Vtrim Facilitator Spotlight–Meet Hope Warshaw
Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE, is another one of our terrific Vtrim facilitators. We took time recently to help you get to know Hope. She’s got an amazing resume of work experience and is highly skilled in assisting others in behavior change. Hope will be facilitating a Vtrim class beginning mid-November, a terrific opportunity for participants to benefit from her expertise. We hope you enjoy a little more insight about Hope!
Hope, tell us more about your background:
I am a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator and author of several books about managing diabetes and healthy restaurant eating. Interestingly my undergraduate degree is from University of Vermont. I’m pleased to be participating as a facilitator in a program developed at and conducted by my alma mater! From Vermont I went south to Atlanta for graduate school at Emory University. I’ve been working in the health field for 30 years.
What do you enjoy about facilitating Vtrim weight management groups?
I enjoy the ability to combine the use of a well researched lifestyle change/weight loss program along with a novel online technology platform to help people come together virtually to accomplish the goals of permanent weight loss/control and learning to live a healthier lifestyle. It’s clear from the research that people will be most successful long term with weight control if they work to lose a small amount of weight over time by slowly changing their lifestyle and by staying engaged and active long term.
What is one of the most common hurdles you see people face in changing behaviors and what are 1-2 things you find helpful for overcoming that hurdle?
It is easier to change behaviors when life is going along smoothly. It gets more complex when people hit hurdles along the road, but we know, such is life. Having a game plan for healthy eating and being active is even more important when you hit those hurdles. I think pre-planning is one big key – always be thinking ahead of yourself, particularly related to food choices and availability.
What is one of your personal goals for the future?
I would love to help prevent as many people (particularly young people) from becoming overweight as possible. It’s clear to me that the most effective way to curb our obesity and type 2 diabetes twin epidemics is help people prevent weight gain in the first place.
If you had to create a list of your 5 favorite foods, what would you put on it and why?
My favorite food list runs the gamut from a salad combining fresh vegetables, from mushrooms, tomatoes and red peppers, to Ben and Jerry’s Butter Pecan ice cream. I practice what I preach…balance, moderation and very definitely portion control.
What food do you ALWAYS have on hand?
Raw vegetables, frozen vegetables, fresh and canned fruit, dairy foods, whole grain bread…and much more. Having the proper foods on hand – a well stocked household – is part of pre-planning and an integral part of setting yourself up for being successful at healthy eating and weight control.
What is your favorite form of exercise?
Walking at least 4 mornings a week (weekdays) and a couple of trips to the gym per week to do weights and more aerobic activity. It’s a must psychologically and physically. Morning activity is the way to go for me. It charges my battery and gets me off to a great start. I’m 4’10” and not getting any younger so controlling my weight becomes harder and harder. I’ve been regularly exercising for about 35 years and it’s more critical now than ever before.
If you had a day to do whatever you wanted, how would you spend it?
Being active: skiing, mountain climbing, walking on the beach…Then again I could handle curling up with a great book as well.
If you are interested in signing up for Hope’s Vtrim class, visit http://www.uvm.edu/vtrim/register/
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