University of Kansas Weight Management Program

05/22/2026

Key Connections Between Mental Health and Weight Loss:
1. Mindset First: True transformation begins with mental well-being; treating your body with kindness leads to healthier, sustainable, and more sustainable results than restriction.
2. Be Kind to Your Mind: During weight loss, focus on self-compassion, as mental health is the most important tool for reaching physical goals.
3. Balanced Approach: Losing weight can boost mental health, but it must be done carefully to avoid unhealthy coping habits.
4. Focus on Strength: View your journey as a way to build strength, not just to change your size.

05/18/2026

Mindful Weight Loss Tips with Mental Health Focus:
1. Practice Mindful Eating: Pay attention to hunger cues, eat without distractions, and differentiate physical hunger from emotional cravings.
2. Manage Stress & Emotions: High cortisol from chronic stress can cause weight gain; combat this with meditation, deep breathing, or yoga to avoid emotional eating.
3. Prioritize Sleep: Ensure 7-9 hours of sleep to manage hormones (cortisol, ghrelin) that regulate appetite and reduce anxiety.
4. Set Small, Sustainable Goals: Focus on small changes—like walking 10 minutes more or adding one extra veggie serving—to avoid burnout and encourage long-term success.
5. Seek Support: Engage with friends, family, or support groups to share experiences and build motivation rather than trying to do it alone.
6. Journal Your Journey: Keep a food and mood diary to identify patterns between your emotions and eating behaviors.

05/11/2026

Mental Health Awareness During Weight Loss:
1. Celebrate Non-Scale Victories: Acknowledge improvements in energy, mood, and health, not just the number on the scale.
2. Practice Self-Compassion: If you experience a setback, be kind to yourself rather than turning to self-sabotage.

05/04/2026

Actionable Steps for Integrated Wellness:
1. Manage Stress: Practice techniques like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga to prevent emotional eating.
2. Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself during the journey to maintain motivation, rather than relying on guilt or shame, which often hinder success.
3. Focus on Small Habits: Incorporate small physical activities, such as a 10-minute walk, to boost mood and energy.
4. Prioritize Sleep: Good sleep is essential for regulating hormones that affect both appetite and mood.

Addressing both mental and physical health simultaneously is considered the most effective approach for long-term weight management

05/01/2026

Mental health and weight loss are deeply interconnected, forming a bidirectional relationship where mental well-being directly influences physical health outcomes.

04/27/2026

Summer is near, fun & simple snacks located here:

Need an easy appetizer idea? Make a small charcuterie board with cheese, vegetables, meats & more! Here's how to build a simple cheese board.

04/10/2026

Complex Carbohydrate:
Beans 🫘- pack the trifecta of weight management—fiber, protein and yummy taste. Due to the fact that they’re a naturally rich source of fiber, beans help promote health and support weight management. In addition, their protein helps aid satiety and maintain muscle mass. If you need one more reason to load up on beans, research has found that eating more protein, yet fewer calories.

04/09/2026

Complex Carbohydrate:
Lentils - bring both protein and fiber to the table. One cup of cooked lentils provides a whopping 16 grams of fiber, which gets you more than halfway to your daily goal, plus 18 grams of protein

04/08/2026

Complex Carbohydrate:
Barley - Barley delivers a double dose of fiber. When you cook and cool barley, it creates another type of fiber called resistant starch. “Resistant starch resists digestion in the small intestine,” says Alyssa Smolen, M.S., RDN, CDN. So, it travels to your gut, where good gut bacteria, that help maintain a healthy body weight, feed on it. This, in turn, helps them thrive.

04/07/2026

Complex Carbohydrate:
Oats 🥣- Oats contain a unique type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which is best known for its cholesterol-lowering properties. For instance, soluble fiber, like beta-glucan, slows the passage of food through the intestines, helping you feel full. It also promotes the release of gut hormones that send satiety signals to the brain.

Oatmeal or overnight oats are always simple and delicious ways to work more oats into your day. But don’t stop there. Stir them into pancakes or bake them into oat bars.