Losing weight isnโt just a matter of shedding some excess pounds and making yourself a little more comfortable and mobile. Itโs also a matter of your health, and so itโs a matter that deserves plenty of care and attention to ensure you get proper treatment. To get that care you require, itโs important to look beyond the marketing claims and check the professional credentials of the team. Contemporary, high-end weight loss clinics like HOW Clinics arenโt run by a single individual but by a multidisciplinary team of regulated health professionals who work together to design a holistic approach to meet your needs. To that end, your best guarantee that the care you get is evidence-based and individualized to your particular health profile is the credentials of the team.
Contemporary, high-end weight loss clinics like HOW Clinics specialize in personalized weight loss in Guelph, offering individualized care that addresses each personโs unique health profile. Their multidisciplinary team of regulated health professionals works together to design holistic, evidence-based programs that target both the physical and emotional aspects of weight management. This kind of approach ensures that your treatment plan isnโt one-size-fits-all but rather tailored specifically to your needs and long-term wellness goals.
To that end, your best guarantee that the care you get is evidence-based and individualized to your particular health profile is the credentials of the team.
1. Medical Doctor (MD) with Specialized Obesity Training
In some cases, medical doctors may also discuss emerging treatment options, including oral peptides for weight loss, when they are appropriate and supported by current evidence.
Specifically look for physicians who have advanced training in obesity management. While many family doctors are excellent, a specialist in this field will have credentials such as certification from the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM), a designation recognized in Canada, or the Certified Bariatric Educator (CBEยฎ) credential. This indicates a deep, specific knowledge of obesity as a complex chronic disease.
2. Registered Dietitian (RD)
More than a licenced doctor, the dietitian is perhaps the most critical non-negotiable credential. In Canada, the title “Registered Dietitian” is a protected title, just like “doctor” or “nurse.” This requires an RD to have a university degree in nutrition, complete a rigorous internship, and pass a national licensing exam, ensuring they have ample experience advising patients on what foods are ideal for their efforts.
This is not the same as a “nutritionist” (which is also not a regulated title in most of Canada). What an RD brings to the table is the capacity to provide Medical Nutrition Therapy. This treatment is an evidence-based approach to creating a realistic, sustainable, and nourishing eating plan that considers your medical history, personal preferences, and lifestyle. Itโs this targeted, holistic approach that goes a long way toward helping you achieve the healthier weight youโre striving to get.
3. Registered Mental Health Professional (RP, RSW, or R.Psych)
A modern clinic understands that thereโs more to weight management than food and exercise; thereโs also a mental component to losing weight that involves an understanding of our behaviours, thoughts, and emotions. The “why” behind our eating habits is often as important as the “what.”
Look for a mental health professional on staff, such as a Registered Psychotherapist (RP), Registered Social Worker (RSW), or Registered Psychologist (R.Psych/C.Psych). These are all regulated professionals with graduate-level degrees. They are trained to help you develop coping strategies, manage stress or emotional eating, address body image concerns, and build the mental resilience needed for long-term change.
If youโre seeking to support this mental wellness journey, you might also explore wellness spaces like The Calm on Dundas, which provide restorative treatments and calming environments to reduce stress and promote emotional balanceโkey elements in maintaining consistent, mindful habits for healthy living.
4. Registered Kinesiologist (R.Kin)
Physical activity is a key component of any weight loss program; a little exercise goes a long way toward burning calories and boosting your metabolism. A Registered Kinesiologist is a specialist in human movement. Similar to RDs, their designation (R.Kin) is also provincially protected in provinces such as Ontario, and they are members of their provincial kinesiology association (PKA) through the Canadian Kinesiology Alliance (CKA).
A kinesiologistโs role is designing a safe and effective physical activity plan to go along with the rest of your treatment, one tailored to your body, fitness level, and injuries or limitations. These professionals offer an added benefit over a typical personal trainer, in the sense that they help improve patterns of movement, develop strength, and find fun, sustainable ways to be active.
5. A Multidisciplinary, Evidence-Based Approach
Lastly, the fifth and most crucial “credential” is not possessed by a single individual but by the clinic itself. The best clinics use a multidisciplinary and evidence-based model. This means all of the professionals mentioned above (i.e. the doctor, dietitian, therapist, and kinesiologist) collaborate as a team, sharing their expertise to create a balanced, comprehensive approach that integrates multiple aspects to weight loss for optimal impact. Click here for more information.
For this purpose, they must be able to speak with you regarding your care and forming a single, integrated plan. The philosophy of the clinic must be based on current scientific knowledge, including the Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines, which consider obesity to be a chronic illness, and not a weakness of will. This team approach provides you with support from all sides, providing you with the optimal basis for long-term success.
