What Does Health At Every Size Even Mean?
Have you ever gone to the doctor and felt judged based on your weight? You may be seeing a provider for a headache and before you know it, you're being body shamed and told to jump on the latest diet. It can be extremely frustrating when this happens, leading to possible embarrassment and hesitation to ever return. Health At Every Size (HAES) was founded to put an end to weight discrimination while offering an inviting space for all bodies.
All Bodies Are Good Bodies
People will often stop me on walks to tell me how adorable my dogs are! I have a Golden Retriever (Sunshine) and a miniature Yorkie (Luna). They're literally day and night when it comes to size, yet we don't think twice about that. We're so quick to accept the size diversity in animals (as we'd never expect a Golden to be the same size as a Yorkie), yet we struggle to accept this concept within ourselves and others. Our genetic inheritance influences bone structure, body size, shape, and weight differently! We're uniquely made and never were meant to look the same. We understand that it can take time to love your body, but we're here to help you appreciate and respect it with time.
Don't Settle For Less
It's important to find a provider who offers care without weight bias, weight stigma, or weight discrimination. Weight does not equal health, as several components go into overall wellness. This includes, but is not limited to psychical, emotional, social, spiritual, and economic well-being. As the HAES Movement continues to grow, more clinicians are providing the weight-inclusive care you deserve. To find a local or virtual HAES professional, click here!
Listen To Your Body
If you're currently in recovery from an Eating Disorder or have spent years dieting, it can be extremely difficult to listen to your body signals. Although you may hyper-focus on your body, it's very possible to be out of touch with it. Working with your dietitian to understand hunger and fullness cues is a wonderful way to show yourself respect and appreciation. Being in tune with our needs may also include moving our bodies in mindful ways. Joyful movement isn't a rigid workout routine that leaves you feeling exhausted and miserable. Instead, it has to do with finding activities that bring your body peace and enjoyment. It's important to collaborate with your providers when integrating joyful movement into your routine. We strongly encourage you to explore this avenue with your treatment team!
The Health At Every Size Movement has opened doors for clients to feel respected, valued, and understood while working with healthcare providers. At Pearl Wellness, our clinicians work through a HAES approach to provide inclusive, client-focused care. To learn more, check out Dr. Bacon's book on Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight.
With Pearls of Wisdom,
Eden Davis, RDN LDN