Your Weight is Not Your Worth or a Health Indicator - Ditch the Scale
It’s the time of year when diet culture reigns supreme in your news feed. January always brings a bombardment of messages from the diet industry encouraging a “new you in the new year”. Some of these messages can be very seductive, especially in pandemic times. Imagining the way you might feel in a smaller body is something we all fall prey to at times. I do this too sometimes and I know better.
I know better because I am a registered dietitian. I am the last resort for people that have spent years trying to lose weight with every fad diet known to man. They’ve lost weight and then gained it back or they could not lose very much weight at all and they are beyond frustrated. There is a big myth that the correct diet, exercise and willpower will always bring weight loss. People judge themselves harshly when the result they want fails to happen. Let’s talk about what really impacts body size.
What actually determines weight:
Genetics - Sometimes we are fighting genetics. Body size patterns, propensity for certain illnesses and trauma are passed down from our DNA to our children.
Race/Ethnicity - Studies tell us that the average body size and composition is different depending on race and ethnicity. Technically, there should be a different BMI scale for different race and ethnicities. The BMI scale is faulty because it is based on the average white, male body that existed nearly 2 centuries ago.
Age - As we age our hormones change. The same foods we ate previously can now cause weight gain. Our muscle mass decreases out of no fault of our own. As a result, our metabolism slows down. It becomes more difficult to maintain muscle mass, the older we get.
Gender - Men and women have different hormone profiles. Men and women can be on the exact same diet and it’s likely that the man will lose more weight and faster.
Hormones - Your hormone profile has the greatest impact on your body size. PCOS, thyroid hormone imbalance, excessive stress hormones all impact metabolism.
Trauma - It is well studied and documented that traumatic events are associated with weight gain and larger bodies likely due to the chronic stress hormones that are released into the body long after a traumatic event.
Disordered Eating/Weight Cycling - Yoyo dieting is a well-studied predictor of long term weight gain. The more you diet, the more your BMI rises between diets. Your metabolism is damaged each time you diet and requires less and less calories over time to maintain your weight. Obsessing about what to eat can be very stressful, and is considered disordered eating. Stress hormones slow metabolism. People of all sizes can have eating disorders.
Illness - There are many illnesses that interfere with metabolism and blood sugar management.
Medications - Many types of medication can interfere with metabolism and blood sugar management.
Gut Microbiome - Dysbiosis or imbalance of gut bacteria can cause unintentional weight gain. The “bad” bacteria can send you cravings for the type of food that feeds it.
Muscle Mass - Muscle weighs more than fat. Sometimes a strong body appears to be larger. I was my heaviest while training for a marathon. My BMI was in the “overweight” range, but my legs were solid muscle and my labs were fantastic. Sidenote: BMI’s origins are problematic. It’s often misleading and should not be a measure of health.
Stress - Stress hormones like cortisol promote higher blood sugars and fat storage.
Sleep - Poor sleep increases cortisol and tired cells send cravings for quick energy.
Exercise - Exercise is needed for many body functions including maintaining muscle mass and a healthy metabolism. Overdoing it can actually increase stress hormones. Exercise should be enjoyable and moderate.
Food - Both restricting foods and access to a variety of nutrients as well as overeating can negatively impact your health and metabolism. Balance and variety are necessary for optimal health.
Notice that food is at the bottom of the list. Food typically has less impact on your weight than all of these other factors. Sometimes eating differently and exercising will cause weight loss. Sometimes it doesn’t because many people have a mix of the above factors that are impacting their metabolism.
Even when significant weight loss is achieved, it rarely lasts. Studies tell us that weight loss rarely continues beyond the first 6 months of dieting. That is because your metabolism gets slower and slower the longer you diet. At some point you have to eat infant sized portions of food to maintain your weight loss and that is just not sustainable. This metabolism change is also why many dieters gain back more than they lost after they stop dieting. Your body is programmed to do this. It is also programmed to send you intense cravings when you are depriving yourself. It is a life-saving mechanism. It’s not a matter of will.
Don’t let the number on the scale impact the way you feel about yourself. That number says nothing about who you are or the willpower you are capable of. It is not your value. I’m here to tell you that you can be healthy at any size or stage in your life. The number on the scale has very little to do with health. What really matters are your habits. Throughout my career, I have met many thin people that were extremely unhealthy and larger people that are strong, energetic and have excellent lab values. Building healthy habits around stress reduction, better quality sleep, exercise and functional nutrition improve your health independent of your weight number.
Learning to eat intuitively and mindfully is another important habit. Your body is able to intuitively tell you when and how much to eat if you are not restricting yourself. You can learn to trust and tune into your body’s cues to ultimately feel better.
Why do well intentioned health professionals almost always advise weight loss? This is because many studies look at BMI only and not health behaviors. More recent studies are breaking it down and looking at health behaviors. What was found is that good health and lab values are achieved at any size when we are taking good care of ourselves. So, say goodbye to that scale. Break it, throw it out or put it away for good. Activate your inner caregiver and start taking good care of your body. You are worth it!
If you want to take a deeper dive into improving your body image, intuitive/mindful eating as well as all the elements of wellness and nourishment, contact me or download NourishWell Workshop.