Obesity
Understanding obesity
Obesity is a disease.
Not a measure of
your willpower.
Your body has a biology of its own. It helps set your weight, and can push back when you try to change it. You deserve care that understands that.
No pressure. Just a conversation about your options.
Letâs change the conversation
Thereâs more to weight
than what you do.
Obesity is a complex, chronic disease influenced by genetics, brain biology, and your lived experience. Eating well and moving matter, but theyâre only part of the picture.1
Your genetics
Inherited, not chosen. Your genes influence how your body regulates appetite, stores energy, and responds to weight loss.
Biology, not a personal failing
Your brain biology
Your brain helps regulate hunger and fullness. When weight changes, it can send stronger signals to eat and conserve energy.
Real signals. Not a lack of discipline.
Your whole life
Sleep, stress, medications, environment, and life experiences all shape your health. Your care should consider them, too.
The whole person. Not just a number.
âWeight is influenced primarily by genetics and brain biology.â
Dr. David Macklin ¡ Family physician, psychotherapist & founding member of Obesity Canada
A closer look at your biology
You push harder.
Your body pushes back.
When you eat less, your brain can increase hunger and conserve energy. Thatâs biology protecting your weight, not a lack of effort.
What youâve heard. What medicine knows.
A different understanding.
A kinder way forward.
Some of the things youâve been told about weight leave out the biology.
âI just need more willpower.â
Appetite is regulated by brain pathways and hormones, not willpower alone. Obesity care addresses the biology alongside nutrition, movement, and behaviour.
âItâs just eating less and moving more.â
Nutrition and movement support health. But weight loss can trigger increased hunger and reduced energy expenditure, making long-term change harder without support.
âOther people manage. Whatâs wrong with me?â
Genetics, medications, sleep, stress, and your environment all influence weight differently. Your experience is not a measure of your character.
âIâve failed every plan Iâve tried.â
Regaining weight is common because the body can defend its previous weight. It can signal a need for ongoing care, not that you have failed.
The hardest voice to silence
Weight bias doesnât
stay outside.
It can move in.
Years of being judged, in waiting rooms, on scales, in jokes, in advice from people who love you, can become an inner voice. Thatâs internalized weight bias: beginning to believe the stereotypes about your own body.
It isnât a character flaw. Itâs what stigma does when it has nowhere else to go, and itâs one of the main reasons people put off care for years.
You stop going to appointments
You book, then cancel. Being weighed and lectured feels inevitable, so itâs easier not to go at all.
You believe the myths about yourself
Lazy. Undisciplined. Not trying hard enough. The words youâd never use about a friend, aimed at you.
You apologize for taking up space
Sorry for the chair, the seatbelt, the scan that had to be repeated. Sorry for the size of you.
The MWM difference ¡ The Macklin Method
Not another plan to
fight your body.
Care that works with it.
Medication can help quiet the hunger. Skills help change the patterns. MWM brings both together with a team that sees the whole you.
01
Treat the biology
Physician-guided care, including medication when appropriate, to address appetite, fullness, and food noise.
02
Build the skills
Dietitian-led nutrition and CBT-based behavioural support for emotional eating, triggers, and everyday habits.
03
Stay supported
Ongoing follow-ups and a maintenance plan. A team beside you, not just a prescription in your hands.
Program details ¡ The Macklin Method
Medication quiets the noise.
Skills change the habits.
Lasting change rarely comes from a prescription alone, or from willpower alone. The Macklin Method brings medicine and skills together.
Medication
Works on the biology.
Appetite, fullness, food noise.
+
Behavioural counselling, CBT-based
Works on the patterns.
Triggers, emotional eating, routines that outlast a prescription.
=
Together
Changes that last.
Medicine opens the window. Skills carry you through it.
Evidence: GLP-1 medication plus CBT-based programs outperformed usual care in a 2019 cohort study (type 2 diabetes).
Expertise with empathy
Built by people who
helped write the Canadian guidelines.
Specialist knowledge. Real human support. Your care is informed by Canadaâs adult obesity clinical practice guidelines.1
MWM care team
Medical Director, MWM
Dr. Megha Poddar
Endocrinologist and obesity medicine specialist. Co-author of Canadaâs 2020 adult obesity guidelines.
MWM care team
Behind the Macklin Method
Dr. David Macklin
Family physician and psychotherapist. Founding member of Obesity Canada and co-author of the 2020 guidelines.
