Medical Weight Loss & Metabolic Health
A personalized, medically guided approach to sustainable weight loss and better metabolic health.
Weight changes are rarely explained by willpower alone. Hormones, insulin resistance, thyroid function, sleep, stress, nutrition, medications, menopause, body composition, and individual biology can all influence how easily you gain or lose weight.
At Full Spectrum Health & Wellness, Karina Angiletta, PhD, FNP-C provides individualized medical weight-management care for adults throughout Idaho and Washington via telemedicine.
Rather than following a restrictive diet or one-size-fits-all program, we look at the factors that may be affecting your metabolism and create a realistic plan designed around your health, lifestyle, and goals.
A More Complete Approach to Weight Management
Successful weight management is about more than the number on the scale. Your evaluation may consider:
Metabolic health and insulin resistance
Thyroid function
Perimenopause, menopause, and other hormonal factors
Body composition and muscle preservation
Sleep and stress
Nutrition and eating patterns
Current medications and supplements
Cardiovascular risk factors
Relevant laboratory findings
Together, we identify the areas most likely to make a meaningful difference and create a plan that can evolve as your needs change.
For appropriate patients, prescription weight-management medications may be incorporated into care.
This may include GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP–based therapy, such as semaglutide or tirzepatide, when clinically appropriate.
Medication is not treated as a stand-alone solution. Nutrition, adequate protein intake, resistance exercise, sleep, metabolic health, and preservation of lean body mass remain important throughout treatment.
Your response, side effects, weight trajectory, body-composition goals, and overall health are followed over time, with treatment adjusted as appropriate.
Hormones, Thyroid & Metabolism
Midlife weight changes often occur alongside changes in estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid function, sleep, and insulin sensitivity.
When appropriate, these issues can be evaluated alongside weight management rather than treating each concern in isolation.
For patients already receiving BHRT or thyroid care through Full Spectrum, metabolic and weight-management strategies can be integrated into the same overall treatment plan.
Your Personalized Program May Include
Individual medical evaluation and ongoing follow-up
Personalized nutrition recommendations
Medical weight-loss medication when appropriate
GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP therapy when clinically appropriate
Comprehensive laboratory evaluation
Thyroid and hormone assessment when relevant
Guidance for protein intake and muscle preservation
Lifestyle and exercise recommendations
Evidence-informed supplement recommendations when appropriate
Ongoing adjustment as your body and goals change
The goal is not simply to lose weight as quickly as possible.
The goal is to improve metabolic health, body composition, energy, and the ability to maintain your results over time.
Medical Weight Loss via Telemedicine
Telemedicine medical weight-loss care is available throughout Idaho and Washington, including Coeur d’Alene, Spokane, Sandpoint, Moscow, Pullman, Lewiston, Clarkston, and surrounding communities.
GLP-1 & Medical Weight-Loss Therapy
How much protein should I eat while taking a GLP-1 medication, and how can I protect my muscle during weight loss?
Adequate protein is an important part of healthy, sustainable weight loss. Medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide can substantially reduce appetite, making it easier to fall short on protein and other essential nutrients.
Your treatment plan should support loss of excess body fat while helping you maintain muscle, strength, and adequate nourishment.
Why does protein matter?
Protein provides the building blocks your body uses to maintain and repair muscle and other tissues. During weight loss, adequate intake can help preserve lean tissue and make meals more satisfying.
Weight reduction commonly involves changes in both fat and lean mass. However, lean mass is not the same as muscle: it also includes water, organs, and other nonfat tissues. Changes on a body-composition report should be interpreted alongside your strength, function, and overall health.
How much protein should I aim for each day?
For many adults receiving GLP-1 treatment for weight management, approximately 80–120 grams per day can be a practical starting range. Your individual goal depends on your body size, age, activity, medical history, and nutritional needs.
Protein targets of approximately 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram per day are also commonly considered during active weight loss. For example, when 150 pounds—or approximately 68 kilograms—is an appropriate reference weight, that calculation gives roughly 80–110 grams daily.
For someone carrying substantial excess body fat, multiplying current weight by a fixed number can overestimate requirements. An appropriate reference weight or available body-composition information can help guide a more suitable target.
How should I divide protein between meals?
Including protein at breakfast, lunch, and dinner makes a daily target easier to reach, especially when you become full quickly.
A practical starting point is approximately 25–35 grams at each main meal, adjusted to your needs and appetite. Smaller meals and a protein-containing snack may work better for some patients. Research supports meal amounts around 25–30 grams as one useful approach during weight management.
For example, three meals containing 30 grams each, plus a 15-gram snack, provide 105 grams for the day.
What if my appetite is very low?
Smaller, regular meals may be easier to tolerate than large portions. When you become full quickly, eating the protein portion first can help you reach your goal.
Try manageable portions of eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, fish, or other foods you tolerate. Eat slowly and stop at comfortable fullness. Large, greasy meals may worsen nausea.
Persistent nausea, vomiting, or difficulty eating or drinking should prompt contact with your prescribing clinician, particularly before a planned dose increase. Your medication plan may need adjustment to support adequate nourishment.
Are protein shakes helpful? What about plant-based protein or collagen?
A shake providing approximately 20–30 grams of protein can be a convenient way to fill a gap when solid food is difficult. Check the label and choose a product you tolerate.
Whey or a well-formulated plant-protein blend can provide essential amino acids needed for muscle maintenance. Plant-based eating can also meet protein needs through foods such as tofu, tempeh, edamame, beans, lentils, and a varied diet.
For muscle support, choose complete protein sources rather than relying on collagen alone. A small randomized trial in older women found a greater muscle-protein-synthesis response to whey than to collagen.
Do I need strength training, too?
Protein and strength training work together. Adequate protein alone cannot reliably prevent muscle loss during weight reduction.
Include muscle-strengthening activity at least two days per week, working the major muscle groups. Depending on your starting point, this may involve weights, resistance bands, machines, or body-weight exercises.
Begin at a manageable level and gradually increase the challenge. Walking and other aerobic activities support fitness and cardiovascular health alongside strength training.
What else should I consider?
Your eating plan also needs adequate energy, fiber, fluids, vitamins, and minerals. These remain important when appetite decreases.
Protein targets require particular care if you have kidney disease. Your clinician or renal dietitian should help determine an amount that supports nourishment while accounting for kidney function and treatment.
How does Full Spectrum Health & Wellness help?
We help you establish a realistic protein goal and practical eating habits that fit your preferences and treatment plan. Follow-up considers your appetite, medication tolerance, nutritional intake, weight changes, and everyday function so recommendations can be adjusted as your needs change.
