Well By Messer Providers In-Depth: Jean Hanks

For many people, weight loss advice feels overwhelming, contradictory, and impossible to maintain. One week it’s cutting carbs, the next it’s intermittent fasting, and somewhere in between, people are told to “just eat less and move more.” But sustainable weight loss is far more nuanced — and far more personal.

At Well by Messer, I work as part of a multidisciplinary team helping patients navigate weight management, hormone health, menopause, PMOS, emotional eating, and GLP-1 medications. My role isn’t simply to hand out meal plans. It’s to help patients create realistic, sustainable habits that fit their lives long term.

Balance is really the key. There should be balance within your meals, but also balance in your life overall when it comes to eating. It’s a philosophy I have honed through my own winding path into the field.

From Liberal Arts Student to Registered Dietitian

My path into nutrition wasn’t linear. While attending Tulane University, I developed an interest in health and nutrition but initially pursued a liberal arts education.

After graduation, documentaries about plant-based eating and nutrition science sparked a deeper passion for the field. Around that same time, I made a significant personal shift and became a pescatarian the summer before my senior year. It was a pretty big lifestyle change, and I began to see food not just as fuel, but as a meaningful part of how people live and feel.

As graduation approached, I knew I wanted to pursue my interest in health and nutrition professionally. That clarity led me to complete prerequisite science coursework before entering the nutrition master’s program at Hunter College. Following graduate school, I completed a dietetic internship with clinical, community, and private practice rotations before sitting for and passing the RD exam — a four-year journey after undergrad.

I’ve now been with Well by Messer for four years. What I find especially meaningful about the practice is its collaborative model: endocrinologists, a psychologist, gynecologists, and a registered dietitian all working together under one roof.

The goal is a comprehensive approach to care. Patients come in needing help balancing hormones or managing weight, and they can see multiple providers all working toward the same goal.

Collaborative Care Matters in Weight Management

At Well by Messer, nutrition care doesn’t happen in isolation. Patients often work simultaneously with endocrinologists, psychologists, gynecologists, and dietitians.

Most patients are women between 40 and 60 navigating perimenopause, menopause, hormone imbalances, or weight-related concerns. Many begin treatment with an endocrinologist before eventually working with me on nutrition strategies that support their medical care.

Because dietitians typically see patients more frequently than physicians, I often become a key point of contact in a patient’s progress. I’m often seeing patients every two weeks or every month, whereas the MD might only see them every six months. That means I often have more insight into what’s actually happening day to day. That collaboration allows providers to make more informed decisions about medication dosing, nutrition strategies, side effects, and behavioral patterns that may not surface during shorter physician visits.

I also work closely with the practice’s psychologist because eating and emotion are closely connected. A lot of what I talk about with patients has a psychological component. We connect regularly about different patients and the best way to move forward with their plans.

What Is Sustainable Weight Loss and How Is It Achieved

Sustainable weight loss isn’t about finding the most restrictive diet you can tolerate. It’s about creating habits you can realistically maintain for the long term. Rather than chasing rapid results through extreme measures, sustainable weight loss focuses on gradual, consistent changes to eating, movement, and behavior that support your health over months and years — not just weeks.

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s building a system that works within your actual life.

After years of working with patients on their weight loss journeys, I’ve found these five strategies make weight loss both achievable and sustainable.

1. Plan Your Meals and Snacks Ahead of Time

Successful nutrition starts with intention — not perfection.

You don’t need a perfectly color-coded meal plan, but you should know what proteins you’re eating this week, what snacks you’re bringing to work, and when you’re grocery shopping. Without a plan, hunger and convenience often take over, leading to impulsive food choices that don’t support long-term goals.

2. Prioritize Volume Eating

One of my favorite strategies is “volume eating” — building meals around high-fiber, lower-calorie foods that create fullness without excessive calories.

Most people don’t want to eat tiny portions. But you can still have a satisfying plate if you focus on fiber-rich foods, vegetables, and protein.

3. Eat Protein at Every Meal

Protein is one of the nutrients I discuss most with patients.

If I only eat pasta, I know I’m going to be hungry again in a couple of hours. Protein helps keep you full and satisfied.

