RWJ Hamilton Introduces Shape for Life

Comprehensive Weight Loss Program is First in Area to be Medically Supervised

HAMILTON, NEW JERSEY - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJ Hamilton) is cultivating a new approach to weight loss by teaching weight loss through lifestyle change. Lisa Dobruskin, MD, weight loss specialist at RWJ Hamilton, is the physician presence behind Shape for Life, a 12-week program that combines all components for successful long-term weight loss: nutrition, exercise, physician guidance and education.

Unlike other weight loss programs, Shape for Life includes direct involvement with Dobruskin, who sees clients individually for six one-hour sessions. In addition to the medical support, participants schedule twice-weekly, low-impact exercise classes exclusively designed for them, as well as six visits with a registered dietitian and six cooking classes, providing support and education.

Medical evidence concludes that to achieve long-term results, weight loss – even when under a doctor's care – has to be a lifestyle change that incorporates building a new relationship with food and following through with exercise, which is a main component of the Shape for Life program. Specially-designed exercise classes are low-impact, incorporating stretching, yoga, Pilates, light weights and aerobics, leading to a gradual introduction to the exercise floor at the RWJ Hamilton Center for Health & Wellness.

"A lot of diets don't work because the changes you have to make to be considered successful are too drastic," notes Dobruskin. "Our program works because it allows clients to change their life in subtle ways over three months, and it covers all aspects, which is necessary to keep the weight off for good."

People with 30 to 50 pounds to lose are ideal candidates for the program. Overweight women ages 20 to 45 experiencing fertility challenges are especially encouraged to join, since obesity is a common cause of infertility. Individuals who experience obesity-related conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and osteoarthritis – to name a few – would most likely experience alleviation of symptoms and conditions.

The program begins with a physical health assessment and blood work. Working with the client and their personal physician, Dobruskin develops a workable path toward sustained weight loss, factoring in any known or discovered medical conditions.

Shape for Life's exercise, nutrition and cooking classes are held at RWJ Hamilton's state-of-the-art Center for Health & Wellness. For a free consultation with Dr. Dobruskin to find out if Shape for Life is right for you, call 609.584.5900.

More About RWJ Hamilton
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJ Hamilton) is the only New Jersey hospital to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Located in Hamilton Township, NJ, the hospital is part of the RWJ Health System and Network and is affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey-RWJ Medical School and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

The RWJ Hamilton Health Care Corporation serves communities within a five-county area and includes an acute care hospital, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey Hamilton, three affiliated medical groups, seven Lakeview Child Centers, and the RWJ Hamilton Center for Health & Wellness, home of a medically-based fitness center and the hospital's extensive community education program. Over 1,900 hospital employees and 650 medical staff physicians share RWJ Hamilton's passion for Excellence Through Service. For more information, visit www.rwjhamilton.org.