Obesity Matters invites you to the Holiday Edition of EAT, PLAY, LOVE. We’re back with another selection of weekly interactive events – with a holiday twist!
Obesity Matters because You Matter!
This season, we are focused on reframing how we celebrate the holidays. Instead of approaching the holidays (and new year) with restriction, we simply want to embrace healthy holiday habits.
At these events we will cover a range of topics, from which obesity treatments might be right for you, to the impact of weight bias on public health. We will explore strategies to try and overcome holiday weight gain and dig into ways of embracing and prioritizing healthy habits during the holiday season.
We even have a fun holiday theme planned for each event!
Weight management patient advocates Rachel Atkins and Sandra Elia are back to host the events and interview our guests before turning the spotlight on the audience for questions and comments.
As always, our main goal is to inspire empowerment action in a safe and supportive environment. We hope you will join us!
Register today for these live sessions with our special guests, as space is limited. There is no cost to attend.
Session details:
Embracing Healthy Holiday Habits (completed)
Wednesday, November 17 at: 9:00 a.m. PST; 12:00 p.m. EST; 1:00 p.m. AST
Bring your favourite Holiday mug!
Guests:
Sasha High, MD, FRCPC
Founder – High Metabolic Clinic
Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine
Tanya Bender, Patient Advocate
If the idea of starting another diet turns your stomach, you aren’t alone.
Dr. Sasha High and patient advocate Tanya Bender will be joining us to discuss why that feeling of resentment toward our weight-loss journey might simply be due to an improper mindset when thinking about food and dieting.
These feelings can be particularly powerful during the holiday season, so Dr. High will be teaching us how to reframe our thoughts to feel empowered and how to reclaim control of our weight loss journey.
Dr. High is an Ontario-based internal medicine and obesity physician with a passion for empowering women to love themselves and break away from the barriers holding them back from living their best lives.
Dr. High has been featured on Breakfast Television, CTV and more.
Tanya Bender will take us on her journey of weight loss struggles and how by changing her mindset she is able to keep herself from slipping into the abyss of overindulgence particularly during the holidays.
What’s Best for Me? Exploring Evidence-Based Obesity Treatments (completed)
Wednesday, November 24 at: 9:00 a.m. PST; 12:00 p.m. EST; 1:00 p.m. AST
Wear your favourite Holiday accessory!
Guest:
Anil Maheshwari, MD, CCFP, DABOM, DABFM
Medical Director – Weight & Lifestyle Program
Cleveland Clinic Canada
Obesity Program Clinical Lead, Grandview Medical Centre FHT
Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct), Family Medicine,
McMaster University, OntarioMD Peer Leader
Psychological interventions, pharmacological therapy and surgery are the three key pillars of obesity management, and Dr. Anil Maheshwari will be joining us to help sort through what they mean and what might be the best option for each of us.
Dr. Maheshwari is an Executive Health Physician and Medical Director of the Weight and Lifestyle Management Program at Cleveland Clinic Canada and has more than 20 years in the field. He is passionate about the prevention and treatment of illnesses such as diabetes, and obesity and will be a great resource to provide some context around evidence-based treatments, obesity management and clinical best practices.
The Impact of Weight Stigma on Public Health (completed)
Wednesday, December 1 at: 9:00 a.m. PST; 12:00 p.m. EST; 1:00 p.m. AST
Wear your favourite Ugly Sweater!!
Guest:
Dr. Sean Wharton, MD, PharmD, FRCP(C)
Internal Medicine Specialist
Adjunct Professor McMaster University and York University
Diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine
The Wharton Medical Clinic
Hamilton Health Sciences Centre, ON, Canada
Talena Jackson, Patient Advocate
Weight stigma is a problem in education, the workplace, media and many other aspects of everyday life. The bias that people living with obesity face can even be felt in relationships with family or friends.
Talena Jackson has felt the damage weight bias can cause firsthand. As someone living with obesity, Jackson’s story and experience with stigma is all too common in a society that continues to view obesity as a lifestyle consequence instead of a chronic disease.
But weight stigma in the healthcare system can have dangerous and life-threatening consequences for some people living with obesity.
For this session, we will be joined by one of our favourite guests, the inimitable Dr. Sean Wharton to discuss this issue of bias in public health.
Dr. Wharton will discuss the root causes of weight bias, how it affects people (also in the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities) and what we can do to try and affect change.
Talena Jackson will share her experience of weight stigma and teach us how to advocate for ourselves.
Strategies to Overcome Holiday Weight Regain (completed)
Tuesday, December 7 at: 9:00 a.m. PST; 12:00 p.m. EST; 1:00 p.m. AST
Wear your favourite Holiday colour!
Guest:
Judy Shiau, MD, FRCPC, Dipl. of ABOM
Medical Director and Lead Physician
LEAF Weight Management Clinic
Associate Professor University of Ottawa
Bariatric Medicine Fellowship Program Director
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism
It happens to the best of us. A little bit of weight gain over the holidays with so many family and friend get-togethers, heavy meals, treats and alcohol.
But feeling bad about it won’t help you.
Dr. Shiau is the Medical Director and Lead Physician at the LEAF (Live. Eat. Activity. Forever) Weight Management Clinic in Ottawa, and she will join us for the fourth and final session to discuss strategies for how to overcome that weight regain – and how not to worry too much about it.
Dr. Shiau believes the best approach is to move forward with our healthy strategies without dwelling on a little weight gain over the holidays, the pandemic, or any other period.
Focusing on the negativity in the situation is counter-productive to our ultimate goals, and Dr. Shiau believes we should focus on what lies ahead, not behind.
About Obesity Matters:
Obesity Matters is an education and advocacy group committed to promoting game-changing dialogue, ending fat shaming, and inspiring health and happiness for people living with overweight and obesity.
For additional questions, please contact Priti Chawla, Executive Director, Obesity Matters, at: priti@obesity-matters.com
