No fad diets, counting calories, or gym fatigue: A new approach to weight management
Healthy eating and weight management can be an emotional issue for many people. In fact, almost 23 per cent of people in the Hunter New England Health region are living with obesity*.
While fad diets and glossy commercials promise results, they often fall short of expectations. Many do not offer a holistic lifestyle approach to healthy living, or address the underlying trigger of poor eating habits.
A new program, run by a team of Hunter New England Health clinical psychologists, is offering people who feel they have eating difficulties the chance to change their eating habits and work toward an ideal, healthy weight goal.
Senior Clinical Psychologist Natalie McCall said the 12-week program would not be a typical weight-loss program, but would help people change their eating habits.
“The program does not involve counting calories or doing huge amounts of exercise,” Ms McCall said.
“The program involves learning new ways of eating. If you find you have difficulties eating too much, too often, eating for comfort or when emotional, then this program may help you examine those approaches.
“If you are not interested in counting calories or slogging it out in the gym, then this program could be a new approach to healthy weight management, without feeling pressured, guilt-ridden or fatigued,” she said.
The program requires weekly attendance at a group program, with a maximum of 10 participants.
“Anyone in the Hunter region with a BMI greater than 30 and less than 45 is encouraged to take part in the program. You must be willing and able to attend weekly sessions, and be older than 18 years of age,” Ms McCall said.
Participants will complete relevant activities between sessions, and will be weighed regularly. Participant details will be kept completely confidential, and individual details, such as weight, will not be disclosed to the group.
Programs will be held at Newcastle Community Health with both Wednesday and Thursday morning sessions. Weekly Friday morning sessions will be held at Wallsend Community Health Centre.
The first of the sessions commences on Thursday 25 June. Exclusion criteria and your BMI may be discussed when you enrol in the program, to ensure suitability for the requirements and aims of the program.
Interested participants should contact (02) 4925 7990 for a referral to the Hunter New England Health program co-ordinators.
* New South Wales Population Health Survey 2007 (HOIST). Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health. The indicator includes those who are obese i.e. with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
Contact: Nicole Fuller
Phone: (02) 4921 4477