Linda Omichinski's bio notes  Linda Omichinski, BSc (FSc), RD   Founder, President of HUGS International Inc, (1987) developer and producer of healthy living non-diet products and programs Business leader and mentor to international network of over 200 HUGS program licensees in hospitals, health centers, universities, communities, schools Author of Staying Off the Diet Roller Coaster, 2000, You Count, Calories Don't, 1992, Tamos Books Inc., 1999 version revised with midlife chapter; (United Kingdom Version, Hodder & Stoughton, 1995); co-author of Tailoring Your Tastes, 1995 Developed four distinct programs and workshops using nondiet concepts… Adult program, breaking the diet cycle Teen program, Teens and Diets: No Weigh, (1995) prevention program designed to support teens with the issues faced in everyday life. Tailoring your Tastes Workshop Tour, 1997, workshop for taste training and recipe analysis Celebrating Midlife Madness, 2000 Co-author of continuing education courses for health and fitness professionals (Nutrition Dimension), Non-Diet Weight Management , (1995, adults), A Non-Diet Approach to Health and Fitness for Adolescents, (1997) (Nutrition Dimension) Canadian Coordinator for International No Diet Day Non-diet pioneer & leader Health & nutrition educator & speaker Personal Mission Statement To challenge the myths of the diet industry by shifting the attitudes and beliefs of the public consciousness from the preoccupation with weight and size to an acceptance and appreciation of healthier living. To develop the company for effective delivery of the message of non-diet, healthy living through media appearances and workshops/ presentations and through offering the tools for change with programs and products. Linda's professional training, clear vision, and entrepreneurial skill have enabled her to develop and market a new and healthier option to the diet/weight loss lifestyle. Linda developed her empowerment approach to health while working with clients in her private and clinical practice. The result is a lively how-to and personalized definition embraced by defeated dieters.... Forget the scale, calorie counting and fat gram levels Learn how to tune into your body for signals that mean enough & more. Discover individual patterns for food and activity levels that maintain personal energy. Find the strength to accept yourself just as you are and get on with life. This refreshing message is presented throughout the HUGS Program for Healthy Living which is delivered by an international network of over 200 lifestyle professional licensees. Linda is a seasoned spokesperson for the non-diet movement. She has been a guest and/or interview subject for all kinds of media format. Her book and program publicity campaigns have generated close to one hundred pieces of coverage including newspaper interviews, book reviews and media news/feature spots including many web interviews. Linda receives many invitations to present at health professional workshops and conferences . She is considered a consulting expert on the non-diet/empowerment approach. Her entrepreneurial achievements have created demand for her presentations around business development opportunities in this field. Linda Omichinski, BSc (FSc), RD    Background and Education Linda was a student in the Foods and Nutrition Program in Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, Toronto for two years, later transferring to McGill University in Montreal where she subsequently earned a Bachelor of Science degree (Food Sciences, majoring in Nutrition) in 1979. Her dietetic internship was completed at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, 1983. Linda was employed part time (one day/week) as a consulting dietitian to Carman Memorial Hospital and Hearth Health Education Center and as a diabetes educator to Carman Diabetes Education Center, 1985 - 1999.    Professional Network Linda has developed an extensive professional network that includes membership in the American Dietetic Association, SCAN (US Practice Group of ADA), Dietitians of Canada, Eating Disorders network and Media Network of Dietitians of Canada and the Canadian Diabetes Association (Diabetes Educator Section).  