Food as Medicine: Calorie Density - A Simple Yet Powerful Approach to Weight Loss

A practical approach to sustainable weight management.

This course introduces the powerful concept of calorie density—a practical, evidence-based approach to improving diet quality and supporting long-term weight control. Led by Dr. Anthony Lim, you’ll learn how to apply calorie density principles in everyday life, avoid common pitfalls, and help patients reach their health goals without overcomplicating nutrition.

Description

Calorie density is a wonderful tool and concept that, when understood, can effectively support weight loss and achieving optimal health. This Food as Medicine session, led by Medical Director of the McDougall Program and Lecturer at Kaiser Permanente Medical Group in Santa Rosa, Anthony Lim, MD, JD, DipABLM, will define calorie density and demonstrate the benefits of this approach. The session will also cover some of the most common "pitfalls" or mistakes made when it comes to calorie density. Lastly, we will review the application of calorie density principles to daily life for the purpose of supporting patients with investment in achieving weight control and optimal health.

This course expires August 16, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST.  

Course Format

Food as Medicine: Calorie Density - A Simple Yet Powerful Approach to Weight Loss consists of one lecture and 1.25 hours of content. 

Target Audience

This course is applicable for interprofessional healthcare team including physicians, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, physician associates, registered dietitians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, other health professionals working with chronic disease prevention or treatment, certified health coaches, and clinicians in training.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Outline nutrition principles that address both overall health and healthy weight
  • Articulate application of food as medicine for overall health and healthy weight
  • Describe the concept of calorie density and the benefits of eating a low-calorie density diet
  • Recognize common pitfalls that patients fall into when it comes to calorie density
  • Explain principles for how to apply calorie density in daily life

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Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.25 AAFP Prescribed

    The AAFP has reviewed Food as Medicine: Calorie Density - A Simple Yet Powerful Approach to Weight Loss and deemed it acceptable for up to 1.25 Enduring Materials, Self-Study AAFP Prescribed credit(s). Term of Approval is from 8/17/2025 to 8/16/2026. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. .

  • 1.25 ABIM Medical Knowledge

    Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 1.25 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participation completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

  • 1.25 ABLM MOC

    The American Board of Lifestyle Medicine has approved 1.25 maintenance of certification credits (MOC) for this learning activity.

  • 1.25 ABS Accredited CME

    Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.

  • 1.25 ACPE Pharmacy

    Rush University Medical Center designates this knowledge-based enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 contact hour(s) for pharmacists.

  • 1.25 ACPE Technician

    Rush University Medical Center designates this knowledge-based enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 contact hour(s) for pharmacy technicians.

  • 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    Rush Medical Center designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  • 1.25 ANCC

    Rush University Medical Center designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 nursing contact hour(s).

  • 1.25 APA

    Rush University Medical Center designates this enduring material for 1.25 CE credits in psychology. Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship in the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.

  • 1.25 ASWB

    As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Rush University Medical Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved continuing education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 1.25 general continuing education credits.

  • 1.25 CPEU

    This enduring material has been approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Completion of this activity awards 1.25 CPEUs.

  • 1.25 NBC-HWC

    The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) has approved 1.25 continuing education credits for this learning activity: CE-000071-4.

  • 1.25 Occupational Therapy CE

    Rush University Medical Center is an approved provider for physical therapy (216.000378) and occupational therapy (224.000220) by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation. Rush University Medical Center designates this enduring material for 1.25 continuing education credits.

  • 1.25 Participation (AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for non-MDs)

    Rush University Medical Center designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  • 1.25 Physical Therapy CE

    Rush University Medical Center is an approved provider for physical therapy (216.000378) and occupational therapy (224.000220) by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation. Rush University Medical Center designates this enduring material for 1.25 continuing education credits.

Course opens: 
08/17/2023
Course expires: 
08/16/2026
Cost:
$50.00

Anthony Lim, MD, JD, DipABLM

Dr. Anthony Lim is the Medical Director of the McDougall Program, a lifestyle medical program based in Santa Rosa, California, that has helped thousands of patients to successfully transition to a whole-food, plant-based diet and radically improve their overall health and well-being.  He also teaches the plant-based classes offered by Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center.  

Dr. Lim is a graduate of Stanford University, Harvard Law School, and Boston University School of Medicine. He is board-certified in family medicine and lifestyle medicine and completed his residency training at Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency.  He is also a bar-certified attorney in the state of California.  

Dr. Lim lives in Santa Rosa with his wife, Jean, and their two children, Joshua (15) and Julia (11), who bring them endless joy and laughter.  His outside interests include playing out in nature, learning guitar, and continually growing in his Christian faith.
 

