Weight is not a behaviour with Dr. Michael Vallis

In this episode of Scale Up Your Practice, registered psychologist and global obesity expert Dr. Michael Vallis returns to talk about a critical topic in obesity care: how we define success.

Too often, people living with obesity are made to feel like they’ve failed if they don’t achieve a specific number on the scale. But weight is not a behaviour—and it shouldn’t be the only marker of progress.

🎯 In this episode, we explore:

• Why success in obesity management should be personal and flexible

• How to help patients stop comparing their journey to others

• How reframing that weight is not a behaviour could change the treatment approach

• What healthcare professionals can say to support motivation and long-term engagement

• How to challenge societal narratives that tie weight to personal worth

We also pause for a Bias Break, where Dr. Vallis shares a recent experience with weight bias—and how subtle forms of stigma can still have a deep impact on patients and providers.

This episode is a must-listen for healthcare professionals who want to move beyond “one-size-fits-all” care and toward more compassionate, individualized obesity treatment.

Additional Resources Mentioned:

• Free Obesity Canada course with Dr. Vallis: Introduction to Behaviour Change Counselling for Obesity: https://utm.guru/uigGD

• Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guideline: https://utm.guru/uigGB

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Send your topic ideas or questions to: scaleuppod@obesitycanada.ca

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Scale Up Your Practice is created by Obesity Canada. Learn more at obesitycanada.ca.