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Hello <<First Name>>

Welcome to Obesity Matters! We are building a community of like-minded people who want to come together and support each other by sharing their personal health journeys on the way to ending the stigma around obesity and overweight.

We understand that living with excess weight can be challenging and we want to be a source of empathy so you can get all the tools and support you need to heal the mind, body and spirit.

We are so glad to have you on board!

Firstly, you may have noticed that we had a name change. Obesity Action is now Obesity Matters because when is comes to weight bias, we know what really matters. We have experienced the challenges of living with obesity and overweight firsthand, so we have a mission to advocate for public policy and environmental changes while helping people nourish, love and accept their bodies.

Obesity Matters, because YOU matter.

It has been a busy couple months at Obesity Matters! Here is what we’ve been up to lately:
 

EAT PLAY LOVE Spotlight Series


The Eat, Play, Love spotlight series was a great way to engage our growing community. Our weight management patient advocates Sandra and Rachel hosted interviews with a fantastic group of experts before turning to the audience for questions and comments. 

The events kicked off on March 3 when inspirational writer, actor and broadcaster Candy Palmater joined us alongside Dr. Sean Wharton for a discussion about why love has no size. Candy’s mix of experience and candour was infectious and fit perfectly with Dr. Wharton's expertise on obesity and weight bias in medicine. This event was a hit!

“Love these sessions and the chance to share knowledge and feel supported and knowing support is always there for us and we are not alone. We are all human and not perfect. Everyday is a journey. One day at a time. Baby steps,” said one member.

From there, the series featured Dr. Gillian Mandich for a discussion on happiness in ‘Is Happiness a State of the Mind or Body?’ on March 11, followed by Graeme Campbell and Ryan Schmidt, the head strength coach and assistant coach of Raptors 905, who joined us for ‘Every Move Counts’ on March 18 to talk about the importance of moving our bodies however possible for a healthier body and mind.

We then welcomed Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley on March 25 for ‘Healthy Habits Suck’ (also the name of her book) for a great chat about finding the motivation to live our healthiest lives. This was an interesting discussion where Dr. Lee-Baggley talked about focusing on doing ‘recharging activities’, or things that make us happier and a little more energetic than when we started them. 

Our focus moved on to food for the last two events ‘Food Addiction in the Time of COVID-19’ on April 1 and ‘The Unapologetic Pursuit of Deliciousness’ on April 8. Dr. Peter Selby and Dr. Vera Tarman talked about food addiction with us and offered their perspectives on the issue of food addiction while Dr. Michael Lyon spoke about building a healthy, loving relationship with food. This was a topic that certainly hit home as so many of us have struggled with food in our weight journeys.  

Thank you to everyone who attended the events, we appreciate all the feedback and excellent questions! 
 
Link to event Videos

Education

Exercising Kindness with Raptors 905


With everyone stuck at home, it is more important than ever to get moving and stay active. That’s why Obesity Matters teamed up with Raptors 905 to create a 15-minute interactive workout session with some of the team’s players and the head strength and conditioning coach. The video was sent out to schools and other organizations to try and get kids up and moving! 

“The positive messages from inspiring athletes were helpful. Fat shaming and bullying, both are issues. Students need to learn to be healthy for the right reasons. Thank you! This is important work!” – School Educator.

The video was released in conjunction with the International Day of Pink on April 14. The International Day of Pink is an anti-bullying event that aims to create a more inclusive and diverse world.
Link to Video

Events

What’s next?


Make sure to keep an eye out for Eat, Play, Love Season 2 coming this summer!

If you enjoyed any of our events and would like to support us
Donate Here

Community

Stuck at home? Try this!


Stuck at home and feeling fatigued? The pandemic has many of us feeling cooped up, and spending your whole day at home, during and after work, can be draining. Check out our list of six self-care tips to fight that fatigue.

TO THE LIST

We love our members!


We so appreciate the love and support from our members and are committed to continue to provide a resource and platform for everyone to share their struggles and successes.

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