 

Accreditation Statement, Disclosure Information and Credit Designation Statements

Joint Providership Statement: In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by RUSH University Medical Center and American College of Lifestyle Medicine. RUSH University Medical Center is Jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing medical education for the healthcare team.

 

Disclosure Information

Unapproved Uses of Drugs/Devices: In accordance with requirements of the FDA, the audience is advised that information presented in this continuing medical education activity may contain references to unlabeled or unapproved uses of drugs or devices. Please refer to the FDA approved package insert for each drug/device for full prescribing/utilization information.

It is the policy of the Interprofessional Continuing Education office at RUSH to ensure that its CE activities are independent, free of commercial bias. Therefore, we manage all financial relationships associated with accredited continuing education activities. RUSH asks everyone who has the ability to control or influence the content of an educational activity to disclose information about all of their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months.

An ineligible company is an entity whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. There is no minimum threshold; individuals must disclose all financial relationships, regardless of the amount, with ineligible companies. Individuals must disclose regardless of their view of the relevance of relationships to education. Mechanisms are in place to identify and mitigate any potential conflicts of interest prior to the planning, implementation, or evaluation of the continuing education activity. If a financial relationship is identified for the person in control of content, conflict mitigation strategies will be used to mitigate the financial relationship before they assume their role.

Individuals in control of content for this activity have the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose and all financial relationships have been mitigated.

  • Rohit Moghe, PharmD, MSPH, CDCES: Member, Speaker's Bureau - Novo Nordisk

All other individuals in control of content have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Available Credit

  • 1.25 AAFP Prescribed

    The AAFP has reviewed Food as Medicine: Calorie Density - A Simple Yet Powerful Approach to Weight Loss and deemed it acceptable for up to 1.25 Enduring Materials, Self-Study AAFP Prescribed credit(s). Term of Approval is from 8/17/2025 to 8/16/2026. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. .

  • 1.25 ABIM Medical Knowledge

    Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 1.25 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participation completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

  • 1.25 ABLM MOC

    The American Board of Lifestyle Medicine has approved 1.25 maintenance of certification credits (MOC) for this learning activity.

  • 1.25 ABS Accredited CME

    Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.

  • 1.25 ACPE Pharmacy

    Rush University Medical Center designates this knowledge-based enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 contact hour(s) for pharmacists.

  • 1.25 ACPE Technician

    Rush University Medical Center designates this knowledge-based enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 contact hour(s) for pharmacy technicians.

  • 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    Rush Medical Center designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  • 1.25 ANCC

    Rush University Medical Center designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 nursing contact hour(s).

  • 1.25 APA

    Rush University Medical Center designates this enduring material for 1.25 CE credits in psychology. Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship in the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.

  • 1.25 ASWB

    As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Rush University Medical Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved continuing education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 1.25 general continuing education credits.

  • 1.25 CPEU

    This enduring material has been approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Completion of this activity awards 1.25 CPEUs.

  • 1.25 NBC-HWC

    The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) has approved 1.25 continuing education credits for this learning activity: CE-000071-4.

  • 1.25 Occupational Therapy CE

    Rush University Medical Center is an approved provider for physical therapy (216.000378) and occupational therapy (224.000220) by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation. Rush University Medical Center designates this enduring material for 1.25 continuing education credits.

  • 1.25 Participation (AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for non-MDs)

    Rush University Medical Center designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  • 1.25 Physical Therapy CE

    Rush University Medical Center is an approved provider for physical therapy (216.000378) and occupational therapy (224.000220) by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation. Rush University Medical Center designates this enduring material for 1.25 continuing education credits.

Price

Cost:
$50.00
Please login or create an account to take this course.

ACLM member and category discounts are applied at checkout.

Non-memberACLM Members
$50

Physician/Doctor: $37.50

Non-Doctoral Health Professional: $25

Student/Trainee: $18.75

Access to online material is granted through the term of approval, which ends August 16th, 2026.

Participant User Agreement (Terms of Use and Copyright) 

Before registering for a Continuing Education/Continuing Medical Education Course (“Training”) for the first time, carefully review the following conditions of usage at https://lifestylemedicine.org/terms-of-use-and-copyright/

Registering for an American College of Lifestyle Medicine Course indicates your acceptance of the Participant User Agreement and its terms and conditions. 

Required Hardware/software

This course can be viewed on desktop or tablet using a modern browser and most mobile devices. Speakers or headphones are required for this course.