Presentations   American Dietetic Association Food & Nutrition Conference & Exhibition, Oct.16/00, Denver, CO, "Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: An Open Door for Dietetics Professionals", 1 ½ hour presentation with Dr. Jeffrey Keenan Dietitians of Canada Conference, May 29/00, Ottawa, ON, "The Obesity Debate - Why Should Health Professionals Treat Obesity?" 1 ½ hour presentation with Dr. David Lau California Dietetic Association Annual Meeting and Exhibition, May 3/00, Palm Springs, CA, "How To Do Nondiet", 3 hour workshop; also presented in Feb/00 to the Dietitians of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba The 16th Annual SCAN (Sports Cardiovascular & Wellness Nutritionists) Symposium entitled Disordered Eating & Obesity: confronting the problem...and creating solutions in Cincinnati, Ohio, March 26-28/99, Co-presented with Ann Litt, "Sail into Success: Building a Business and Marketing Yourself Presented "Brainstorming Sessions to Identify the Problems and look for Solutions" and "Sharing the Solutions" with Nancy King, Karin Kratina & Dayle Hayes , co-presented with Nancy King, Karen Kratina, Dayle Hayes Presented a contribution "Gold Nuggets from the Trenches" as one of a panel of eight International Congress on Nutrition, July 28, 1997 in Montreal: Presentation of Teen Program Study done in South Africa on program "Teens and Diets: No Weigh", as a poster session. Society for Nutrition Education (SNE) conference on July 25, 1997 in Montreal: Resetting the Dinner Table for Nondieting Lifestyles Keynote speaker for Healthy Eating and Activity: Towards a Healthier New Zealand, at the national forum on the topic of how a nondiet approach can be integrated into an overall national health strategy to prevent the continuing rise of obesity in New Zealand, presented on April 22 and 23, 1997; also participated in 12 media appearances in New Zealand. Presenter and panelist on Telemedicine Canada, Sept./93 and Sept./97, a teleconference for the continuing education of health professionals by leaders in their respective fields ,discussing the HUGS program for adults and the teen program - Teens and Diets: No Weigh. Invited guest on a panel of Women Business Owners discussing the Pros and Cons of Owning/Operating Your Own Business, for the course Entrepreneurship Applications in Human Ecology, University of Manitoba, May 9, 1996. Breakfast with the Experts and Breakfast with the Experts Advanced with Heather Wiebe Hildebrand, sponsored by the Canadian Diabetes Association, Nov./95 and Nov./96. Straight Talk about Diabetes-topics You Count, Calories Don't, Tailoring your Tastes and Holiday Nutrition. Dietetic Interns' Graduation Ceremony for the Fall Class, 1995, at the Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Women's Business Week, luncheon speaker presenting: You Count, Calories Don't, Oct, 1995 Summer Institute in Enterprise Education and Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneur panel member at the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Management at the University of Manitoba, July, 1995. Panel member: Pioneering Dietitians Panel, Canadian Dietetic Association Conference, PEI, June, 1995. Nutrition and Dietetics Professional Seminar entitled Food, Traditions and Wellness for the Indian Health Service, training program on You Count, Calories Don't, Albuquerque, NM, May 1995. Ontario Tour of You Count, Calories Don't for Forum in four communities: (Peterborough, Port Hope, Belleville, Oshawa) sponsored by the health units, April , 1995. Teleconferencing session for continuing education in nutrition and dietetics: New Frontiers in Dietetics: the entrepreneurial nondiet mindset, in Vancouver, BC, March, 1995 (2 hour session). Society for Nutrition Education, pre-conference symposium, Health Promotion for Large Persons - of All Ages, 45 minute session entitled Nutrition: Food, Bodies and Dietary Advice: You Count, Calories Don't!, July 1994, Portland, Oregon. Invited presenter to the 21st Annual Conference of the Diabetes Educators Section of the Canadian Diabetes Association, one hour session entitled "You Count, Calories Don't: The HUGS Plan for Better Health, Redefining Health using the Nondiet Approach and Empowerment Model", September 1994, Vancouver. Invited panelist to public forum, Demystifying the Diet Roller Coaster, at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, May/93, sponsored by the Ryerson School