Everything You Need to Know
Before Your First Appointment
A free, no-obligation educational seminar hosted by our board-certified bariatric surgeons in Corpus Christi, TX. Watch on your schedule — then book your consultation when you're ready.
What You'll Learn in This Seminar
Our surgical seminar covers everything a patient needs to know before making a decision — presented clearly by our Corpus Christi bariatric surgeons, no medical background required.
The Obesity Epidemic — Understanding the Science
Current U.S. and Texas obesity statistics. Why obesity is a complex medical disease, not a willpower problem. How the body resists weight loss and why traditional dieting fails long-term.
✓ Content ReadyWhy People Gain Weight — The Real Biology
Obesity pathophysiology explained in plain language. How hormones like ghrelin, leptin, and insulin drive hunger and fat storage. Why your body fights back against every diet you try.
✓ Content ReadyThe Health Impact of Obesity
How excess weight affects every system in your body — diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, joint pain, cancer risk, fertility, depression, and quality of life. The case for treating obesity as a disease.
✓ Content ReadyYour Weight Loss Options — The Full Picture
An honest overview of all available weight loss approaches: diet and lifestyle programs, behavioral therapy, GLP-1 medications, intragastric balloon, and surgical options. Understanding why each works for different patients and situations.
✓ Content ReadySurgical Options — Updated for 2026
A clear overview of every procedure we offer: Gastric Sleeve, Gastric Bypass (RYGB), Duodenal Switch, SADI-S, and Revision Surgery. Latest outcomes data including weight loss percentages, diabetes remission rates, and safety profiles. Minimally invasive and robotic techniques.
✓ Content ReadyAm I a Candidate? Insurance & Financing
NIH candidacy criteria explained simply. How to find out if your insurance covers surgery. Self-pay options and financing programs. What the evaluation process looks like at Better Weigh Center.
✓ Content ReadyWhat to Expect — Before, During & After Surgery
The pre-operative process. What the day of surgery is like. Recovery timeline. Diet progression. Long-term lifestyle changes. How our team supports you every step of the way, for life.
⏳ In ProductionQ&A — Your Most Common Questions Answered
Is bariatric surgery safe? Will I gain the weight back? What about nutritional deficiencies? Can I get pregnant after surgery? What does the follow-up program look like? Dr. Stegemann and Dr. Gopal answer the questions they hear most.
⏳ In ProductionWhy We Can't Ignore Obesity
These statistics come directly from the CDC, NIH, and ASMBS — and they're what make our surgeons passionate about this work.
Key Topics the Seminar Covers
Why Traditional Diets Almost Always Fail
Your body is biologically wired to regain weight after dieting. We explain the hormonal feedback loops that make sustained weight loss nearly impossible without medical intervention for many patients.
Obesity ScienceSleep, Stress, Diet & Exercise — How They All Connect
Why medications alone rarely work long-term. How poor sleep sabotages weight loss. The role of cortisol and stress in fat storage. Why a comprehensive program outperforms any single approach.
Lifestyle MedicineGLP-1 Medications — The 2026 Landscape
What semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Zepbound/Mounjaro) actually do, who they're right for, how they compare to surgery, and why they work best as part of a comprehensive program rather than standalone.
Current MedicationsFuture Trends in Obesity Treatment
What's coming in the next 5 years — combination therapies, new surgical techniques, personalized metabolic medicine, and why this is the most exciting time ever to be treating obesity.
Future of MedicineThe Importance of Comprehensive, Long-Term Care
Why follow-up care after surgery or treatment is the single biggest predictor of long-term success. What our program offers every patient — for life — and why that matters more than the procedure itself.
Program StructureIs Surgery the "Easy Way Out"?
Our surgeons address the stigma head-on. Obesity is a disease with genetic, hormonal, and environmental roots. Surgery is a medical intervention — one of the most studied and proven treatments in modern medicine.
Addressing StigmaWhat the Medical Weight Loss Seminar Covers
A comprehensive 30–45 minute session on the science of weight gain, the role of medications, and how our non-surgical program delivers real, lasting results for patients across South Texas.
Current Obesity Statistics & Why This Matters Now
The latest data on obesity rates in Texas and the U.S. Why treatment urgency matters — and why waiting makes health outcomes worse over time.
✓ Content ReadyWhy People Gain Weight — The Biology, Not the Blame
Genetics, hormones, environment, and behavior all play a role. Understanding the real drivers of weight gain is the first step toward effective treatment.
✓ Content ReadyHow Sleep, Stress, Diet & Exercise Impact Weight
Why sleep deprivation causes weight gain. How chronic stress drives fat storage. Why exercise alone rarely leads to significant weight loss. The interconnected system that controls your weight.
✓ Content ReadyCurrent State of Medication Therapy — GLP-1s & Beyond
An honest, evidence-based overview of semaglutide, tirzepatide, and other approved weight loss medications. Who they're right for, realistic expectations, and why medications alone rarely achieve lasting results without a comprehensive program.
✓ Content ReadyFuture Trends in Medical Weight Loss
What's coming — combination GLP-1 therapies, metabolic surgery in lower BMI patients, personalized genomic-based treatment, and why the next decade will transform how we treat obesity.
⏳ In ProductionWhy Comprehensive Care Beats Any Single Approach
The evidence on why combining medication, nutrition, behavioral support, exercise guidance, and regular follow-up dramatically outperforms any standalone treatment. How our program is structured to give you every advantage.
⏳ In ProductionWhen to Consider Surgery Instead
A candid discussion of when medical weight loss is the right path — and when the evidence points to surgery as more effective. No pressure, just honest guidance.
⏳ In ProductionGLP-1 Medications (2026) Covered in This Seminar
The seminar provides a thorough, up-to-date review of FDA-approved weight loss medications — including what the data actually shows about long-term outcomes, side effects, and who benefits most.
A Modular Wellness Seminar Series
Shannon Rivera, FNP-C has designed this as a series of short, focused modules — each 5–15 minutes — that you can watch individually or as a complete series. Total runtime: 15–30 minutes.
Hormones & Your Health Over a Lifetime
- How hormonal changes from your 30s onward affect weight, energy, mood, and metabolism
- Estrogen, testosterone, thyroid, cortisol, and insulin — what they do and how they shift
- Why the symptoms most people chalk up to "aging" often have treatable hormonal roots
- The connection between hormone balance and sense of wellbeing
Nutraceuticals — Your Body's Natural Toolkit
- What nutraceuticals are and what the evidence actually shows
- Key supplements with strong data: magnesium, omega-3s, vitamin D, CoQ10, NAD+
- How nutraceuticals can enhance your body's ability to heal and maintain itself
- What to avoid — the supplement industry's overpromising and how to cut through it
IV Therapy — Recovery, Immunity & Longevity
- How intravenous nutrient delivery differs from oral supplementation
- What conditions IV formulations can support: fatigue, recovery, immune function, chronic illness
- The role of IV NAD+, glutathione, vitamin C, and Myers' Cocktail in disease recovery
- Who benefits most — and realistic expectations from IV therapy
Your Personalized Wellness Plan
- How we approach wellness holistically at Better Weigh Center
- What a wellness consultation with Shannon looks like
- Combining hormonal support, nutraceuticals, and IV therapy for maximum benefit
- Next steps — booking your wellness evaluation
Meet the Seminar Hosts
Questions About the Seminar
Ready for Step 4?
Book Your Consultation
After the seminar, Step 4 is simple: book your personal consultation with our bariatric team in Corpus Christi, TX. We'll review your history, answer your questions, and build a treatment plan made for you.
Serving Corpus Christi, South Texas, Houston, and San Antonio