Drawing from her extensive medical training, personal experience with weight loss, and innovative approach to weight care, Dr. Catherine Harmon Toomer is challenging traditional weight loss paradigms through her pioneering work at the TOTAL Weight Care Institute.
Dr. Toomer, a family physician, certified hypnotherapist, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner, has firsthand experience with the struggles of obesity. She successfully lost over 100 pounds and has maintained this weight loss for over 20 years. Her journey, marked by overcoming Type 2 Diabetes and near-fatal pregnancy-induced congestive heart failure, fueled her passion to transform weight health strategies.
In 2016, Dr. Toomer founded Health Wellness and Weight Loss Centers to address gaps in traditional medical delivery and to create a supportive, shame-free environment for wellness and weight health. Building on this foundation, she launched the Total Weight Care Institute in 2023, aimed at educating clinicians and offering comprehensive weight care programs.
“At TOTAL Weight Care Institute, we develop comprehensive and compassionate weight care programs to prevent the overwhelm and shaming too often experienced by patients in their wellness process, and by clinicians when learning what we didn’t get in our medical training, but what our patients so desperately need,” said Dr. Toomer.
Innovative Approach to Weight Care
Total Weight Care Institute goes beyond traditional weight loss strategies by addressing the underlying medical, mental, and social causes of weight gain. This holistic approach promotes lifelong weight health, challenging the prevalent shame-to-change model in the weight loss industry.
The institute offers a variety of resources and training programs that empower individuals to make positive changes in every aspect of their lives. These programs are designed to be compassionate and supportive, focusing on long-term success rather than quick fixes.
Dr. Toomer’s Background and Philosophy
Born in Ann Arbor, MI, and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Dr. Toomer earned her BSc in Biological Sciences and her Medical Doctorate from Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine. She trained in Family Medicine and Community Health at Shands Hospitals at the University of Florida. Dr. Toomer’s early career was spent in medically underserved rural South Carolina, where she continues to live with her husband, Dr. Anthony Toomer.
Her personal and professional experiences have shaped her philosophy on weight health. Dr. Toomer emphasizes the importance of addressing the biopsychosocial aspects of weight gain and loss, advocating for safe and effective weight health medications when necessary.
Q&A with Dr. Toomer
Q: What benefits can individuals anticipate from utilizing your services?
A: Individuals can expect to feel empowered to take charge of their biological, psychological, and social health through weight health, addressing both physical weight loss and other life stressors.
Q: Are weight health medications safe?
A: Many newer medications provide a safe and definitive treatment for the causes of weight gain, whether physiological, psychological, or social. However, some medications that only mask symptoms can be dangerous long-term.
Q: Is the beginning of the year the best time to start a diet?
A: Motivation tends to be higher at the beginning of the year, but maintaining systems for long-term success is crucial, regardless of when changes are initiated.
Q: How crucial is exercise in a weight loss journey?
A: The correct type of exercise is vital in a weight health journey, tailored to the individual’s specific goals. Some exercises are more effective than others, but any exercise is better than none.
Q: What is your response to those who say medication for weight loss is “the easy way out”?
A: Treating the underlying medical causes of weight gain with medication makes the weight loss process more manageable. It’s an advancement, much like using a car for transportation or a machine for washing clothes.
Q: What are some of the biggest mistakes people make when starting their weight health journey? A: Going too far too fast and combining several new activities at once. It’s better to start with small, sustainable changes and gradually build on them.