* as published in the Jan/Feb 2014 edition of WHOLifeE magazine
A few years ago I decided to accept my body unconditionally and let go of the need to lose weight to be happy. Since then I have felt better and have taken better care of myself. I stay strong and limber with daily exercise (which includes cardio, strength training, yoga). I eat a healthier diet and am tuning into my body and honouring signals of hunger and fullness. I care for my mental health and strive to be aware of emotional eating and I nurture a range of coping strategies when times are rough. I regularly show my body appreciation with massages, walks with my dogs, and dressing in clothes that I like and that fit me.
Many of us are conditioned to think that giving up the goal of a thinner body is giving up on health. This is simply not true. We can take care of, and even improve our health through things like physical activity and eating well whether or not our weight decreases. When I learned that my health, happiness, and well being was not dependent on being a predetermined size or weight I was freed! This approach to health is called Health at Every Size (HAES).
“Health at Every Size is based on the simple premise that the best way to improve health is to honour your body. It supports people in adopting health habits for the sake of health and well-being (rather than weight control).” (http://www.haescommunity.org/)
“Health at Every Size” (2008) by Linda Bacon, Ph.D. outlines how science supports body size acceptance as a positive path to health. According to Bacon most studies that suggest health risks for larger bodies have failed to consider things like physical activity and the impact of dieting. Physical activity is a much better predictor of health than body size. Someone with a larger body who is physically active will likely have better health than someone with a thinner body who is not physically active. This is good news because we have more control over how active we are than the size of our body!
People Come in Many Shapes and Sizes
HAES means accepting and respecting the natural diversity of body sizes and shapes. People naturally range from very thin to very fat, with most of us falling somewhere in the middle. The challenge is for all of us to discover our natural weight (the weight we are at when eating a nutritious diet in response to hunger cues and getting regular activity). It is important to note that tools like the BMI are often not helpful in determining a “healthy” or natural weight. There are many people who have good health habits and fall into the ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’ category of the BMI, and live vital, healthy lives.
Food is Not the Enemy
Health at Every Size embraces eating that values pleasure and honours internal cues of hunger, satiety, and appetite. As a babies and toddlers we knew when we were hungry and when we were full. But now, many people are confused about how much and what to eat and rely on outside sources like diets and eating plans to tell them what to do. We’ve lost touch with our body’s signals, but like any skill, it can be relearned.
Intuitive or Mindful Eating can be helpful. When I eat my goal is to be fully present with my body and my food. I take time to consider what it is I want to eat (texture, flavour temperature). I pause to see if it is indeed food I need, or is it some other need that I am confusing with hunger. I re-established trust with myself and my body to let me know when and what to eat.
Move My Body
As I mentioned earlier, physical activity is the best predictor of good health and finding joy in moving my body is helping me become more physically vital. Many of us are familiar with the benefits of exercise; we can get stronger, fitter, achieve better heart health, improve mental health, and increase self esteem. What is important to remember is that all of us are able to enjoy these benefits of regular physical activity, whether or not weight is lost as a result.
When it comes to movement, what I particularly stress is enjoyment. Approaching physical activity as a punishment, or a means of controlling my body is not going to help maintain any exercise program. So, if I hate running, I don’t do it! Maybe I prefer swimming, or dancing. Whatever it is, if I enjoy it, I am more likely to do it on a regular basis.
What Do We Look For?
With Health at Every Size, we look other (more helpful) indicators of health. For instance, ask yourself if your new health habits have you feeling more energetic, or sleeping better or having better sex. You may also choose to pay attention to medical indicators of health such as blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
When we remove expectations of a pre-determined size or shape from our health choices, we are all more likely to maintain a healthy lifestyle over the long term, and we will all be the healthier and happier for it.
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~Sydney is available to work with clients who are looking to embrace living Health at Every Size. Love your body and ditch the diet roller coaster!