New Health Class for Hawai‘i Island

Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi (Hui Mālama) has announced a new class starting March 2018.

Healthy at Any Size was developed in response to the need for a holistic approach to health focusing on nutrition, body image, increased movement and personalized path to health.

In this six-week course, participants will learn how to use biological cues to identify hunger, fullness, and satisfaction, as well as developing a personalized way of eating, exploring ways to appreciate their body, developing fun ways to move for increased vitality and identifying what truly nourishes them.

The class model has shown to positively impact participants with:

1. Improved relationship with food
2. Weight stabilization
3. Desire to move one’s body
4. Increased self-esteem
5. Improved health markers such as blood glucose, blood pressure and lipid panel
6. Increased happiness with life

Sarah Josef. Courtesy photo.

The program is a joint effort with Sarah Josef, a registered dietitian who has worked closely with Hui Mālama for the past year. Josef has worked with healthy-at-any-size concepts for over 15 years, helping people across the country achieve healthier lifestyles.

Her passion for nutrition and health issue prevention led to her career as a registered dietitian where she could help people make lifestyle changes before they were diagnosed with serious illnesses.

Throughout her 20-plus years as a registered dietitian, Josef has worked with health and nutrition in various ways: conducting research for Kaiser Permanente, serving as director of dietetics at San Francisco State University and serving as a private practice dietitian.

One of the top highlights of her career was working as a teacher at San Francisco State, where she shared her joy for cooking and nutrition with students in hands-on cooking classes.

Josef’s curriculum for Healthy at Any Size is inspired by her work as an RD and her passion to empower individuals to make decisions that are healthy for them.

Healthy at Any Size will lead with its first class offered in Hilo starting Thursday, March 1, 2018.

The class will run on Thursdays, March 1, 15, 22, 29, and April 5 and 12 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Hui Mālama Office, located at 1438 Kīlauea Ave. in Hilo.

The class is free and open to the public, aiming to help those who have struggled with weight management, dieting, body image, food choices and overall nourishing lifestyle.

Following the Hilo class, Hui Mālama plans to bring the class to the Waimea, Kona, Kaʻū and Puna areas.

To learn more or sign up for Healthy at Any Size, go online or call Hui Mālama at (808) 969-9220.