Vol. 21, Issue 5, April 26, 2023

In our last issue, (read it here), I shared some highlights of my interview with one of our outstanding speakers, Dr. Michelle May, regarding weight stigma in our culture. She expressed the main theme in that interview when she challenged us to think beyond the weight-centered health paradigm. In this issue, we’ll get her ideas about shifting from a weight-centric to a weight-inclusive approach in working with patients.

 

Weight Is Not A Behavior

First, she suggests that we use a new term for this approach to health instead of weight, which is “weight-inclusive.” She quotes an innovative paper The Weight-Inclusive versus Weight-Normative Approach to Health, where the authors defined it this way:

“Instead of imagining that well-being is only possible at a specific weight, a weight-inclusive approach considers empirically supported practices that enhance people’s health in patient care and public health settings regardless of where they fall on the weight spectrum.”

Dr. May became interested in a weight-inclusive approach because so many of her patients – and now coaching clients – have struggled with weight cycling and chronic yo-yo dieting (a process she calls the “eat-repent-repeat” cycle).

“The research shows that dieting does not work,” she said in our interview.

“We — the medical profession — are failing people by pushing one diet after another and calling it a lifestyle change. If, instead, we shift to an inside-out approach, where the focus isn’t on your force of gravity on Earth as a measure of how healthy you are, then we can focus on things that really do matter: how we feel, how much energy we have to play with our children, how productive we are at work, whether we can do the things we love, and whether we are living fully and joyfully.”

“What is the harm in recommending weight loss for our patients?” she continued. And her answer?

“Simply, it’s not effective, so it is a waste of time. The majority of people don’t stay in weight loss studies. Those who do, lose a modest amount of weight on average; most will regain it within one to two years, and some will gain even more.

“So, we’re recommending an intervention with a high rate of failure, and side effects such as weight cycling, disordered eating, and weight stigma. But when diets predictably fail, we assume our patients didn’t have enough willpower or just need to try again.

Medical approaches that emphasize health and well-being without emphasizing weight loss, referred to as a weight-inclusive approach, help improve eating and activity-related health behaviors in patients.

As our interview continued, she talked more specifically about treatment, and she emphasized that the difference in her approach lay in their focus on achieving health rather than on attaining a certain weight.

“Weight is not a behavior,” she emphasized, “so it is not subject to behavioral modification. I work with individuals and groups to develop healthier attitudes and behaviors that cultivate well-being—whether they lose weight or not.

“What if we disentangle health producing behaviors from weight? We have an opportunity to guide and support people in adopting sustainable behaviors that are suitable for them without struggling or thinking they’re failing because their body is resisting the focus on weight loss.

“For example, I teach people to pause when they feel like eating. Ask yourself, ‘Am I hungry? In other words, does my body need fuel or am I bored, stressed, or experiencing one of a hundred other triggers for eating?’ By learning to tune in to their physical sensations, their thoughts, and their feelings, they have enough information to decide how to meet their needs best. This is what I mean by an inside-out approach.

“This has become a passion project for me because I work with so many people who want to feel better and have been led to believe weight loss is the answer. In fact, optimal well-being is available at any size when we shift our focus to mindful eating, joyful movement, and consistent self-care!”

Ready to break some barriers and challenge thinking about weight in your organization? To bring Dr. May’s expertise to your community, give me a call at 503-699-5031, or email me at barbara@speakwellbeing.com .

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Michelle May, M.D., CSP empowers audiences to take charge of their lives and their well-being. Her authenticity and passion for mindful eating and vibrant living stem from her own personal struggle with food and body image. After years of ineffective yo-yo dieting, she developed a mindful, non-diet approach to food, movement, and self-care. With personal experience and professional expertise, Dr. May inspires new ways of thinking and leaves your audience with a clear path for implementing vibrant well-being in their personal and professional lives.

Dr. May is the award-winning author of the book series, Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat that teaches mindful eating to help individuals resolve mindless and emotional eating and senseless yo-yo dieting to live the vibrant life they crave. She is an Associate Professor at Arizona State University where she teaches Mindful Eating. She is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), the highest earned designation from the National Speakers Association.

Ready to break some barriers and challenge thinking about weight in your organization? To bring Dr. May’s expertise to your community, give me a call at 503-699-5031, or email barbara@speakwellbeing.com

 

The Joys of New Growth Emerging

What a difference a few weeks makes! In my last issue, I was lamenting our very late spring here in the Northwest.

FINALLY, new growth is emerging from the ground, in all its fresh, bright green glory. Every day I walk around to see what has unfolded. I spent hours last summer battling invasive garlic mustard (with its deep roots, it is very persistent) and other weeds, and I re-located an overabundance of hellebores. Then came the fun part of planting perennials, rhododendrons, and a couple of blueberry bushes. Now it’s time for a shopping trip this weekend to the local garden club’s sale, especially looking for native plants and advice from local gardeners.

There were several plants I didn’t think had made it, but while they looked dead topside, there’s new growth coming up now from the bottom. As I can’t remember what a couple of them are, I’m looking forward even more to seeing them develop! Perhaps I will actually label the new ones this year so I’ll remember!

Until next time, I hope you’re enjoying the freshness of Spring. Take care of yourself for your well being and those you love.

Yours truly,
Barbara

For Your Well Being is published with the intention of bringing you insider speaker reports, exclusive stories about special events around the country, meeting planner tips, and fun stuff from the worlds of health and well being. Be well and be in the know!

The Speak Well Being Group is a specialized speakers bureau, focusing on health and wellness for all types of organizations that want to foster health and well being for their employees, members, clients, and in their communities.

Our speakers are hand-selected. They are not only experts in their fields; they connect with their audiences while bringing them life-changing information, smiles of recognition, and ultimately a sense of well being and hope.

Finding the perfect keynote speaker for your special event or conference is my personal passion, not just once, but year after year. It brings me great joy to know that your audience was delighted and moved by the speaker we selected together. I’m committed to making the process easy, pleasant and fun.