Once you have contacted us by our online form, email, or phone, Our staff will contact you about your appointment.

• MD will assess you, and you will be enrolled in the program.
• You will meet us weekly or on bi-monthly basis
• Regular follow-up appointments are weekly or on bi-monthly basis with with Bariatric Educator followed by MD
• During your appointment, you will receive:
• Medical Nutrition Therapy, Psychological and Behavioral Counseling, and Physical Activity Counseling
• We offer structured, cognitive, behaviour therapy that include 46 Modules focusing on Managing Cues, Body Positivity, Values, Eating Out, Getting Support, Mindful Eating, ‘Wantings’, Permission Thoughts, Restraint, and more.
• We offer a Meal Replacement Program, OPTIFAST, a Full or Partial Meal Replacement
• We also provide education to people living with Obesity, and caregivers, regarding the science behind Obesity in the form of 1 on 1 meetings and workshops that help decrease Obesity bias and stigma in our community

We execute an evidence-based “The Best Weight Approach” which focuses on long term weight management, rather than just weight loss.

“Best Weight” is the weight that is achieved AND maintained while living the healthiest lifestyle while truly enjoying it. It is NOT a number on a scale.

Our ‘Best Weight’ Approach is build upon the following four pillars:

1. Medical Nutrition Therapy
2. Behaviour and Psychological Interventions,
3. Anti Obesity Medications (AOM)
4. Bariatric Surgery

Medical Nutritional Therapy: 

We focus on total healthy weight loss of 1-2 lb/ week with a Total Caloric Deficit of 500-700/day which is very reasonable, non-depriving, realistic and achievable over 3-6 months, while also providing numerous health benefits – including lowering of blood sugar, blood pressure cholesterol, improvement in stamina, energy and endurance. This is what we call Medical Nutrition Therapy.
In order for (TCR) to be meaningful and induce satiety, one of the options is to have a Meal Replacement (MR) instead. We offer the OPTIFAST Meal Replacement Program in which you can consume most of your calories from a Meal Replacement shake instead of food, while still being provided with satiety as it is balanced, nutritious, and fulfilling.

OPTIFAST is a non-OHIP program and the only MR program that has been approved in Canada, and has been endorsed by the current Obesity guidelines issued in CMJA in August 2020.
The studies have shown:
→ 14-20% average weight loss
→ 16% average decrease in waist circumference
→ 7-10% average decrease in blood pressure
→ Discontinuation of diabetes medications

To learn more about it, click here to download Optifast Brochure.

Behaviour and Psychological Interventions: 

We offer behavioural and psychological interventions through active cognitive behavioural therapy, and the patient is encouraged to complete 46 modules (credit: Obesity Care Nova Nordisk and OPTIFAST program)

Basics – 10 Modules

1. Values
2. Obesity Facts
3. EOSS (Health Impact by Weight)
4. Calculate your calories
5. Weight Journey
6. Best Weight and Expectations
7. Motivators and Sabotagers
8. Age and Metabolism
9. Need Assessment Survey (NAS)
10. Personal History

Behaviour – 13 Modules 

1. Stimulus Control: Home and Work
2. Managing cues
3. Wanting
4. High Risk
5. Permission Thought
6. Restraint
7. Motivation to Change
8. Solving Problems
9. Setting SMART Goals
10. Time Management
11. Sleep
12. Taking the lead in your weight loss (Owning Responsibility)
13. Getting Support

Medical Nutrition Therapy and Physical Activity – 11 Modules 

1.  Knowing Nutrients
2. Eating Out
3. Eating Style
4. Mindful Eating
5. Eating to Ease Stress
6.  Meal Planning
7. Shopping Smart
8. Making the shift to nutrient rich food
9. Cooking Quick and Easy
10. Make Time To Move
11. Strength Training

Miscellaneous – 12 Modules 

1. Body Image
2. Body Sense
3. Body Talk
4. Hidden Benefits of Obesity
5. Special Occasions
6. Travelling
7. Be kind to Yourself
8. Building Confidence
9. Communication
10. Ongoing Weight Management
11. Changing Lifestyle Activity
12. Measuring Progress (Self Assessment)

Anti Obesity Medications (AOM)

In Canada, there are 3 AOM approved for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance. All AOM help reduce weight from 3 to 12%. Your doctor will speak to you in further detail regarding the medications

1. Liraglutide (Saxenda by Nova Nordisk) https://saxenda.ca/
2. Naltrexone-Bupropion (Contrave by Bausch Health) https://contrave.ca/
3. Orlistat

Bariatric or Metabolic Surgery

Bariatric surgery can be considered for people with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 or BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2 with at least 1 adiposity-related disease (Obesity Canada). Your doctor will discuss further with you.

1. Quotes From The Medical Community:

• “Overeating doesn’t cause Obesity, Obesity causes Overeating .” Dr. Lee Kaplan
• “Struggling with weight is a complex, biological, neuro-hormonal, primarily genetically conferred, powerfully environmentally influenced real medical condition” – Dr. David Macklan
• “Obesity is a chronic disease requiring enhanced research, treatment, and prevention efforts”. — Canadian Medical Association
• “Obesity is a chronic and often progressive condition not unlike diabetes or hypertension”. — Obesity Canada
• “Obesity is a chronic disease, prevalent in both developed and developing countries, and affecting children as well as adults”. — The World Health Organization

“Recognizing obesity as a disease will help change the way the medical community tackles this complex issue that affects approximately one in three Americans”. — The American Medical Association

Analogy

If I have $200 dollars and I lose $100, I will be upset and try to gain it back! After I gain it back, I will not stop there, I will try to gain even more money so that I feel secure.

For these forces to not work against us within our unconscious brain, where we have no control (Engineer pressing the panic button, Hippie going out to get his favorite food in the night time), we need AOM.

The AOM helps calm down the Engineer so that he does not press the panic button, i.e. keeps balance between the bad and the good hormone, does not cause hunger and craving, maintains resting energy expenditure, and helps lose weight.

Obesity Guidelines statement:
Pharmacotherapy for weight loss can be used for persons with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2

or BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2 with adiposity-related complications, in conjunction with medical nutrition therapy, physical activity and psychological interventions

(liraglutide 3.0 mg, naltrexone-bupropion combination, orlistat).

For more information, visit : https://www.cmaj.ca/content/192/31/E875
We will discuss this further with you during your appointment.
Now you know why it was difficult to lose weight in the past, as there was no help because we did not understand the biology, and did not treat it with medications, and only blame ourselves for our failures, this is not happening anymore.

Stop blaming yourself, stop feeling guilty – there is help available, call us now.

Learn more on What is Obesity?