Healthy Weight for Life Osteoarthritis program on RBHS Gold Hospital cover
RBHS covers the full cost of a proven 18-week osteoarthritis program called Healthy Weight for Life.
Healthy Weight for Life is included (that is free with no extra cost to participate) on our Gold Hospital cover.
The waiting period to receive this program is 2 months of continuous cover. Your premiums need to be paid up to date before you can claim these programs.
Despite the name, it is not just about weight loss.
Healthy Weight for Life improves:
- joints and your mobility through muscle strengthening
- stiffness through gentle exercise
- pain management – a crucial skillset to help you sustain a better quality of life
Participants in the program can:
- receive support over the phone, SMS and online
- reduce weight
- improve nutrition
- improve metabolism, energy levels and other health indicators
- improve fitness
- learn useful ways to keep on top of your condition
- increase their motivation to take care of their health
The program offers:
- portion control eating plan
- meal replacement options
- tips to improve your fitness and assist with weight loss
- personalised tracking to help you succeed
- support and advice via phone, email and an online portal
- education on understanding your condition and how to enhance your quality of life
Healthy Weight for Life provides a specialised, multidisciplinary team of pharmacists, dietitians, occupational therapists, nurses and program navigators who all work together to ensure you are supported and feel confident as you progress through the 18 weeks of the program. The program takes a phased approach so that you can ease into it. Below we outline the program’s phases.
Phases of the program
| Food | Exercise |
|
Get started with some meal replacement options such as KicStart Shakes and KicStart Soups for breakfast and lunch so that you can get on the right nutrition path without having to get handy in the kitchen for each meal. You can add some suggested sides such as berries and salads. For dinner, you’ll need to head to the kitchen to prep some healthy, filling food from the meal plan – meat and three veg is an option, so most people should adapt nicely. |
Build up to 30 minutes per day of gentle daily activity like walking, swimming or cycling by the end of this phase. |
| Food | Exercise |
| Add planned lunch and snacks to your daily intake. | Increase time to at least 30 minutes per day and intensity (if possible) to continue weight loss. |
| Food | Exercise |
| All meals are planned. Supplement shakes and soups are no longer eaten. |
Sustain exercise so that it can continue when the program finishes. Participants can use a steps tracker to keep on top of their 10,000 steps. |
Want to join?
You can join the program if you have a:
- diagnosis of osteoarthritis
- Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 28
AND
- Your doctor approves and completes an approval form
Want to know more?
To get a doctor approval form, enter in your details to our Ask our experts form. Or you can email or call us.
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Need more information? Ask our health program experts.
You can also call us on 1800 027 299 or email info@myrbhs.com.au and we can help.