of Nutrition and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, co-panelists, Dr. Janet Polivy and Carla Rice. Invited presenter to the 18th Annual Diabetes Symposium, Prevention of Diabetes & its Complications, 45 min. presentation entitled You Count, Calories Don't - A Paradigm Shift and 1 hour workshop Practical Application of AntiDiet Methods, co presented with Heather Wiebe Hildebrand, RN, BSN, Minot, ND, Nov, 1993 SHARP Conference(Scottish Heart and Arterial disease Risk Prevention), Scotland, UK, March, 1993 on topic You Count, Calories Don't. AHELP (Association for the Health Enrichment of Large Persons) Conference in Radford, Virginia, May/92, "You Count, Calories Don't: putting a community based lifestyle program into practice"  Publications   "Freedom From Counting for People with Diabetes", On the Cutting Edge, Diabetes Care and Education, Vol. 22, No. 2, Spring 2001 Feature Article, “Freedom from Counting for People with Diabetes”, Healthy Weight Journal, Jan/Feb, 1998 and Mar/Apr, 1998, vol. 12, no.1 and vol. 12, no. 2. Shape magazine: January 1997, the Tailoring Your Tastes cookbook was featured (10 pages) in an article: "No Counting Allowed." November 1996, the diet mentality and the HUGS profile quiz were highlighted. Feature article, " A paradigm shift from weight loss to healthy living", vol 7, no 3, May/June 1993 for Obesity and Health Journal, published by Healthy Living Institute in North Dakota with a world wide subscription base of health professionals Guest columnist for YOU magazine, 4 issues in '93 & '94 -Canadian magazine with focus on looking good, feeling great, circulation of 228,000 aimed at young women Authored feature article "New Frontiers in non-diet counseling: Empowered clients make healthier choices", Healthy Weight Journal, January/February 1995. Co-authored paper, "Reduction of dieting attitudes and practices after participation in a nondiet lifestyle program", (with Kathleen Harrison) Journal of the Canadian Dietetic Association, volume 56, number 2, Summer, 1995. Authored feature article Teens & Diets: No Weigh, Healthy Weight Journal, May /June, 1996 Co-author of Non-Diet Weight Management, (1995, adults) and A Non-Diet Approach to Health and Fitness for Adolescents, (1997) (Nutrition Dimension) continuing education courses for health and fitness professionals.  Internet Interviews   hot linked from front page of www.hugs.com givemetalk.com, audio interview entitled "License to Eat" with broadcaster Julie Mills healthwatch.com, article entitled "Hugs: Embracing a Different Approach to Weight" drkoop.com, article "For Once and for All: How to Break a Bad Habit  Publications, Media Coverage   Men's Health, Feb/00, "The Ladder to Leanness" Chatelaine , July/99 ,"Eat this: we know diets don't work, here's what does" Feature Article, "Freedom from Counting for People with Diabetes", Healthy Weight Journal, Jan/Feb, 1998 and Mar/Apr, 1998, vol. 12, no.1 and vol. 12, no. 2. Shape magazine: January 1997, the Tailoring Your Tastes cookbook was featured (10 pages) in an article: "No Counting Allowed." November 1996, the diet mentality and the HUGS profile quiz were highlighted. Authored feature article "Teens & Diets: No Weigh", Healthy Weight Journal, May /June, 1996. Co-authored paper, "Reduction of dieting attitudes and practices after participation in a nondiet lifestyle program", (with Kathleen Harrison) Journal of the Canadian Dietetic Association, volume 56, no.2, Summer, 1995. Authored feature article "New Frontiers in non-diet counseling: Empowered clients make healthier choices", Healthy Weight Journal, January/February 1995. Guest columnist for YOU magazine, 4 issues in '93 & '94 -Canadian magazine with focus on looking good, feeling great, circulation of 228,000 aimed at young women. Feature article, " A paradigm shift from weight loss to healthy living", vol 7, no 3, May/June 1993 for Obesity and Health Journal, published by Healthy Living Institute in North Dakota with a world wide subscription base of health professionals Canadian connection for International No-Diet Day (May 6), an initiative by Diet Breakers of London, England and promoted in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand as well as the UK. Research consultant for National Film Board of Canada acclaimed film, Fat Chance, released 1994.