LWmed membership and individual services are self-pay. If you feel like your insurance plan will cover the cost, we will be happy to provide you with receipts or medical documentation. Some patients use health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) funds.
Can I continue seeing the Team at LWmed for help even after I've reached my goal weight?
Yes. Managing a healthy weight is a long-term commitment. It is LWmed's mission to help you. In addition to helping you lose weight, we offer a long term weight maintenance program. We treat obesity as a chronic disease that requires chronic management for weight loss and maintenance. We see the importance of a long term relationship recognizing that people need ongoing support not only to lose weight but also to keep the weight off. Successful long term healthy weight loss goes beyond appetite suppressants, extreme diets and short term change. It is about understanding what YOU in particular need to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. By spending extensive time with you and getting to know you, we can fully evaluate the long term obstacles to help us provide long term solutions for your long term success.
Tell me more about Dr. Bayne French.
Dr. French received his medical degree from University of Washington School of Medicine, in Seattle, Washington in 2000, completed his residency at Providence Family Practice Residency in Anchorage, Alaska in 2003. Dr. French earned his chiropractic degree from Western States Chiropractic College (now University of Western States) in Portland, Oregon in 1996.
He has been practicing as a family medicine physician since he completed residency -- at Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation in Dillingham, Alaska (2003-2007) and at Glacier Medical Associates in Whitefish, Montana (2007-present).
In pursuit of a more comprehensive subspecialty training in weight loss medicine, Dr. French trained with the Obesity Medicine Association ("OMA") and Harvard Medical School and continually updates his training and knowledge through programs, courses, and materials from OMA, Harvard, The Obesity Society, and Obesity Action Coalition, and others. Dr. French is board certified in both the field of Medical Weight Loss by the American Board of Obesity Medicine as well as Family Medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. French is a member of the Obesity Medicine Association and the Canadian Obesity Network.
Dr. French has observed over and over again in his patients that weight loss translates into significant health benefits.
"Patients often think (because they are often told) that addressing overweight or obesity is all about eating less and exercising more. It isn't. With over 70% of the adults in the U.S. struggling frustratingly with unhealthy amounts of excess weight, that's a lot of people who have been misinformed. Why one has obesity and overweight is complex. I see that the many causes and contributors to weight gain are causing so much frustration, anxiety, and even shame and depression in my patients. I have seen the dramatic improvement in numerous conditions and quality of life as a result of weight loss -- as the medications used to treat the conditions are often reduced and sometimes eliminated. I'm happy to be dedicating a portion of my practice at Glacier Medical Associates to focus exclusively on helping patients become healthier through weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight." -Dr. Bayne French
Tell me more about Coach Vicki Bernstein.
Vicki has been a fitness and wellness professional for over 40 years. She is a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer and American Council on Exercise Health and Lifestyle Coach as well as a Certified Precision Nutrition Coach. Vicki earned her Bachelors Degree in Behavioral Science and Health and her Masters Degree in Gerontology from the University of Utah. Vicki's passion for motivating others to live a healthy, balanced and fulfilling life came from her interest in healthy aging.
As your coach, Vicki offers guidance, support, and accountability to help you achieve your weight loss, fitness and lifestyle goals. Vicki enjoys helping you discover and implement healthy behaviors into your life by providing education, goal setting and motivational interviewing. You will find Vicki to be a caring healthcare partner to find your individualized path to health.
