Better Weight For Me

“Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

We hear this a lot. People want to lose weight but simply don’t know how to do it. They know, if an expert would just tell them what to do, they could lose the weight. 

That’s true. Where it falters, though, is after the initial weight loss. Follow a qualified professional’s program and you’ll lose weight. But what happens afterward when there’s no program to follow? 

Better Weight for Me™ guides you through a comprehensive and effective weight-management program, all the while teaching you why you’re doing what you’re doing. You understand the purpose behind each aspect and are doing much more than merely following a set of rules—you’re developing good habits. You’re changing your behavior permanently. You learn what to do, how to do it, and why it’s done. The education you get and the behavioral changes you make are what will keep your weight down for the rest of your life.

Start losing.  Start winning.  Start!™

  

Vision Statement

We want to reverse the obesity epidemic by equipping Americans with accurate medical information, basic exercise skills and healthy eating habits. Using highly qualified professionals in all the pertinent areas, we will educate our users while guiding them through our program, setting them up to create good habits and make behavioral changes, which are the keys to maintaining a healthy weight.

Better Weight for Me™ tithes a portion of our proceeds toward world hunger.

 

Mission Statement

To educate on all aspects of weight management and create good habits for sustained success. 

 

Disclaimer

The information provided by Better Weight for Me™ should in no way replace physician consultation, evaluation or treatment. Therefore, before undertaking any reduced-calorie meal plan and exercise program, please consult your physician to make certain you are healthy enough to participate.

 

Bios

Matthew Blair, D.O.

Dr. Matthew Blair is a practicing, board-certified internal-medicine physician with special interests in fitness and nutrition. He is always looking for new and better ways to educate and assist patients with weight management, which is why he is a founding member of the Victory Institute for Wellness and Better Weight For Me. 

Dr. Blair runs a busy outpatient practice while also serving as director of the hospitalist program at Metro Health Hospital in Wyoming, Michigan. Helping patients achieve their ideal weights and maintain healthy lifestyles are his true medical passions. 

Outside of medicine, his passions include boating, golf and travel. He’s blessed with a wonderful wife, two daughters and a crazy dog. 

Dr. Blair is a graduate of the University of Michigan (it’s not uncommon to hear “Go blue!” when he’s around) and Des Moines University of Osteopathic Medicine. He’s also a member of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians and the American College of Osteopathic Internists.

 

Kevin Furlong, D.O.

Dr. Kevin Furlong’s commitment to assisting others in weight management brings him to Better Weight For Me as a board-certified internal-medicine physician and member of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians. He’s been in practice since 2002 and is also a partner in the Victory Institute for Weight Management. 

As a former baseball player at John Carroll University, Dr. Furlong learned the importance of hard work and commitment, inspiring him to attend medical school at Kansas City University of Medicine and Bioscience. He completed his internship and residency at Metro Health Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

Dr. Furlong is involved in his local medical community and was recently elected to serve as Metro Health Hospital’s next Chief of Staff. 

In his free time, Dr. Furlong enjoys spending time with his lovely wife and two children. 

 

Adam Wolfe, D.O.

Dr. Adam Wolfe is board-certified in internal medicine and accredited with the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. As part of his medical practice, he loves helping patients with weight management. 

Dr. Wolfe is a partner in the Victory Institute for Weight Management and an associate clinical professor at Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine and is the current director of the Metro Health Internal Medicine Residency Program. He’s received many professional, leadership and community-service awards. 

When not on the job, Dr. Wolfe enjoys spending time with his wife and three daughters. He also partakes in golf, middle-distance running, ice hockey, mountain biking, fly-fishing, music and the performing arts. 

Dr. Wolfe received earned his undergraduate degree in health sciences at Kalamazoo College before medical school took him to the University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri. He completed his internship and residency at Metropolitan Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

 

 

  

Renee DeFrang, R.D., C.D.E., C.P.T.

Renee DeFrang is Better Weight For Me’s registered dietician. She’s a certified diabetes educator and certified personal trainer through the National Council on Strength and Fitness. She also has a certificate in adult weight management through the American Dietetic Association Commission. 

Renee loves to educate and assist people—not as a dictator, but as a partner—and empower them to maintain improved wellness. It’s not about following a list of rules. It’s about learning. 

When not working, Renee enjoys spending time with her husband, twin daughters, dogs, family and friends. She also takes on road runs, triathlons, biking and the beach. 

Renee received her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University with health-promotion specialization and completed her dietetic internship at Loyola University in Chicago.

 

Jason Henderson, M.H.A., C.S.C.S., A.S.-P.E.S., N.S.C.A.-C.P.T., T.P.I.-C.G.F.I.

Jason Henderson is a personal trainer and performance coach working in the health-care industry who focuses on educating his clients on how the body works. That is, rather than mandate an exercise program, he teaches why the exercises are important and how they fit into biomechanics and injury prevention. 

He combines his sports background with his ability to teach to educate people and encourage good habits. 

Jason earned a B.S. in Education and Health from Central Michigan University and followed it up with a Masters in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix. He also owns a golf-fitness professional endorsement through the Titleist Performance Institute along with several other certifications, including strength-and-conditioning specialist and performance-enhancement specialist. 

Jason and his wife are the proud parents of their daughter, Jaiden.

 

Kathie Johnson, M.A., A.C.S.W., L.C.S.W.

While earning her B.A. degree from Trinity College in Deerfield, Illinois, Kathie worked as a resident advisor and got her first exposure to eating disorders. This inspired her to immediately go to graduate school to become a mental-health therapist and received a Masters degree in clinical social work. 

She went on to earn her A.C.S.W. national certification and L.C.S.W. certification for private-practice treatment. At the same time, she received training and certifications in the area of eating-disorders treatment and obesity treatment. 

Since 1998, Kathie has been exclusively working with people to treat obesity with groups, individuals and through seminars. Kathie’s main focus is helping change patients’ behaviors. That’s the only way to sustained success. She’s very talented in finding each person’s weight-loss barriers and helping to overcome them. 

Kathie’s greatest satisfaction comes from watching a person see the changes he or she needs to make, then make those changes and stick to them on the way to living a healthy, full life.

 

Michelle McKormick

Michelle McKormick is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  She has worked in radio all of her adult life and has been fortunate to broadcast around the world.   In addition to her great career in Grand Rapids, she has hosted shows in Detroit, New Jersey and Florida.  

Michelle has recently "re- married" her ex-husband, whom she shares a son with.  Her son Mason (who is a college student in Colorado) and her husband, along with her two small rescue dogs, are her reason for living. 

Her high energy approach and funny personality are what make her so fun to listen to...she talks with us, not at us. 

Michelle struggles with weight and making the "better" choices in her diet.  She feels that if we all talk about our weaknesses...then together we can win!!  Or...um, lose...weight that is!  Join her!!!