Is it possible to treat type 2 diabetes without weight-loss? It absolutely is. Join Megrette Fletcher M.Ed., RD, CDE and I as we explore treating type 2 diabetes in a weight independent way. Megrette has been been working in diabetes care since 1995 and has a great deal of information to share about caring for diabetic patients using effective tools that shift focus away from weight-loss. She is also the co-author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat with Diabetes and has authored five books for professionals. This is an interview no one will want to miss!
In this episode:
- 8 Core Defects
- Why weight-loss (including bariatric surgery) is not a long term solution
- Behaviors are key to managing diabetes
- Self care instead of weight-loss
- Energy Balance, not Energy Deficit
- How to encourage people to access diabetes educators
- How weight independent treatment helps patients cope with diabetes
- Self Compassion
- How having a HAES trained diabetes educator can help providers better manage patients' over all health
“This fantasy around weight has lead us to a) not treat the patient with diabetes or educate people around diabetes because we spend all of our time trying to sell them on weight-loss...and then when they say...’I really want to manage my diabetes but I don’t want to lose weight’, no one knows what to do with them.”
About Megrette:
Megrette is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator who has worked in diabetes care since 1995. Her interest in mindful eating started in 1999 when she began meditating on a consistent basis. In 2005, she co-founded The Center for Mindful Eating, an international non-profit organization that explores the benefits of mindfulness and health. In addition to offering webinar trainings about the scientific benefits of mindfulness and health, Megrette has written five books for professionals including Diabetes Counseling and Educational Activities: Helping Clients without Harping on Weight, The Core Concepts of Mindful Eating, Discover Mindful Eating, Discover Mindful Eating for Kids and co-authored Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat with Diabetes, Michelle May MD. Megrette has recently created a Facebook group for HAES professionals, interested in diabetes care, called Weight Neutral for Diabetes Care. The group can be found by searching for WN4DC.
She is very active in the cycling community, and in 2011, her passion for biking prompted her to form the largest and top-grossing cycling team in the Tour de Cure (for diabetes) Kennebunk fundraising event. Megrette, a dog lover, passable cook, and terrible bowler, is blessed to live and laugh with her family in beautiful in New Hampshire, outside of Boston. To learn more about Megrette, please visit her website at Megrette.com or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.
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