Living lighter

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Owner and founder of Live Light Dr. Christy Kirkendal-Watson stands in front of her new office. (Sumbitted photos)
Owner and founder of Live Light Dr. Christy Kirkendal-Watson stands in front of her new office. (Sumbitted photos)

Doctor and her new business vow to help conquer the weight-loss epidemic

By James Feichtner 

For many Americans weight loss is the toughest task to tackle. With 69 percent of the adult population being overweight or obese, and Indiana having an overweight population of 31.4 percent, the nation is facing an unhealthy trend.

Recently, Zionsville native Dr. Christy Kirkendol-Watson has started her own weight loss clinic here in town and is committed to helping Hoosiers reach a healthy weight and lifestyle.

“To me this was the perfect combination of helping people get healthier, come off of medications, be able to exercise, and really changing their lives,” Kirkendol-Watson said.

Her new office Live Light Clinic is located off Michigan and Templin Roads in Zionsville, and opened this summer. The clinic is unique in that it does not focus on surgical or non-medical procedures, but emphasizes healthy habits through education, medicine, coaching, food journals and medically certified supervision. It is not about how much you lose, but the learning experience obtained.

“Our goal is not so much the number on the scale. It’s more a person’s overall health and lifestyle. We want them to be at peace with food, to be able to just enjoy life where they are – exercising, eating better and really understanding how this all happened,” Kirkendol-Watson said.

Patients will begin by going through an initial evaluation that will eventually lead up to an individualized program.

“On average 10 percent body weight [loss]in three months is typically what we like to see and then after that their goals are individualized,” she said.

The patients’ plans are based on several factors such as physical condition and health goals. These individualized plans ensure a proper weight loss program for any individual wanting to lose weight and get healthy.

The clinic uses advanced bariatric research to pinpoint the cause of weight gain in patients and identify the unhealthy habits that prevent them from losing the weight. With medical devices able to measure body fat, muscle mass, hydration levels, blood pressure and other important bodily specifics, the staff can keep an accurate track of patient’s progress.

“We take the guessing out of it,” Kirkendol-Watson said.

Losing the weight is only half of what the program entails, according to Kirkendol-Watson. Known as the maintenance program, educating patients on how to keep the weight off while leading a happy, healthy lifestyle is also a key to long-term success.

“This isn’t just a quick fix kind of a place. They’re learning, “How do I navigate girls night out? How do I navigate a Super Bowl party?” All those things that come up in life, we actually show them you can continue to enjoy. You can continue to lose weight,” she said.

Losing weight and keeping it off is not the only benefit of the Live Light Clinic. While many weight loss programs can be expensive, Kirkendol-Watson’s programs are tailored to be affordable for almost any budget.

“We have priced this so anybody can afford this. It doesn’t have to cost you thousands and thousands of dollars to lose weight and get healthier,” Kirkendol-Watson said.

Patients may pay on site and can even submit printable summaries of their visit’s costs to their individual insurance agencies for reimbursement. Many expenses are also tax deductible.

To learn more about Live Light Clinic visit www.livelightclinic.com.


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