Weight management just got easier

Trying to manage your weight? Don’t eat less, eat better.

Sounds simple, but we don’t always understand the basics of overeating and weight loss. Sometimes we just need a little help.

McLaren Macomb offers a Weight Loss Management Program designed for people who don’t necessarily have the time for a set schedule of meetings and weigh-ins.

“When you have so many items on your to-do list, it can be difficult to focus on your personal goals,” said Yvonne Thigpen, a registered dietitian and manager of integrated health at McLaren Macomb.

The program lets people stay connected through online contacts and “field trip meetings.” There are also regularly scheduled group meetings for those who are able to attend. Participants may also access the latest apps, websites and other resources to help them meet their healthy weight goals.

The Weight Loss Management Program also looks at the complex psychological factors involved with eating. For instance, Thigpen explains that hunger and appetite are not the same things, though both drive our eating habits.

Hunger is the need for food – the body’s instinctive mechanism that makes certain it gets the fuel it needs to survive. Appetite, however, is more aligned with desires. It’s conditioned by social situations and emotions.

“Learning the differences between hunger and appetite is imperative to long-term weight loss,” Thigpen said. “Our program removes the judgment that sometimes accompanies weight loss programs, and we help patients re-examine their relationships with food and learn how to eat more mindfully.”

For more information about the program visit mclaren.org/macombweightloss.