A wholistic collaborative approach to weight loss
Healthcare Professionals
How We Can Help You
Your time with your patients is limited. You have a billion things you want to tell them and another billion things you want to show them... but you just don't have the time to do it. That's where we come in. We want to help you help your patients. They want to lose weight and live healthier lives, but sometimes they get stuck on the implementation of it. We are here to take your instructions on your clients specific health needs and work with them individually and also within a community to create new habits that will last a lifetime.
​
There is no magic bullet and no specific diets that a patient will stick to for a lifetime. That is why we go back to basics and teach a balanced approach to eating. We make nutritious healthy meals that use whole foods and all food groups. During community cooking, patients are not only learning some cooking skills that they may have never learned, but also how to meal prep so that they can prepare for busier days ahead of time to avoid unhealthy food choices on the go.
​
As we also know that the food that we have around us is what we end up turning to, we grocery shop with our program participants every week for the first three months. This helps to learn which aisles to avoid and where to spend the bulk of their grocery money and their time. Learning what to buy and how to prepare it sets your patient up for success.
We make exercise part of living in community with others. Walking with friends not only gets the body moving, but also meets mental health needs by spending time with a friend. As they talk and share their struggles and their victories, the brain releases oxytocin as they bond; as they walk and exercise, their bodies are releasing stress and becoming stronger.
Why You Should Refer Your Patients
Did you know that studies indicate that patients self-report that they score way higher on how motivated they are to lose weight than what their physician believes they are?
​
When we hear from your patient, we will schedule an interview to determine their readiness. This process only works when it is self-motivated, but studies indicate that most patients are ready and waiting for a plan from their doctor - just like if they had a heart problem. They need a plan. We have one.
​
We will need a medical release from you indicating that the patient is okay to engage in light exercise, as well as notations regarding specified diet requirements.
​
We will not take over your patient. We want to work with you in tandem with your patient. If acceptable to both yourself and your patient, we can accompany your patient to monthly check-ups with you so you can monitor their progress.
​
Many hands make light work.
Support Phases
This coaching program cycles through three phases of support with the health coach: intensive, moderate and independent. We use self-determination theory as the program participant sets their own goals and is accountable only to themselves, however they get to work with a supportive team on an ongoing basis to help keep them on track.
Intensive Support Phase
The first phase is twelve weeks long, and encompasses twice weekly scheduled exercise (just walking), once per week grocery shopping outings, and once per week cooking sessions in a community kitchen. This phase is done individually with each patient with the exception of the community kitchen. This totals four supportive coaching sessions each week.
Moderate Support Phase
The second phase is twenty-four weeks in duration and dials down the exercise with the coach to once per week. During this phase partnered exercise is introduced with other program participants. The participants will be encouraged to meet with another participant for the second exercise session each week. The patient will continue to meet together with their coach and other program participants to cook together once per week. This totals two supportive coaching sessions each week.
Independent Support Phase
The third and final phase of this program is designed to still provide patients with support, all the while they are making these habits become their own lifestyle. During these twelve weeks, the health coach will still meet with program participants once per week; with one week being exercise and the next week community cooking.
It is the goal of Hands-On Weight Management that patients develop close relationships with other program participants during partnered exercise and community cooking so that they can learn to support each other in their journeys as the coach begins to step back. We hope that they will continue to cook together and exercise together long after the program ends.