Your Best Weight Program

“Your Best Weight” is a program focused on providing individualized, evidence-based, non-judgmental care. The program involves the skill set and expertise of a Registered Nurse, Pharmacist and Registered Dietitian who work along with your Family Physician.

Given that obesity is a chronic disease with associated health risks, your Physician will review possible treatment options which may include weight management strategies, medications or bariatric surgery.

Integral to achieving your best weight, is helping you to change unhelpful behaviours by addressing the thoughts and feelings that lead to those behaviours, and in turn, create new habits that are in line with your goals and values. For this reason, we strongly encourage all participants of the program to join the “What’s Eating You?” group facilitated by our Registered Dietitian and Registered Social Worker. “What’s Eating You?” addresses the wide variety of factors that influence our eating behaviours and most importantly, offers strategies for positive, long-term behaviour change. To see more information on the What’s Eating You?‘, Click Here.

How much weight can I expect to lose?

The amount of weight loss you can expect is dependent on the treatment options chosen. Studies have shown that even a modest weight loss of 5-10% can improve your overall health.¹ However, multiple lifestyle and behavioural factors strongly influence the odds of preventing or developing diseases and their complications, regardless of weight.²

Who can participate in this program?

Patients of Happy Valley Family Health Team that are ages 18+ and living with:

• Obesity (BMI* over 30) OR
• Overweight (BMI* 27-30) and have weight-related health issues (e.g. Diabetes).

*BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measurement that estimates body fat based on height and weight.
Patients that are interested in the program should be ready to commit to making lifestyle changes.

What to expect:

1. You will be scheduled for an intake appointment with our Registered Nurse. This appointment will focus on reviewing lifestyle changes, mental and emotional aspects of weight management. It will also assist your physician by obtaining information to support you in your chosen treatment option.
2. An appointment will be booked with our Registered Dietitian (if you have not already seen our dietitian in the past year).
3. Our pharmacist will review your current and past medications.
4. You will be responsible for scheduling a clinic appointment with your family physician after you have seen our Registered Nurse and Dietitian. This is recommended 3 months after enrolling in the program. This appointment could include a discussion about starting weight loss medications.
5. Individualized follow-up appointments will be scheduled with our Registered Nurse, Registered Dietitian, Family Physician and Pharmacist.
6. Your family physician may refer you to see Dr Donaldson who has additional training in obesity management if we are not a seeing a significant response to our interventions.

What weight loss medications are available to me?

It is important to understand that obesity is a chronic disease. This means that any medication that assists with management of obesity is likely a long term medication that would be used to achieve weight loss AND to maintain weight loss. If you have private drug coverage, it is important to review your benefits to determine if weight loss medications are covered and if so – to check if there are any forms that need to be completed by your Family Physician. Bring these forms to your follow up appointment with your Family Physician.

References:

1. Brown JD, Buscemi J, Milsom V, Malcolm R, O’Neil PM. Effects on cardiovascular risk factors of weight losses limited to 5-10. Transl Behav Med. 2016 Sep;6(3):339-46. doi: 10.1007/s13142-015-0353-9. PMID: 27528523; PMCID: PMC4987606.

2. Zhang YB, Pan XF, Chen J, Cao A, Xia L, Zhang Y, Wang J, Li H, Liu G, Pan A. Combined lifestyle factors, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2021 Jan;75(1):92-99. doi: 10.1136/jech-2020-214050. Epub 2020 Sep 5. PMID: 32892156.