Comments on: Healthy at Any Size?

By: Ann

Ann — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:23:57 +0000

I gained weight eating healthy a few years ago. I started eating the Superfoods diet (naturally nutrient-packed foods.) I needed omega 3′s to help control inflammation from Rheumatoid Arthritis. Well, omega 3′s are fats, found in fatty fish and nuts especially. Too much of that will put pounds on, but I found the weight gain was definitely worth the health benefit of reduced inflammation. I felt so much better! I can now work fulltime and my joint stiffness is barely noticeable. Best of all, I am now on NO MEDICATION for RA. After four years of eating slamon and flax seed and nuts (along with the other great Superfoods) I was able to stop my injections of an immunosuppressant drug. I’d rather be plumper and feeling great than thinner and stiff and aching.

By: Pam@IW

Pam@IW — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:03:49 +0000

Thanks Deb for the link. I particularly like this statement on your website:

HAES promotes balanced eating, life-enhancing physical activity, and respect for the diversity of body shapes and sizes.

Those are really important principals to remember. I am overweight but I do strive to eat healthy and to get exercise. My husband is somewhat overweight but he walks a fast clip outside or on the treadmill for 3 miles five days a week and rides his bike for about 2 hours on Saturdays. He also tries to eat healthy. I think it is most important to be aware of the positive steps you take every day and not be tied down to how much you weigh or what size your are.

By: Nancy@IW

Nancy@IW — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:45:14 +0000

Jennie – I have alot of issues with “The Biggest Loser,” too. Season 1 (or maybe it was 2) winner has a new show called “reality show loser” – he gained ALOT of his weight back. I might actually watch that one.

My weight has fluctuated my entire life. I was a tiny sickly kid and then started having on again, off again weight issues beginning in high school. I’ve been on just about every diet imaginable – Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Nutri System, SlimFast, etc. and the only thing that has ever worked for me was just adopting a healthier lifestyle – watching my calorie intake and exercising more.

One issue that I have always had was trying to find pants to fit me – even when I was a size 8 – I always had trouble because I’m petite and curvy. I recently found these jeans and pants called “The Right Fit” at Fashion Bug (Lane Bryant and Catherine’s) and I feel so “normal” now. I have jeans that flatter my curvy figure and small waist. Talk about an esteem booster!

I’m wearing flattering “hip” pants now! I never wear pants because I can never find ones that aren’t too long or too gappy in the waist.

Thanks for this story Jennie! Thanks to Deb Lemire and Linda Bacon for their input, too.

By: Deb Lemire

Deb Lemire — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:31:39 +0000

The Association for Size Diversity and Health is an international professional organization committed to the principles of Health At Every Size (HAES). We wanted to thank you for bringing the HAES approach to your readers and encourage you to explore further.

Emerging research confirms that taking care of oneself without pursuing weight loss leads to better long-term health. We are seeing empirical documentation of the health impact from stigma and discrimination toward larger people and the deleterious effects of medical bias and barriers to care for people with higher BMIs. As professionals from diverse disciplines we recognized the need for a weight-neutral approach to addressing health issues for people across the weight spectrum.

We encourage you to explore our website at http://www.sizediversityandhealth.org. If we can be a resource to you for future exploration of the HAES paradigm, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Deb Lemire, President
The Association for Size Diversity and Health

By: Jennie@IW

Jennie@IW — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:16:32 +0000

Thanks to TWOP_fan and Linda Bacon for the links. I find the model really interesting and sensible. I still find the name “Health at Every Size” a little counter-intuitive, but whatever. Maybe “HealthIER at Every Size” would make more sense to me, since the focus seems to be on making better choices, whatever you weigh, rather than suggesting that you can be healthy at any weight.

I do think fat acceptance and accepting your body as is are important steps. I caught the beginning of the season premiere of “The Biggest Loser” last night. I have a LOT of issues with that show (I watched the first season or so but haven’t watched it regularly since). One of the contestants was talking about how he didn’t feel that anyone could love him at 450 pounds. I thought that was so sad. Because it’s bullshit, if you’ll excuse my language – being 450 pounds does not make someone categorically unlovable. That his solution to this was solely to lose weight struck me as problematic – is he really going to feel lovable at 185 pounds? What about if he’s 200? Obviously this person is at an unhealthy weight, but it bothered me that his self-loathing was being tacitly endorsed by the show. Ugh. I really, really hate “The Biggest Loser”.