Health At Every Size (HAES)
Over the course of human history, our society has engrained in us that you cannot simultaneously be fat and healthy (or happy, or beautiful, etc.). We are raised in a world where fat shaming starts at a very young age and we become convinced that we must be thin and fit or else we will be rejected. But what if we are not all meant to live in a small body? Sadly many of us are bashing and discriminating against our own bodies to meet an unattainable standard, causing depression, anxiety, addiction and plenty of other mental health symptoms. It is easy today to blame fast food and bad habits on weight gain, but it is devastating to assume that someone living in a larger body “is to blame” or “did it to themselves.” Contrary to what we are told by the medical field, body size DOES NOT correlate to health. In fact, many people in larger bodies go untreated for serious illnesses because doctors insist their symptoms are due to their weight instead of providing them with necessary screening. The amount of internal and external suffering that occurs due to body shaming and body imprisonment is overwhelming. It is time that we start accepting and nourishing ourselves and others for the bodies we are born in. The Health At Every Size (HAES) movement is committed to this and advocates are insisting that health professionals eliminate body judgement from their practice.
Immersing myself in the HAES movement has changed me personally and professionally. I have learned to be more accepting of myself and I feel more equipped to help my clients struggling in their bodies.
If you want to know more about HAES, I recommend this article by one of my favorite bloggers, Isabel Foxen Duke. She coaches individuals on how to “stop feeling crazy around food” and start feeling more emotionally accepting of themselves as they are. She provides an excellent overview of Health At Every Size (HAES) alongside her witty and hilarious tone. I encourage you to read it and to sign up for her weekly emails which have nourished my inbox for years!
I would love to hear your comments! What does Health At Every Size (HAES) mean to you?