Losing weight is not a requirement for feeling better in your body and improving your health and well-being.
The prevalence of eating disorders has been on the rise over the past two decades.
I understand this statement entirely contrasts with the message many health experts and society teach us, that losing weight is the cure for many health and body image issues.
But focusing on weight loss as the ultimate goal – or even as one of the top goals – is entirely unhelpful and unnecessary, especially as it distracts from the wonderful physical, emotional, and mental benefits of engaging in healthy eating and movement behaviors.
The research is there and growing; people who eat and move intuitively have better health outcomes and feel more at home in their bodies without changing their weight.
What happens when you stop focusing on weight loss?
When you take away the pressure and distress of the number on the scale, people are more likely to continue their healthy habits rather than get caught in the yo-yo of dieting and weight cycling.
Check it out: there are hundreds of studies that suggest when you listen to your body, honor its cues of hunger and satiety, regularly move in a way that you enjoy, and eat a variety of foods – both whole and processed – you are more likely to have a more robust physical connection with your body, better health markers (cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugars), a more positive body image, and better emotional/mental health.
If the research isn’t strong enough evidence for you, consider this:
I have worked with hundreds of people who have felt better in their skin and improved their health through intuitive eating without focusing on weight loss.
I recently spoke with a client who used to believe they could only start feeling better in their body once they started seeing some weight loss. They have been surprised to find that as they’ve started to listen to their body, they’ve been eating in a less restrictive way, engaging in light exercise, and feeling more confident and energetic in their body – without losing weight.
Now is not the time to focus on weight loss.
There are ways to move forward and feel better wherever you are in your health and your relationship with your body!
Now is the time to take a weight-neutral approach to your health and well-being.
That is how our entire team of Dietitians at Erica Leon work with our clients, by focusing on a weight-neutral approach to our client’s health. We know this will have long lasting effects on their lives.
If you want to know how working with a dietitian can help you with a new approach to your “weight-loss”, then book a call with our Founder, Erica. She will review your situation and determine which one of our dietitians is the best one for you to partner with to achieve your goals!
Rebecca is one of the team of Dietitians at Erica Leon Nutrition. She specializes in weight-inclusive nutrition therapy counseling for a variety of health conditions, but primarily eating disorders and disordered eating/body image concerns, gastrointestinal disorders, family and child feeding concerns, and cardiovascular conditions. Learn more about Rebeccca.
