Discover the Power of Health at Every Size!

Are you ready for another exciting episode of the "Keep the Weight Off Podcast"? We're thrilled to announce that Episode #126, "Health at Every Size?" is ready, and we can't wait for you to tune in!

In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Angela and Marchelle delve into the controversial topic of Health at Every Size (HAES). They explore this transformative movement that champions self-acceptance and celebrates the beauty of all body shapes and sizes. This inspiring podcast encourages us to shift our focus from weight loss to overall well-being, mental health, and self-love. 🌸💪

 
🎧 Listen in as they discuss the six key principles of HAES:

1. Body Acceptance: Embrace self-love, regardless of your weight or appearance. Your worth is not defined by a number on a scale. 🧡

2. Health-Focused: Discover how balanced eating, regular physical activity, and stress management contribute to your overall health and happiness. 🥗🏋️‍♀️

3. Weight Neutrality: Challenge the idea that weight loss is the only path to improved health. Every body is unique, and health outcomes can vary widely. 🚫⚖️

4. Respect for Diversity: Celebrate the diversity of human bodies and reject weight-based discrimination. Let's create a world where everyone is appreciated and valued. 🌍🤝

5. Evidence-Based Approach: Explore scientific research and evidence that redefines our understanding of health and traditional weight-focused approaches. 📚🔍

6. Focus on Well-Being: Prioritize mental, emotional, and physical health over achieving a specific body size. After all, happiness comes in all shapes and forms. 😊🌈

Throughout the episode, Dr. Angela and Marchelle share personal experiences, stories of triumph over body image struggles, and expert insights into the disease of obesity. 🗣️💡

Discover how the HAES movement can empower you to embrace your body and all its natural beauty, while also considering the importance of addressing underlying health issues that may impact your well-being. It's a delicate balance that offers a world of possibilities for a healthier, happier you! 🌟🌟

Let's learn together how to celebrate our bodies and nourish ourselves with whole, natural foods, while embracing the diversity of health and beauty that exists in all of us. 🍏🌿

Thank you for being a part of our podcast community. 

Episode Highlights:

(09:38)  I agree that bodies naturally come in various shapes and sizes, no question about that, and health outcomes vary, no question. But remember, obesity is a disease and not a character flaw. The research shows very clearly that overweight and obesity is dangerous to your health, and that weight loss, or more accurately fat loss, is necessary for improved health.

(11:35) The study authors noted that if you recognize that these people may also develop diabetes or cardiovascular disease earlier in life, this excess weight can rob them of nearly two decades of healthy life. It's not just the early death, it's two decades of suffering with medical problems before the early death. So they're spending a lot of time suffering with pain and disability, having to visit doctors frequently, having to work at managing their disease.

(20:20) The body positivity movement would seem to be so good at helping us to stop dieting and love and embrace our bodies. But the shadow side is this: for many people, it gives them an excuse to keep eating junk food. They are thinking “I’m not gonna worry about size anymore, let's DoorDash Pizza and let's eat Oreos and ice cream and let's not worry about our weight anymore”. This is the kind of thing that can happen and it becomes a perfect excuse for the primitive brain to continue to go out and seek its dopamine hit. 

(24:40) If we are eating whole natural foods all the time, we would still all be different sizes. We are all genetically programmed to be a certain height and to develop a certain amount of muscle mass and fat mass. Some people would be naturally very muscular and heavier,  some people would be naturally very thin, and most people would be somewhere in the middle. 

So this is what I want us to celebrate. The natural diversity of a healthy, well nourished human body. No one should suffer discrimination because they have a disease… and no one should feel like they are not celebrating their body if they choose to treat their disease and lose fat to come back into their natural state as much as possible.