Webinar replay · Session 1 of 3

Rethinking Obesity: why it’s medical, not willpower

And why movement should feel like treatment, not punishment. Watch the full session with Dr Alvin Mondoh, Clinical Lead at BeyondBMI, and Lowry O’Mahony, Founder of Max Physio & Pilates.

Recorded 16 September 2026
44 minutes
Free to watch

Download the slides PDF, 1.4 MB Your next steps

What the session covers

The medical picture, then movement and recovery

60%of adults in Ireland live with overweight or obesity
21%of adults in Ireland live with obesity
200+health conditions are linked to obesity

Figures as presented in the session.

Part 1 · The medical picture

Dr Alvin Mondoh, BeyondBMI

Why obesity is a chronic, complex disease, and why weight regulation is not simply a matter of willpower
What drives it: genes, which account for 40 to 70% of the variation in obesity, plus hunger and fullness hormones such as leptin and ghrelin, easy access to highly processed foods, chronic stress, poor sleep and some medications
How it affects health, from cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure to osteoarthritis, sleep apnoea and the toll weight stigma takes on mental health
The treatment options available today: nutrition and activity, behavioural therapy, and medical options such as GLP-1 medications or bariatric surgery when lifestyle changes alone are not enough

Part 2 · Movement and recovery

Lowry O’Mahony, Max Physio & Pilates

Why past exercise programmes may not have worked: people don’t fail exercise, exercise fails people
Why pain does not always mean damage, and why graded movement helps
How physiotherapists prescribe exercise like medicine, with the right type, frequency, intensity and progression for you
Why there is no single best exercise, and the golden rules for starting again: start low, go slow, and celebrate consistency
Common myths about exercise and pain, and what a realistic first week of movement can look like

Movement is not punishment. It is treatment.

Your next steps

Wherever you are, we’re here

You don’t need a perfect plan, just one small, safe step. We’ll be here when you take it.

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Max Physio & Pilates are here whenever you’re ready to move safely, with a personalised, evidence-based plan built around your body, your pain and your pace.

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Do I qualify?

Answer a few questions and see what weight management support fits you, with doctor-led care from BeyondBMI.

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Keep the conversation going

If the session raised questions about your own journey, we’d love to listen. Book a relaxed 15-minute call with our care coordinator, free and with no obligation.

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About your speakers

Medical and movement expertise, in one room

Dr Alvin Mondoh

Dr Alvin Mondoh

Clinical Lead at BeyondBMI

BeyondBMI

Dr Alvin Mondoh is a Dublin-based GP with a special interest and expertise in obesity medicine. He is currently Clinical Lead at BeyondBMI and a SCOPE National Fellow of the World Obesity Federation, a distinction recognising expertise and contribution to obesity management.

He is also a clinical researcher, with research focused on patient perspectives and patient-oriented outcomes, ensuring the lived experience of people with obesity informs better care. He is a passionate advocate for people living with overweight and obesity.

Lowry O’Mahony

Lowry O’Mahony

Founder of Max Physio & Pilates

Max Physio & Pilates

Lowry O’Mahony is a Chartered Physiotherapist, Pilates Instructor and movement specialist with extensive experience helping people move better, build strength and overcome barriers to physical activity. She is the Founder of Max Physio & Pilates and has worked across a broad range of clinical, rehabilitation and exercise settings.

She is passionate about helping people live healthier, happier and longer lives through evidence-based movement and exercise, empowering people to build the strength, confidence and physical capacity to stay active throughout life.

Up next · 23 September at 7pm

FREE Strength & Movement Session

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Join Lowry O’Mahony, Chartered Physiotherapist, Pilates Instructor and movement specialist, for an accessible functional strength and movement session designed to help you move with confidence and start building strength.

No previous exercise experience needed.

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