For many patients, increasing protein intake significantly improves energy, satiety, and consistency.

For vegetarian and vegan patients, these diets can absolutely support healthy weight loss when done thoughtfully. One challenge I frequently see is inadequate protein intake and so a lot of vegan diets become very carb-heavy.

I often guide patients toward higher-protein plant foods like tofu, beans, lentils, edamame, and nutritional yeast, while also addressing nutrients that may require supplementation, particularly vitamin B12. Square Fare can help build these needs directly into weekly meals.

4. Stop Thinking in Terms of “Good” and “Bad” Foods

I avoid framing foods as rewards or punishments. You need to figure out what foods matter most to you and find a way to include them thoughtfully. That balance may mean enjoying wine socially while cutting back on foods that feel less important, or allowing flexibility for vacations and celebrations without guilt.

In fact, one of the biggest weight loss mistakes people make is excessive restriction.

A lot of people think they need to be hungry all the time or cut out everything they enjoy. That may create short-term weight loss, but it’s usually not sustainable. Instead, I encourage patients to ask a more important question: Can I realistically eat this way for the rest of my life? That philosophy shapes nearly every recommendation I make.

Summer can be particularly challenging for people trying to maintain healthy habits. It’s rosé season! Rather than pushing extreme restrictions, I help patients become more intentional about trade-offs that feel realistic. If wine is your indulgence of choice, maybe you don’t care as much about dessert. It’s about figuring out what matters most to you and balancing the rest.

5. Reduce Restaurant and Takeout Meals

Restaurant meals often contain more sugar, butter, oil, and calories than people realize. When you cook more, or use a meal service where you actually know what you’re getting, it’s much easier to stay consistent. That’s where Square Fare comes in.

Why Personalized Nutrition Support Makes a Difference

Throughout my work, I repeatedly emphasize one core idea: sustainable change requires personalization. I’ve seen patients successfully lose weight by combining structured nutrition guidance with convenient meal support tailored to their schedules, protein needs, and calorie goals. For busy professionals, parents, and frequent travelers, simplifying decisions around food can make consistency far more achievable.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about creating a system that actually works in your real life.

The Difference Between Weight Loss With and Without GLP-1 Medications

One of the biggest shifts in modern weight management has been the rise of GLP-1 medications. I work extensively with patients using these medications, and the nutritional approach is very different from traditional dieting.

With GLP-1 patients, it’s less about portion control because appetite is already suppressed. Instead, we focus heavily on protein, fiber, hydration, and meal timing.

Patients on GLP-1s often need support preventing nausea, maintaining muscle mass, and ensuring they’re eating enough overall. Strength training and protein intake become especially important.

For patients not using medication, the focus tends to shift toward appetite management, portion awareness, and mindful eating habits.

These are really two completely different journeys.

When I Recommend Square Fare to My Clients

For me, this is about turning guidance into action.

Successful weight loss isn’t about extreme dieting or temporary fixes. It’s about helping patients create sustainable habits that fit into real life — especially for busy professionals, parents, travelers, and patients navigating major hormonal or metabolic changes.

That’s why I frequently recommend Square Fare as part of my nutrition strategy.

What makes Square Fare different is the ability to truly personalize meals to each patient’s goals. Rather than relying on generic meal delivery options, I can tailor calories, protein, carbohydrates, and portion sizes to support everything from GLP-1 treatment plans to traditional weight management programs. I know exactly what my patients are getting. I can tailor their meals to their protein needs, calorie goals, and overall nutrition plan, which makes my job so much easier and helps patients stay consistent.

I’ve seen first-hand how reducing decision fatigue around food can dramatically improve adherence and outcomes. Instead of scrambling for takeout, skipping meals, or relying on convenience foods, patients have balanced, high-protein meals readily available — making healthy choices easier during busy workweeks and stressful schedules.

Most importantly, Square Fare supports the philosophy I emphasize throughout my work: sustainable change over quick fixes. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about creating a system that actually works in your real life.

For patients looking to build healthier habits, improve nutrition, and create lasting weight loss success, I see Square Fare not simply as a meal service, but as a practical tool that helps turn nutrition guidance into everyday action.