Hi! My name is Dr. Sylvia Gonsahn-Bollie. I am an integrative obesity specialist, innovative educator, bestselling author, and founder of Embrace You Weight & Wellness.

My passion for inclusive, individualized, evidence based weight and wellness care comes from my:

Personal experience with obesity & biases
Professional experience: recognizing what's missing in medicine

My mission is to transform healthcare from "one size fits all" to innovative, integrative, individualized solutions for people & organizations.

But more than a doctor, I am a child of God, wife, mom of two, philanthropist, and natural-born leader in church, community, and organizations. This is why I believe that people are more than patients and healthcare needs to embrace the whole person. This website was created to provide you with facts about weight & wellness, but also fulfill the other parts of who you are as a human being.

My Values

Understanding my values is the key to unlocking the motivations behind my actions and my vision for the future. I would love to share the core beliefs that shape my decision-making, so you can gain a deeper appreciation for why I do what I do.

Facts

In today's world, there are exciting advancements happening in the field of obesity. As someone who is naturally curious and works as a clinician, communicator, and researcher, it is important to me to stay updated with the latest medical evidence. I aim to ensure everyone can understand and benefit from the new information that can improve their health and well-being.

Obesity is a complex medical disease, not something caused simply by lifestyle choices alone. Find out more about the different factors that trigger obesity on the Embrace You website or in the bestseller Embrace You book.

Do you know all the facts surrounding your health and wellbeing?

Fitness

Almost a decade into my fitness journey, movement is now essential to my life. I love running in nature. I’m learning to like resistance and cross-training.

Exercise can be pleasurable when you shift from focusing on physical activity just for weight loss to enjoying moving your body, a "Movement Mindset." It's important to develop a positive relationship with exercise because regular physical activity is essential for lasting weight loss.

What is a type of movement you enjoy?

Food

Diet culture teaches us to fight with food and fear it. Food is meant to be enjoyed. As a lifelong foodie, I’ve learned to create and appreciate delicious healthy food while occasionally indulging in old favorites.

Food is fuel. Healthy food can be delicious. Discovering the tastes and textures that excite you and embracing foods that make you feel good before and after you eat them is key to losing weight, keeping it off, and maintaining lifelong wellness.

Are you using food as fuel to reach your health goals?

Faith

God’s Love is the foundation of my life. I believe “I can do all things through Christ.” Phil 4:13. Spiritual connection to God is my superpower.

Spiritual wellness is essential to every individual's wellbeing, regardless of your beliefs.

Spiritual wellness isn't based on a religion. I define spiritual wellness as the four C's: Connection (to God, self, others, nature/your environment), Community (place(s) where you feel you belong), Charity (giving & receiving well), Creativity (using your gifts & talents uniquely).

How are you nourishing your spiritual wellness?

Family

Love is life’s fuel. Family-given & cultivated- is a blessing. I’m grateful for all my family and friends who’ve become family.

Your family influences your health. Feeling like you belong to a part of a family is important for everyone. Sometimes we are born into families that don't work for us, but we all have the opportunity to build families. Family isn't only genetic. Family is generated by the connections we create.

Who is your family? Are you in a family where you feel celebrated and appreciated?

DR. SYLVIA, MD