Part 1:
GREAT QUESTION- I wrestled with this question for months as I began the intuitive eating process. Here’s the answer that satisfied me. I’d love to hear how it resonates with you.
What research has shown repeatedly is this: intentional attempts to lose weight backfire 95% of the time. This means that between 2-5 years after the intentional weight loss attempt, the weight lost is regained (and for well over half those people, even more weight is gained).
So, let’s say there is a person who genuinely believes they would feel better/be healthier at a lower weight.
COMPLETELY GET IT ( this is most people I talk to every day).
But we know from research on this exact endeavor if you set out trying to lose weight you will be very likely to not reach that goal long term. Only 5% of people do. Not a great success rate. And we also know that increased dieting behavior predicts worse health outcomes outside of weight too. Intuitive Eating has overall improved health markers though!!
This is really, really hard to accept because we have been told repeatedly that the best way to get healthier is to lose weight. If you feel defensive or annoyed reading this, just know that I did too. I’m even a little annoyed at myself for writing it. But I need to.
I started asking myself some questions as I wrestled with this...
Did I feel better every time I lost weight? Yes. Did I feel healthier? Absolutely. Did I stick with my healthy changes forever? No. Did I think I would? Maybe. Did I ignore my hunger and fullness and follow the diet rules instead? Yes. When I got to my goal weight was I satisfied? I was scared of gaining weight back. Was I able to maintain the weight I lost? Not really. Did I end up eating tons of food when I was off the wagon? Yes. Did I start to think that my weight was a huge indicator of my ability to be healthy? Yes. Did I become obsessed with my scale and how clothes fit? Yes. Did I feel happier? for a minute, but long term no.
Part 2:
Don’t some people actually need to lose weight? For their health?
I think we are asking the wrong question.
The list of what people need for their overall health is a long, long list. It includes everything from healthy fats to hugs and spiritual connection.
But it has become normalized to address weight as the primary villain against our pursuit of health. And it's not.
So instead of asking "Don’t some people actually need to lose weight? For their health?"
Can you start asking…
Don’t some people need healthy, life giving friendships and partnerships?
Don’t some people need objective, supportive, affordable healthcare?
Don’t some people need a kind, knowledgeable therapist to help them through trauma?
Don’t some people need a better paying job?
I mean, really, should someone try to lose weight before they try dealing with trauma from their childhood? The weight loss might exacerbate the other mental health concerns that already exist.
Weight loss does not improve every last health outcome no matter how you slice this pizza. You cannot successfully compartmentalize your health and say you will lose weight and experience no other mental/physical adjustments. Our bodies are intricately interdependent.
Part 3:
So, wouldn’t someone losing weight, in turn, help them to achieve other goals that would improve their health? If everything is “connected”?
Maybe! But let’s head back to the statistics. We know that intentional weight loss attempts end up failing long term 95% of the time. In addition to that failure, the diets people are on put them at risk for weight cycling (gaining the weight they lost back quickly) which has a whole host of negative physical health problems including cardiovascular diseases and metabolic rate dropping long term.
So why would we set someone up to fail? Why are we so preoccupied with their weight?
Don’t some people need to lose weight? For their health?
Like I said before, I get it. Weight loss seems like such an easy problem to “fix” about someone, but that’s because we live in a culture that celebrates how we look on the outside and doesn’t seem to care as much about what’s truly going on on the inside.
I wish I could go back 15 years ago and convince myself of this, but I am not sure I would have believed the facts right in front of me. But I know now.
Thanks for thinking about this with me.
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