OM Wellness Workshop 2026: Your Session Guide & Schedule

All Events and Programs

Event Details

September 30, 2026

12:00 pm

Registration & Communications

By registering, you agree to:
• Allow Obesity Matters to use your name, photos, and videos from workshops for promotional and educational purposes.
• Receive communications from Obesity Matters about the program and related wellness initiatives.

Your personal information will not be shared with third parties. You may opt out of communications at any time.

Disclaimer

No information provided here is intended to be, or should be construed as, medical advice. Always consult with a licensed medical provider for personalized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Welcome to the session guide for the 2026 OM Wellness Workshop. This page is designed to help you explore what we cover across the year, so you can plan ahead, choose the sessions most relevant to you, and feel confident about what to expect.

Across the year, participants will:

Explore the science, treatment options, and lived realities of obesity

Build practical skills for nourishment, movement, and self-care

Find community, support, and confidence to navigate long-term wellbeing

Format: 12 months • Biweekly (every 2 weeks)
Structure: Educational session every 4 weeks, alternating with Support and Practical sessions

Hosts:

Educational sessions: Rachel Atkins
Support & Practical sessions: Sandra Elia

Register for the OM Wellness Workshop

View Full Schedule (Subject to change)

Season 1 — Foundations for Change

March 3, 2026 (Tue) – LAUNCH (completed)

You Belong Here: Community Welcome & Orientation

A warm introduction to the year ahead, community norms, and how to get the most from the workshop.

Guests: Dr. Sandy Van, Gina Livy, Brenda Rogers, Alissa Steinberg
Hosts: Rachel Atkins, Sandra Elia & Priti Chawla

March 18, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

Weight Loss: What We Get Wrong

In today’s noisy weight-loss landscape, this conversation cuts through the hype to explore what we often get wrong – and what actually matters in real life.

Guest: Dr. Megha Poddar

April 1, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

Putting Knowledge into Action – Wins & Questions

A supportive space to reflect, share experiences, and ask questions as you begin.

Facilitated by Sandra Elia

April 15, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

Sleep, Stress & Weight – The Hidden Metabolic Disruptors

So many of us push through exhaustion without realizing how deeply sleep affects our health. In this session, Dr. Rishi Handa helps us understand the connection between sleep, stress, metabolism, and weight, and invites us to reflect on our own experiences in a safe, supportive space. Come ready to learn, share, and maybe finally get some answers.

Guest: Dr. Rishi Handa

April 29, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

Eat Well, Move Well – Foundations That Fit Real Life

Practical, adaptable nutrition and movement strategies designed for real bodies and real lives.

Guests: Alissa Steinberg and Dr. Kathryn Porter Starr

Facilitated by Sandra Elia

May 13, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

Mindfulness for a Busy Mind: Small Tools for Real Life

Feeling overwhelmed or stuck? This workshop offers simple, practical tools to help calm a busy mind and navigate stress and anxiety.
Real, supportive, and designed for everyday life – no pressure, just small steps that work.

Guest: Dena Jackson

Season 2 — Treatment, Tools & Metabolic Health

May 27, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

Why Willpower Isn’t the Answer: Understanding Food Addiction

Do you find yourself eating past fullness, struggling to stop even when you want to, or feeling controlled by certain foods? You’re not alone, and it’s not a lack of willpower. Join Dr. Vera Tarman and Sandra Elia for an open, stigma-free conversation on food addiction: what it is, how it connects to obesity, and what real support looks like. This is a space to be heard, understood, and empowered.

Guest: Dr. Vera Tarman

June 10, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

The Era of Obesity Medications: What You Need to Know

Join Dr. Sandy Van for an accessible overview of today’s obesity treatment landscape — from prescription medications and emerging therapies to generic options, telehealth access, and the role of behavioural support and CBT in achieving lasting results.

Guest: Dr. Sandy Van

June 24, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

Muscle Preservation in the Age of Obesity Medications

Why protecting muscle matters – and how to support strength, function, and metabolism through nutrition, supplements and physical activity

Guests: Alissa Steinberg & Dr. Kathryn Porter Starr

Facilitated by Maude Picotte

July 8, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

Crucial Conversations

Living with obesity often involves difficult conversations—with healthcare providers, loved ones, employers, and even ourselves. This session will explore compassionate communication, self-advocacy, managing expectations, and building self-trust, equipping you with practical tools to navigate these conversations with confidence and empathy.

Facilitated by Sandra Elia

July 22, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

The Science of Happiness and Living Well: Small Habits That Create a Happier, Healthier Life

What does it really mean to live well? Join our very own happiness doctor, Dr. Gillian Mandich, as she explores the science of happiness and what it takes to truly flourish. Learn simple, evidence-based habits that can increase joy, build optimism, create a greater sense of purpose, and support a healthier, more fulfilling life, one small step at a time.

