Health, Not Weight Loss: A Mini Rant

I want to be able to visit a health website and find tips for being healthy. Not bullshit about losing weight and getting a flat stomach. Weight loss and lack of tummy rolls don't indicate health.

No, I want tips for stressing less, a list of products that are low in sodium and sugar, fitness routines for people who are lazy or time-crunched, recipes for energizing and delicious food (that don't have 'skinny' in the name). Health. Not weight loss.

This is why I don't read health magazines.

P.S. I curate body positive health and fitness stuff here.

Image Source: #SizeDoesntMatter Challenge via Plus Model Magazine.

Weight Loss is Bad For You-- Really!

I went to the doctor earlier this week. During the usual check-up, she asked about my chronic fatigue. When I said it hadn't improved, she said "you'll have to lose weight".

As a practitioner of Health at Every Size, this upset me. Especially because she knows I practice HAES, that I do exercise and eat healthy, and my weight is still high (not to mention a non-issue).

So when she took my blood pressure, it was slightly elevated. I've never had high blood pressure, so I assume it's from stress (from our chat). Here's the conversation that ensued:

Dr: You have high blood pressure. You have to lose weight.

Me: There's no proof weight loss cures high blood pressure. What would you tell a thin person to do?

Dr: But you're not thin.

Me; At my smallest, 120-something pounds, I didn't have high blood pressure. I was told to lose weight but I didn't. AND I didn't develop high blood pressure until 10 years later.

Dr: That's not possible.

Me: Yes it is. Because it happened to me. Check my file.

Dr: Well you still need to lose weight. Your weight is not healthy.

Do these people (who push weight loss) even listen to themselves? Logical, intelligent individuals forgo all that in attempts to force people like me to lose weight, even though there's not a shred of evidence that losing weight will make us healthier. [Diets do not lead to sustained weight loss or health benefits for the majority of people]

It's absurd.

In most of my blog posts I conclude with a paragraph or two that wraps up the issue at hand with a neat little bow. But to be honest, I can't do that with this post, because this issue still isn't resolved. I'm not sure what to do, past lowering my sodium intake and continuing to at healthy and exercise-- and ignore all "you need to lose weight" messages.

Have you experienced this? What did you do?

What is Health At Every Size (HAES)?

Health At Every Size is a system which focuses on intuitive eating and pleasurable physical activity as a replacement for dieting. HAES states that weight does not cause health issues.

There’s nothing more empowering than realizing you don’t have to be part of society’s War On Obesity or maintain the “perfect weight”!

5 Ways to Adopt the HAES Lifestyle:

1 Enjoy your food because you’re hungry and because it tastes good.
2 Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full.
3 Exercise because it’s good for you.
4 Don’t exercise simply for the sake losing weight.
5 Love your body.

Read more about Health At Every Size here.

Image Source

Related Links:

| 7 Easy Body Image Boosters | Body Shaming Hurts Skinny Girls Too |
| 5 Reasons To Be Body Positive |

Texas Hospital Bans Fat Employees

Citizens Medical Center in Victoria, TX is banning workers whose BMI is over 35.

Hospital chief David Brown explains: “The majority of our patients are over 65, and they have expectations that cannot be ignored in terms of personal appearance".

So if the majority of their patients at Citizens Medical Center demanded only brunette nurses or doctors wearing purple lipstick and clown suits, would that be acceptable?

Further, the issue is not employees who do not adequately do their jobs, nor employees looking or acting unprofessionally. Therefore, despite no laws being in place against this, it is discrimination.

Peggy Howell of NAAFA agrees. “This is discrimination plain and simple. A hospital should know that lots of medical conditions lead to obesity or weight gain... So the field of medicine is no longer an option for people of larger body size? What a waste of talent.”

Perhaps most importantly, BMI is not an indicator of health, ability to do a job, or attractiveness.

Shape up, Citizens.

Quote sources: Buzzfeed and the Texas Tribune

I Stopped Reading "Health" Magazines + You Should Too!

April Flores for Bizarre Magazine

I used to pore over women's health magazines, certain that reading them would inspire me to be healthier. Recently, though, I learned that so-called health magazines aren't so good for us afterall: They perpetuate negative body image ideals and insist that a woman will never be good enough until she's thin, inspiring crash diets and self-loathing.

Now, I do indulge in magazines (what girl doesn't?) but I'm far more discerning than I used to be. In place of reaching for Self or Shape, I explore the Health at Every Size community online or read feminist publications like Bitch and Bust. Better quality material and it makes me feel good about myself. I love fashion magazines too, but take their "health" tips with a grain of salt.

Rather than reading about ways to be skinny, I actively work at being healthy by going for walks, preparing nutritious snacks or practicing yoga.

I recognize that skinny is not necessarily healthy and healthy is not necessarily skinny, just like fat is not necessarily unhealthy and unhealthy is not necessarily fat.

I acknowledge that my body type (voluptuous, full-figured) was highly sought-after throughout history-- a larger figure meant a woman was well-off enough to eat lavishly and her curves were considered beautiful. In the past 60 years or so, slender has been considered most attractive. Society's tastes change in cycles. One day curvy will be in again and thin will be out. We just have to ignore trends and embrace the body we have.

Lastly, I remind myself over and over again that I am beautiful and I deserve to be healthy-- emotionally and physically.

And so do you.