Weight Management

The key to managing your pain is achieving and staying at your recommended weight. Benefits include:

Easing pain by reducing stress on your joint
Enhancing your overall feeling of well-being

The basic rule for losing weight is to eat fewer calories and increase your physical activity. Your healthcare team can help you develop a safe, simple weight-loss program.

Try to eat only low glycemic foods. The glycemic index is a system of assigning numbers to carbohydrate-containing foods according to how much each food raises your blood sugar. Low glycemic food raise your blood sugar less than high glycemic foods.
Replace one or two meals per day with a high-protein supplement (aim for 20mg of protein)

Learn more about BMI, diet, and nutrition and their role in treating arthritis:

Nutrition and Degenerative Joint Disease BJHS Exhibit from Dr. Tony DiGioia's Neighborhood on Vimeo.

What You Should Do

Count calories--try to stay under 1800 calories per day
Keep a food/calorie/activity log
Use a measuring cup and/or food scale for portion sizing
Weigh yourself daily and record a log

Movement

Use a pedometer and or activity monitor
Get 10,000 steps per day
Record your activity on your log
Every week strive to improve on one thing that you need to change. Long lasting changes are best accomplished when we make slow, gradual changes.

Stick to Your Goals

Make the good choice the easy choice.
Don't go hungry--good decisions are easier if you are not hungry. Keep an apple, orange, or other healthy snack easily available.
Plan ahead–look at a menu prior to arriving at the restaurant so you know what the healthy choices are
When bad things go wrong–remember, everyone has a bad day or makes a bad choice, Do NOT let this one moment derail you and your progress.

Goal Setting for Bone and Joint Health
Dr. D discusses how to set goals to stay healthy and manage your weight for your bone and joint health, with expert insights from special guest, Lisa Martich, MS, RDN, LDN, CSOWM, who works in bariatrics/medical weight loss at UPMC.

Nutrition and Degenerative Joint Disease BJHS Exhibit from Dr. Tony DiGioia's Neighborhood on Vimeo.

UPMC Weight Management Resources

UPMC Comprehensive Weight Loss Program
Dr. Vicki March
120 Lytton Ave, Suite 100A Pittsburgh, PA 15213
‍412-647-4545

UPMC Medical Nutrition Therapy
Go to UPMC.com and enter “Nutrition Services.” Select “Contact Us” for a listing of all available locations and phone numbers

UPMC Endocrinology & Diabetes Center
Dr. David Rometo
Falk Medical Building & UPMC Monroeville Oxford Dr.
412-586-9780

UPMC Health Plan Insurance – Health Coach Program
Health Coaches are available Monday through Friday from 7 AM – 8 PM and Saturday from 8 AM – 3 PM.
Call 1-800-807-0751

Bariatric Services at Magee UPMC Magee -Women’s Hospital
300 Halket St., Suite 5600 Pittsburgh, PA 15213