Saturday, July 21, 2018

On Day 3 of OAC’s 7th Annual Your Weight Matters National Convention, the day kicked-off once again with morning group exercises including walks/runs, Aqua Fit Zumba and Tai Chi. Though the day before was plenty busy, attendees remained energized and ready to take-on the day ahead with education, action, support and community.

More Evidence-based Weight and Health Education

After a morning complete with group exercise classes, focus groups and attendee catch-ups, the day continued with evidence-based, quality weight and health education that OAC’s National Convention has always committed to providing. YWM2018 Day 3 featured morning and afternoon General and Breakout Educational Sessions that covered a variety of hot topics in the weight and health industry. Experts offered attendees additional tips, tools, resources and more for their personal health journeys that were meant to inspire, motivate and ignite change. Some of Saturday’s special Education sessions included:

  • Can Exercise Remodel Your Metabolism?
  • On the Horizon: The Science behind a Personalized Approach to Obesity Care
  • Impact of Weight Bias on Your Health: Steps to Rejecting Self-stigma
  • Finding Your “Sweet Spot” in Nutrition
  • Self-image and Acceptance Following Bariatric Surgery
  • The Role of PCPs in Managing the Chronic Disease of Obesity
  • Weight-loss vs. Body Positivity: Making the Ends Meet

In addition to all General and Breakout Educational Sessions, YWM2018 once again offered attendees the opportunity to eat breakfast and/or lunch with experts in a smaller, more intimate setting. These smaller sessions offered a more closely-knit opportunity for attendees to connect with experts such as physicians, surgeons, researchers, etc. and dive-in to topics that mattered most to them. Attendees asked their personal questions, learned science-based education and deepened their educational experience at YWM2018. Some (but not all) of these popular topics included:

  • Sleep, Stress and Your Health: Creating a Lifestyle of Self-care
  • Fighting for Coverage: Steps to Appealing a Denial
  • Taking Control: Chronic Pain Management and its Impact on Your Journey
  • Medications for Chronic Weight Management: Let’s Explore!
  • Why is My Weight-loss Stalling? Pushing through a Plateau
  • Exiting the Emotional Eating Roller Coaster
  • Self-Sabotage: Battling Your Worst Enemy… Yourself
  • Ask a Plastic Surgeon: What to Know about Body Contouring

Healthy Living EXPO Hall

On Day 3 of the weekend, YWM2018 continued to offer the Your Weight Matters Healthy Living EXPO Hall for attendees to benefit from products, services, samples and more offered by more than 30 vendors in the health and wellness industry. Some vendors offered healthy snacks, vitamins and lifestyle tools while others offered a comprehensive health screening and information about medical weight management. Throughout the day, the EXPO Hall buzzed with curiosity and excitement as attendees meandered in-between educational sessions and special events.

Honoring Change-makers in the OAC Community

To end yet another amazing day of education and connecting with like-minded people, OAC hosted its Annual Reception and Awards Ceremony to reinforce the power of taking #OACAction and honor a handful of individuals who have gone above and beyond in making a difference on behalf of people affected by obesity.

This inspirational evening was a beautiful reminder that being a part of a community like OAC’s is a powerful way to influence not only our own lives, but each other’s. OAC would like to once again recognize the following individuals/award winners for their hard work and passion when it comes to taking #OACAction:

  • Community Partner of the Year: Jeanne Blankenship, MS, RD
  • Bias Buster of the Year: Marty Enokson
  • Barbara Thompson Advocacy Award Winner: Debera Gau
  • OAC Chairman’s Award: Ted Kyle, RPh, MBA, Treasurer
  • OAC Member of the Year: Vu Pham

The Power of #OACAction

Though OAC’s Saturday Night Reception and Awards Ceremony honored some outstanding individuals who have truly made a difference in their communities and the world at large, the evening was a reminder that everybody has it within them to be an advocate and take action. Together, we have made great strides in eliminating weight bias, improving access to care and raising awareness about obesity, but we still have much more to go. As a Community, we will continue to affect important change and work harder at improving the lives of ALL people who have been/are affected by obesity.