Weight Management
Cumberland Hospital’s Weight Management Program supports patients with life-threatening medical issues relating to weight. Patients learn coping mechanisms and mindful eating practices that enable them to have a healthy relationship with their bodies and minds.
Healthy on Purpose
Our weight management program serves patients in need of emergency life-saving weight loss and their weight impacts day to day functioning. Patients participate in phases to systematically address life-threating medical issues related weight and learn skills for a healthy body and mind.
Meals are designed to progress from restrictive to a more normalized meal plan. Patients receive education on how to incorporate a variety of foods for all occasions and practice choosing their own meals in the cafeteria and with family when appropriate. Weight loss and BMI are tracked but an emphasis is placed on overall health instead of size.
Patients participate in specialized groups, including:
- Healthy on Purpose
- Facilitated by a registered dietitian and focused on promoting a healthy lifestyle by providing education on nutritious foods while also encouraging use of mindful eating and intuitive eating practices
- Body and Mind
- Facilitated by a psychotherapist to help address issues specific to someone living in a larger body including body shaming, weight biases, self-esteem, coping tools and building healthy relationships with food
- FIT
- Supervised by a physical therapist to expose patients to physical activity to help improve overall mobility and conditioning
- Recreation Therapy
- Incorporates healthy leisure education, awareness and participation. Interventions include physical fitness and independent leisure with encouragement and education in developing new coping skills
Medical issues and physical health are monitored by nursing staff 24 hours a day. A dietitian oversees meal plans and educates patients and families regarding healthy food choices, mindful eating and intuitive eating. Each patient and family is assigned a psychotherapist for individual and family therapy each week. Sessions focus on exploring their relationship with food, identifying family dynamics as well as emotional and behavioral issues that affect their overall health.