Thank You OH2014 Speakers
September 8, 2014We would like to thank our amazing 2014 ObesityHelp National Conference speakers. Your experiences and expertise were important contributions to help us educate, inspire and support the ObesityHelp community!
Conference Emcee: Diana Vogel, MS, MFT, Intern
Diana conference highlights:
- Emceed the entire OH2014 Conference, with her one-of-a-kind personality and dedication to the bariatric community, Diana was the glue that held the conference together!
- Got up-close and personal with Graham Elliot during his fireside chat, with her humor and insights as a weight loss surgery patient and a therapist, she helped make the Q&A entertaining, educational and memorable!
- Breakout Session: What to Expect When You're Expecting Weight Loss Surgery to Work, see Diana's slideshare below.
Grad Q&A Panelists
Panelists Surgery Type and Year:
- Nikki Massie – RNY 2008
- Ms. Shell Wilson – VSG 2007
- Bec McDorman – RNY 2010
- Nancy Sayles – LapBand 2009
- Kevin Stephens – RNY 2011
Workshop Speaker and Grad Q&A Panelist: Nikki Massie
Nikki Massie (Bariatric Foodie) conference highlights:
- Workshop Session: Awkward! Dealing with uncomfortable food situations and social settings after weight-loss surgery, see Nikki's slideshare below!
- Shared a fantastic take-away with the community, “Thinking of your own feelings is not selfish, it’s self-care.”
- In the exhibitor area Nikki introduced her newest book, The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book, as well as handed out “I’m a Bariatric Foodie, I play with my food” buttons!
Workshop Speaker: Sarah Spano
Sarah Spano (LessofSarah) conference highlights:
- Workshop Session: With a little help from your friends, the importance of support to your weight loss journey, see Sarah's video with slides below.
- Through inviting 1 attendee to dance alone, then dancing with him and finally asking the whole room to dance with them, Sarah ingeniously demonstrated the importance of support!
- Shared that support is key to short-term and long-term success, support helps give you someone to talk to, share ideas with, seek advice from, confess to and have fun with.
Workshop Speaker: Abby Lentz
Abbly Lentz (HeavyWeight Yoga) conference highlights:
- Workshop Session: Yoga is Not a 4 Letter Word, How yoga supports your weight loss journey from start to finish, see Abby's slideshare below.
- Shared a key take-away, "Yoga can be done by any body. Regardless of size or situation."
- Every one was engaged in chair yoga with Abby, even the cameraman! (See his pic, bottom right hand corner)
Workshop Speaker: Dr. Howard Gluss
Dr. Howard Gluss conference highlights:
- Workshop Session: Sex, Intimacy and Relationships After Weight Loss Surgery, see Dr Gluss' slideshare below.
- Discussed the relationship between sexual abuse and obesity and how weight is often used as a shield, as body armor.
- Shared that, "Success within our relationships requires that we understand both the conscious and unconscious forces that interact in our lives."
Workshop Speaker: Angela Taylor, LCSW
Angela Taylor, LCSW conference highlights:
- Workshop Session: I am changing...and I am perfect as I am, see Angela's slideshare below.
- Angela taught the audience that body image is not WHAT you see, it's HOW you see.
- Key take-away from Angela, "Confidence is...knowing you are walking into a room because you want to be there. You are valuable & perfect, just as you are!"
Workshop Speaker: Rachel Girardi, M.Sc.
- Workshop Session: Reading Between the Labels, How to Outsmart Your Groceries, see Rachel's slideshare below.
- Rachel reminded the audience, "A baked lay, is still a lay & a gluten free chocolate cookie is still a cookie."
- In this workshop Rachel picked apart common health claims (such as sugar free, multigrain and fat-free).
Professional Q&A Panelists
- Dr. Elias Ortiz
- Jill Temkin, MA, RAS, TEP
- Michelle Stewert, MPH, RDLD/N , CDE
- Angela Taylor, LCSW
- Kyle Brown, BA, CCN
Fireside Chat: Graham Elliot
- Check out our follow-up article of the Fireside Chat with Graham, video included!
- Also stop by and check out some of the photos from the chat.
Educational Keynote: Dr. Scott Cunneen
- Keynote: What to do when the honeymoon is over, see Dr. Cunneen's slideshare below.
- Dr. Cunneen advised the audience, “a calorie is not a calorie when it comes to fat and biology.”
- In his presentation, Dr. Cunneen broke down the aspects of bariatric surgery and the physiological mechanisms along with “The Rules.”
Breakout Session: Kyle Brown BA, CCN
- Breakout Session: How much does a Zebra weigh, see Kyle's slideshare below.
- Key take-away from Kyle: "Nutritional quality beats nutritional quantity."
- Kyle urged the audience that “You need to find a physical activity that truly awakens your spirit.”
Breakout Session: Jacqueline Jacques, ND, FTOS
- Breakout Session: Re-Defining Success After Bariatric Surgery, see Dr. Jacques' slideshare below.
- Key take-away from Dr. Jacques, the goal of weight management goes beyond the scale.
- Revealed the single study that established the current Body Mass Index.
Breakout Session: Jill Temkin, MA, RAS, TEP
- Breakout Session: Six Steps To Successfully Coping With Addiction After Weight Loss Surgery, see Jill's slideshare below.
- Addiction is a system of urges and thoughts driven by your body’s need to seek the release of endorphins.
- Jill remined us that if can make peace with your body, you will never want to harm or abuse it again.
Breakout Session: Dr. Alejandro Quiroz
- Breakout Session: Exploring your reconstructive plastic surgery options, see Dr. Quiroz's slidehow below.
- Dr. Quiroz stressed the importance of aftercare! “Putting patient safety first benefits everyone!”
- There isn’t an age limit for plastic surgery explains Dr. Quiroz. “It is about the individual’s personal health and one can be healthy at 80 or more!”
Breakout Session: Dr. J. Timothy Katzen
- Breakout Session: Reconstructive Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss Surgery, see Dr. Katzen's slideshare below.
- Dr. Katzen told the audience about selecting a plastic surgeon is to be careful, do your research and choose a board certified doctor that is trained in the procedures you want.
- One of the criteria for plastic surgery with Dr. Katzen is "your weight needs to be stable for three months before reconstructive surgery". He also reviewed the insurance criteria for plastic surgery.
