Weight Management: Nutrition Perspectives

Weight management is one of the most talked about – and most misunderstood – areas of health. In this free nutritional education webinar, Megan Ellison, RDN, CDCES – a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist with over 15 years of clinical experience and specialty training in adult weight management with Sound Dietitians, LLC – cuts through the noise to share what the research actually shows about sustainable, compassionate approaches to managing weight and metabolism. Sponsored by Stilly Valley Health Connections, this class is part of our free class recordings on nutrition and health.

What’s covered in this class:

• The health case for weight management – why even a 3-5% reduction in body weight produces clinically meaningful benefits, what visceral fat is and why it matters more than the number on the scale, and how to identify your personal “why” to stay motivated long term
• An honest look at popular diets – evidence-based pros and cons of keto, intermittent fasting, Paleo/Whole 30, and commercial programs, and why no single plan works for everyone – including why most popular diets are not associated with long-term weight loss success
• What the research actually shows works – insights from the National Weight Control Registry (people who lost and maintained 70+ lbs) and why effective weight management requires a three-pronged approach: diet, physical activity, and behavioral support
• The muscle-metabolism connection – why one pound of muscle contains 21 trillion mitochondria (the body’s energy engines), how natural muscle loss after age 30 affects metabolism, and why resistance training 2-3 times per week is critical – especially for postmenopausal women
• Weight management medications – a practical overview of GLP-1 agonists and other medication categories, including nutritional side effects to watch for, why adequate protein and strength training are essential when using these medications, and the gut microbiome connection that explains why GLP-1s work
• Breaking common pitfalls – how unrealistic expectations and all-or-nothing thinking undermine long-term success, why weight is an outcome rather than a behavior, and how to track non-scale victories that reflect real metabolic improvements
• Practical strategies and goal setting – setting up your food environment for success, mindful eating, breaking up sedentary time, “exercise snacks,” SMART goal setting, addressing sleep and stress as barriers, and building a support system for lasting change