What Does Health at Every Size Mean and How Might It Benefit Us?

Some of us do everything we can think of to get ourselves down to a certain size, but our bodies seem to have ideas of their own. We’re told — some by doctors ad others by media images or even seemingly well-meaning friends or family, that we must reduce our bodies to meet some ratio of body fat that seems impossible if we want to be healthy. But that may not actually be true. And if it isn't true, then concerns over the health of larger bodies may be misplaced, misguided, or even harmful.

What is Health at Every Size?

We tend to have a black-and-white view when it comes to defining fitness: Thin people are healthy, and overweight people are not. But the science doesn't actually bear this out. And this attitude can create a climate of body shaming and other negative elements that may lead to unhealthy obsessions with weight loss when we'd be much better served by a focus on health.

The ensuing desperation to achieve an ideal body size can trigger unhealthy dieting patterns that rarely lead to long-term weight loss or a sustained maintenance of the goal post-weight loss. Just as harmful is the self-esteem hit that usually comes along for the ride. 

“Health at Every Size” (HaES) is an intervention that emphasizes being as healthy as we can be right now, at this moment and ending our harmful obsession with the “ideal” body. This body-positive approach keeps the spotlight on health instead of what we can fit into. It pushes exercise and healthy eating habits, not specifically for weight loss, but with the knowledge that an active body, regardless of the person’s size, is almost always healthier than an inactive one.

Shifting the Paradigm to Health

HaES could be the beginning of real change for countless people suffering from obesity. It might seem like a small step, but it's actually a really important difference that shouldn't be dismissed as easily as some might. Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference.

In one study that followed 144 overweight premenopausal women for 4 months, with 48 in the HaES group, 48 in a standard support group, and 48 control subjects, those in the HaES group enjoyed the greatest weight loss success. That's right. By focusing not on size or weight loss, but on health, they achieved the greatest loss.

The supported group also fared better than the control group, which received no intervention at all. A 6-month and 1-year follow-up determined many HaES group members had continued to adhere to their positive lifestyle changes.

How to Start Health at Every Size as a Lifestyle

The basics are straightforward and easy to follow:

• Be accepting of ourselves and our bodies, regardless of weight or shape.
• Find ways to become more active. Making exercise a social activity and finding the right exercise for the individual may make movement more enjoyable and easier to maintain.
• Learn to eat based on hunger cues instead of boredom or depression or the clock. Eat to fuel the body, focusing on nutrition and positive meal patterns.

A shift to this approach could give people the confidence to love themselves regardless of their current size. And as more people learn that bodies of all sizes can be healthy, the public and private pressure may also ease, making it even more likely people will stick to their new lifestyle choices. Feeling better overall also means increasing the odds of treating their bodies to the healthy food and exercise they deserve.

Too many diets have us fighting and torturing ourselves for little to no return. Maybe it’s time for a more self-compassionate approach? HaES teaches us that we can be healthy at any size as long as we’re willing to admit that no matter where we’re at or how far we’ve come, we’re all writing our stories as we go. And ultimately, today’s headway is all that matters. So maybe it's time to cut ourselves some slack about the body we're in and look to feed it healthfully no matter what size we are. And then let's also make sure we give a break to others, too. Lifting people up is the best, and no one needs it more than those in bigger bodies these days.

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