UPDATE September 2022: WE WON!!!
Looking forward to being inducted into the Obesity Medicine Association Board of Trustees in October 2022 at Overcoming Obesity 2022.
Thank you for your support!!!
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Have you thought you understood something and later realized you didn't? As an on/off dieter since age 15 and a board-certified internal medicine physician, I felt I understood weight loss and obesity. However, in 2014, I was 40lbs overweight after gaining 60lbs two years prior while pregnant. Worse yet, none of my previous dieting tricks were working. My body had changed entirely. Additionally, I was scared of carrying the extra weight because of my family history of obesity and type two diabetes.
Lastly, I felt less confident counseling patients on the healthy lifestyle I wasn't living.
I knew I needed help to change, but I didn't know how.
In February 2015, I attended my first Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) Fundamentals of Obesity course. I learned what I hadn't learned in medical school.
Obesity is a complex medical disease determined by many factors that you can & can't control.
Body fat storage isn't as simple as "calories in vs. calories out."
Obesity is the root cause of many diseases I treated in primary care.
After the course, my approach to my health and how I practice medicine changed. I no longer focused on treating symptoms. I wanted to help people heal by addressing the root causes of obesity. I became an active member of the OMA, board certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine (2016), and eventually a full-time obesity specialist. In 2020 I founded Embrace You Weight & Wellness telehealth, coaching, and consulting to address the disparities in personalized obesity care.
As a Black woman serving a diverse population, I am passionate about addressing health disparities in obesity care while celebrating bodies of all sizes. In 2021 I published the bestseller "Embrace You: Your Guide to Transforming Weight Loss Misconceptions Into Lifelong Wellness." Embrace You: Your Guide is Healthline.com's Best Overall Weight Loss Book of 2022 and Livestrong.com's Top 8 Weight Loss Book.
The work I do isn't about me. It's to help others living with obesity love themselves and thrive with evidence-based and personalized tools. I continue to seek out opportunities to empower people living with obesity and promote obesity awareness. I am currently working with Black Health to produce culturally relevant obesity education.
We are living at a pivotal time in the science of obesity and our nation. During the pandemic, we've seen the devastating impact of racism and health disparities. Both of which disproportionately impact our patients living with obesity and facing weight bias. I'm honored to run for the OMA Board of Trustees. It is an opportunity to transform the future of obesity care by ensuring the needs of all people with obesity are represented and addressed.I look forward to utilizing my diverse experiences to serve as a voice and liaison for all. You can read my complete OMA Candidacy statement here.
Lastly, here's a sampling of content I've enjoyed creating for OMA, as an engaged committee member of the Membership, Outreach, & Diversity & International Committees.
I've also included so fun pics from the OMA conferences I've attended 2015-2022. OMA members and attendees are wonderful! Special thanks to my mentors and mentees on this journey in obesity medicine.
Sylvia's Obesity Medicine Association Content
General Obesity Information
Obesity & Cancer Article
What Causes Obesity?
Obesity & Heart Disease Infographic
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Obesity & Black Women: What Are We Missing? Podcast
Obesity & Black Women: What Are We Missing? OMA Spring Conference 2022
Where Do We Go From Here: Impact of Racism & Racial Disparities on Obesity Rates in African Americans & Clinical Implications?
The Obesity Disparity in Black Women: How to Be More Inclusive? for Physician's Weekly
Mental Health
Obesity & M.E.N.T.A.L.H.E.A.L.T.H Checklist
Healthy Eating Tips
Low Carb Eating Tips
Caribbean Healthy Eating Group Guide
Related Content Creation
Chapter 17: Where can I turn for trusted obesity information?" by Dr. Sylvia Gonsahn-Bollie, MD, DABOM in Facing Overweight & Obesity: A Complete Guide For Children & Adults