Your care team
The people youâll actually work with: family physicians, registered dietitians, and program staff, trained in the Macklin Method, supporting you at every step. Guiding your nutrition and everyday habits - a message away in the app.
Dr. Aamir Haq
Program Physician
CCFP, MD
Dr. Nathalie Ranger
Program Physician
CCFP, DABOM, MD
Dr. Pamela Lau
Program Physician
CCFP, MD
Catherine Lin
Program Dietitian
BSc, CBE, RD
Evan Huang-Ku
Program Dietitian
CBE, CDE, MPH, RD
Lynette Amirault
Program Dietitian
B.Sc.N, CBE, RD
Michelle Barish
Program Dietitian
BASc, RD
Rosanna Lee
Program Dietitian
BASc, BS, MHSc, MS, RD
Jamie Forde
Program Administrator
MSc, RN
Melannie Pace
Program Administrator
Melanie Comeau
Program Administrator
Nicole Fernandez
Program Administrator
Your care, step by step
A clearer path to your next chapter.
No one-size-fits-all approach. We get to know your health, your history, and the life you want to live.
Comprehensive health & lifestyle assessment
We start by understanding the full picture of your health, goals, and daily life.
- A consultation with a Medical Doctor
- A 45-minute consultation with a Registered Dietitian
Your personalized, evidence-based plan
Together, we build a plan that fits your needs and goals. Your care plan may include medical visits, dietitian support, progress tracking, and medication options where appropriate.
- Every plan is individualized
- Your care evolves as you do
Ongoing partnership & support
You are not doing this alone. We focus on building skills, habits, and confidence while tracking progress over time.
- Medical Doctor consultations every 3 months
- Ongoing access to your entire care team through our mobile app
- Timely support for questions, challenges, and adjustments
- In-depth Registered Dietitian support focused on sustainable success
Thriving for life
As your resilience grows, we support maintenance and long-term success.
- Optional follow-up and maintenance care
- Flexible programs that adapt as your needs change
Essentials
From $75 / month
Flexible support that fits your life.
- Flexible monthly support
- Personalized medical weight management
- Guidance from your care team
Structured, year-long support
Foundation
$195 / month
A 12-month foundation for lasting change.
- Structured 12-month program
- 12 registered dietitian consultations
- Medical care and behavioural support
Prices in CAD. Medication costs are separate. Free medication shipping. Help with insurance reimbursement.
Confirm current fees, eligibility, and included services with our team.
Straight answers
No blame.
Just understanding.
You deserve clear answers before you take the next step. Hereâs what you might be wondering.
Is medical treatment the easy way out?
Treatment, not a shortcut.Obesity is a chronic medical condition. Treating its biology is not cheating. Medication may reduce hunger, while nutrition and behavioural support help build sustainable habits. You deserve care, not judgment.
Wonât the weight just come back?
Long-term conditions deserve long-term care.Weight regain can happen when treatment stops, because the biological drivers of obesity may remain. Your team works with you on ongoing support and a maintenance plan. Individual results vary.
What about preserving muscle?
Health is more than the number on a scale.Your dietitian can help you plan adequate nutrition and protein, and discuss resistance activity appropriate to your abilities. Your care team considers your strength, health, and wellbeing, not only weight.
Is medication safe? Will I need it forever?
A personal decision, made with your physician.Medication is not right for everyone. A physician reviews your medical history, potential benefits, risks, side effects, and alternatives. Treatment duration depends on your health, response, and preferences, with ongoing reassessment.
Do I need a referral? Is care virtual?
Start with a conversation.MWM provides virtual care. A program overview call is an opportunity to ask about eligibility, referral requirements, coverage, and which program may fit your needs before deciding on next steps.
Are medications included in the program price?
Medication costs are separate.Program fees cover the services described in your chosen plan. Medication costs are additional. Your team can help you understand insurance reimbursement options and confirm current pricing before you enrol.
A different kind of weight management
Youâve tried harder.
Now try being supported.
Start with a free program overview call. Weâll listen, answer your questions, and help you see if MWM is right for you.
Evidence-informed care. Individual experiences. This page provides general education and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Medication is prescribed only when clinically appropriate. Results vary.
Sources
- Wharton S, et al. Obesity in adults: a clinical practice guideline. CMAJ. 2020;192:E875âE891. Read the guideline.