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Chef Simpson’s association with the Weight Management Clinic of the Ottawa Hospital, Civic Campus, began in September of 1995 as he tipped the scales at more than 330 lbs.  Being overweight had been a struggle for him ever since childhood, as he grew from a chubby toddler to a husky youngster and finally into an obese teenager and young adult. Chef Simpson had tried many different diets over the years with varying degrees of success – most weight losses were inevitably temporary, no matter how substantial, and always resulted in a return to the pre-diet weight, usually with a few extra added pounds each time.  With each new diet attempt, there was always a greater amount to lose, which made the resulting failure more and more difficult to bear.

By the time Chef Simpson arrived at the Clinic, he was a 35 year-old father of 4 who could barely bend down to tie his own shoes.  His blood pressure was too high, his joints ached and he could only dream about running around and playing with his kids.  There was no doubt in his mind that he was in serious trouble.  He saw the Clinic as his last ditch attempt to either conquer his weight problem or face obesity for the rest of his life.  In the summer of 1995, Jud Simpson was a desperate man.

He had tried many diets before but none had ever been as drastic as the one the weight management clinic was proposing:  no solid food for 12 weeks, the only form of sustenance being a liquid meal replacement 3 times a day.  Coaching and instruction on good food choices and the importance of a regular exercise program continued throughout the fasting period and during the gradual re-introduction of solid foods that would follow.  Chef Simpson was determined to make it work this time but it certainly wasn’t easy - just imagine being a chef, constantly surrounded by food, without allowing yourself one measly crumb for 12 long weeks.  But he persevered and the results were encouraging and by the time he was able to start eating solid food again, he had lost one hundred pounds and dropped about 30 more during the six-week gradual reintroduction of food stage.

Losing all that weight definitely hadn’t been easy but Chef Simpson was only too aware that the odds were stacked against him and that the most difficult challenge still lay ahead. He had been informed right from the start that barely one third of patients are successful in maintaining their weight loss over the long term. He could already see the signs in many of the patients who were now afraid of eating again (a meal replacement 3 times daily takes all the guesswork out of making the right choices) and who knew very little about the composition of food and how to prepare it in tasty, creative and healthful ways.  He realized that his training and expertise as an Executive Chef gave him a distinct advantage and that this would become his salvation - an opportunity to help others in a shared struggle and a way for him to stay focused on his own weight maintenance. Thus his relationship with the Weight Management Clinic was destined to continue.

Over the last 10 years, there have been cooking classes at the hospital and in individual homes, quite often attended by Dr. Bob Dent, who established the clinic in Ottawa in 1992.  Last spring, Chef Simpson gave a cooking demonstration to a group of physicians concerned with the obesity epidemic in which Dr. Dent was the guest speaker.  The clinic is currently sourcing new kitchen facilities that would accommodate the large number of patients interested in Chef Simpson’s low-fat techniques with food and eager to hear his inspiring and motivational stories about his ongoing journey to healthy weight.  Dr. Dent and his team are a constant source of information and support for him as he stays the course with healthy eating habits and a good measure of regular exercise – not to mention a strong dose of determination and commitment – “Never give up!”