Guest: Dr. Gillian Mandich

August 5, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

Metabolic Adaptation & Energy Balance – Why the Body Resists Change

Why does weight loss become harder over time? Why do plateaus happen? This session explores the science of metabolic adaptation, energy expenditure, appetite hormones, and the body’s built-in mechanisms to defend weight. Learn why maintaining weight loss is challenging—and why it’s not simply a matter of willpower.

Guest: Dr. Michael Crotty

Season 3 — Mental Health, Maintenance & Real Life

August 19, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

Your Brain, Your Cravings, Your Energy: The Insulin Resistance Connection Explained

Cravings aren’t about willpower. They’re shaped by your brain, your body, your emotions, your environment, and factors like blood sugar and insulin resistance. So what can we actually do when they hit?

Join Sandra Elia and guest Alissa Steinberg, RD, CDE, MHSc, for a lively, practical conversation about working with your biology instead of against it. Together they’ll dig into what’s really happening behind cravings and energy crashes, including the role insulin resistance can play, and most importantly, what you can actually do about it.

Come for the conversation, stay for the delicious demos, and leave with realistic strategies and recipes you can actually use at home.

Guest: Alissa Steinberg, RD CDE MHSc

Facilitated by Sandra Elia

September 2, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

Why Is My Body Changing?

Understanding Weight, Hormones & Metabolism

Join Emilia Huvinen, MD, PhD, a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Associate Professor at the University of Helsinki. Dr. Huvinen will explore how perimenopause, hormones, metabolism, appetite and genetics can influence weight – and why it’s about so much more than willpower.

📖 Special English Book Launch
Hungry Genes? Understanding Obesity Without Blame

Guest: Dr. Emilia Huvinen

Facilitated by Rachel Atkins

September 16, 2026 | 12 PM ET (completed)

Making Peace With Food: Beyond Willpower and Food Rules

Why can someone feel confident and capable in so many areas of life, yet struggle in their relationship with food?

Join Sandra Elia for an honest, supportive conversation about the roles food can play in our lives, from comfort and reward to stress relief and emotional coping. Together, we’ll explore why discipline may not be the problem and what it can mean to move away from guilt, constant negotiation and “starting over” toward a more peaceful relationship with food.

Facilitated by Sandra Elia

September 30, 2026 | 12 PM ET

Living with Chronic Disease: Advocacy, Acceptance & Everyday Skills

Living with a chronic condition can affect your energy, emotions, relationships, work and everyday life. Join Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley, Registered Psychologist, for a practical and supportive session exploring self-advocacy, disclosure and accommodation, along with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) skills to help manage stress, fatigue and uncertainty. Leave with practical tools you can use wherever you are in life.

Guest: Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley

Facilitated by Rachel Atkins

October 14, 2026 | 12 PM ET

Beyond Wellness: What Does It Mean to Truly Flourish?

What does it really mean to live well? Wellbeing is about more than healthy habits or a set of simple values. Join Dr. Brunna Boaventura for a thought-provoking exploration of what helps us flourish, from meaningful relationships and material stability to purpose, connection, our biopsychosocial needs and spiritual wellbeing. Together, we’ll look beyond conventional ideas of wellness to explore the many dimensions that help us feel connected, engaged and fully alive.

Guest: Dr. Brunna Boaventura

Facilitated by Brenda Rogers

October 28, 2026 | 12 PM ET

Reward-Based Eating – How the Brain Drives Cravings

Why do we sometimes want food even when we’re not physically hungry? Join Dr. Laura Reardon, to explore how the brain’s reward system can influence cravings, food choices and eating behaviours. Learn why control and willpower alone often fall short, and how understanding the biology behind reward-based eating can help us approach food with greater awareness, compassion and less self-blame.

Guest: Dr. Laura Reardon

Facilitated by Rachel Atkins

Season 4 — Relationships, Resilience & Sustainable Living

November 11, 2026 | 12 PM ET

Mid-Year Check-In Reflect & Reset

A guided pause to reflect on progress, reset goals, and adjust your approach.

Facilitated by Sandra Elia

November 25, 2026 | 12 PM ET

Making Peace with the Holidays: Letting Go of Perfection

The holidays can bring joy and connection, but also pressure to eat, move and live “perfectly.” Join Dr. Sasha High for a practical conversation about shifting your mindset, letting go of all-or-nothing thinking, and finding a balance that honours both your health and what matters most to you. Explore how to approach food, family, traditions and the holiday season with greater flexibility, self-compassion and enjoyment.

Guest: Dr. Sasha High