‘Diet’ has become a loaded word and polarizing issue, both in today’s medical field and on every social media platform. Those who hate diets are vocal about the damage they can do, while those who live within the diet culture each swear by a different method. At Modest Medix, we don’t use the word “diet” anymore, in fact, as per the CMAJ 2020 obesity guidelines we use the term “Medical Nutritional Therapy (MNT)” and are excited to introduce MD and registered dietitian (RD) led medical weight management program. This program focuses on the Best Weight using a Value-based Approach.
What’s Your ‘Best Weight’?
The ‘Best Weight’:
- Is specific to you – the individual – and is different for everyone;
- Is not a number calculated by your height, gender, or how active you are;
- Is not your dream, goal or ideal weight;
- Is about 5 to 10% less that your current body weight;
- Gives you the maximum health and functional benefits;
- Is realistic, is easy to achieve, and sustainable for lifelong;
- Allows you to enjoy your life with friends and family.
In weight loss, there is always an expectation gap – where you end up at a different weight than you hoped for. Improvement in health and wellness outcomes will occur with any amount of weight loss. However, we do not appreciate how great we feel because we are fixated on our ideal number.
“Ideal weight” is what you want, but “best weight” is where your body ends up, and this is the weight that gives you the optimal health benefits. Focusing on best weight reduces the frustration that comes with the expectation gap, and allows you to value the Best New You.
The Essence is in Maintenance
Our focus is on long term weight maintenance instead of simply helping you lose weight.
There are 4 main phases when it comes to weight management:
- Prevent Further Weight Gain;
- Active Weight Loss (work towards best weight);
- Transformation Phase (gaining confidence and reclaiming yourself);
- Maintenance Phase: then comes the dreaded plateau, which is the most neglected but important phase in weight management
Helping you to keep your weight off is where the majority of work occurs. Once you reach your best weight, we want to empower you to keep it off in the easiest way possible by achieving:
- a food lifestyle that is the perfect balance between healthy and indulgent,
- a mindful attitude that is able to control cravings and emotional eating,
- an exercise routine that is effective but not overwhelming,
- medical intervention that works well with your unique body and genetics.
Value Based Approach
Weight gain (i.e obesity) is a chronic medical condition that can affect all domains of your life. Similar to how diabetes, heart disease, dementia and arthritis affects you medically, emotionally, socially and physically. To effectively manage a chronic disease it’s important to align your actions with your values. Your Value is your Compass. It helps you navigate and influence your daily thoughts, decisions, actions, and behaviours. Values cannot be “achieved” or “finished”, this means are always a source of motivation for you.
Scientific and Research-Based Approach
We make sure that the advice and guidance we give you for sustainable weight loss is based on the best science and medical research currently available. We don’t prescribe miracle pills nor detox diets not approved by Health Canada; we don’t suggest any fad diets; we don’t bother with ineffective supplements or exercise or nutritional products that are not research-based. We are involved in every step of your weight journey.
Our Four Pillar of Care
Modest Medix Weight Management program encompasses Lifestyle Therapy based on these four important pillars:
- Genetic Testing
- Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT)
- Behavioural Psychotherapy, and
- Anti-Obesity Medications (AOM)
Each pillar is fine tuned to your needs and values to best empower you to achieve and maintain your best weight.
The Initial Assessment
If you resonate with our philosophy, are above 18, and feel that you’re a good candidate for the Modest Medix Lifestyle Therapy, the first step is to undergo our initial assessment. You can ask your physician to refer (preferred) or you can self refer yourself (less preferred).
The point of the assessment is to identify modifiable and non-modifiable causes of weight gain, evaluate the impact of weight related complications on your health and identify any obstacles in managing this chronic condition. This is where we begin to explore your core values, we also discuss your:
- Weight Journey: yo-yo dieting, successes and failures, what worked and what didn’t work, so that the strength can be utilized, the shortcomings can be solved, and challenges and barriers can be addressed.
- Medical assessment: inquires about your medical or medication challenges that are hindering your journey of weight loss. Whether it is the thyroid or menopause? or simply chronic pain, bladder issue or insomnia that keeps you up all night to snack – creating a vicious cycle? We try to pin down the root cause.
- Mental health: We need to know what mental difficulties are keeping you from achieving and keeping your best weight. Whether it’s being overwhelmed with depression or anxiety, a lack of motivation from neurodiversity, bingeing, emotional eating or night time eating – our approach takes into account the entire person-no judgement or shame.
- Genetics and family history: We cannot know your weight struggles without learning about your genes and family history. The Nutrigenomics test that we offer will identify how your genes make you respond to the foods, beverages, exercise, calories, macronutrients, micronutrients and supplements you consume.
- Dietary habits and preferences: the foods you love, the foods you hate, when you consume them and what makes you tempted. We’ll use this information to develop a personalized meal plan that is not cookie cutter —for the life you like and the life you want.
- Exercise habits and abilities: assess your exercise habits in order to help you develop a regimen. If it doesn’t work out, we won’t suggest jumping right to exercising five days a week. As with every area of our medical weight management approach, we want to give you a lifestyle they’re happy to sustain!
- Anti-obesity medications (AOM): We provide you with up to date information on Health Canada approved medications and surgeries. And see if it fits your needs, and this is another option in our toolkit.
Join Modest Medix to Reclaim and Reconnect with Yourself through Empowerment, Nutrition, Behaviour, Mindfulness and Medicine. Don’t just live, but thrive as the Best New You!
